How to order a cannoli at Mike's

Earlier today, a friend asked on facebook for suggestions on an upcoming trip to Boston and Maine. Of course those are two places I love.
I have a lot of fond memories in both places as a kid.

We spent a lot of time at my grandparents' cottage in Maine.

And we were always flying into Boston. We would go to the children's museum, or to the commons, or to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum when we were older. We almost always went to Filene's basement, for the push and shove shopping experience, and the deals.

For a long time my aunt worked in Boston, in Kendall Square. In high school I would come up from Philly for breaks, hop on the T to Kendall Square, and ride home with her. Sometimes if I got there early in the day, I would drop my bags at The Office (that was the name of her business) and then explore the city for a while heading over to Harvard, or to Filene's basement, till it was close to time to go home for her.

In college my friends and I often took random trips into the city for concerts, sporting events, shopping, whatever.

Somewhere along the way I was introduced to the North End.

And then somehow it became an annual tradition for Cate and Arwen to spend a day in Boston, eat at a particular restaurant, and then get cannoli's at Mike's.

I submit that there is no more decadent dessert in the world than a cannoli from Mike's.

One common thing that is said about New Englanders, especially by people here in the south, is that they are rude. I don't think they are rude, I just think that they are direct, and that visitors don't know the rules, so they struggle.

Take Mike's for example, there is actually a sign in the bakery, it says "Do Not Form Lines." Mike's is almost always busy, especially on weekends and in the summer. It's a rarity for it not to be jam packed. And if you stand there nicely waiting for your turn, you will continue standing there. You might never get a turn.

The reality is that if you are going to get a cannoli at Mike's, which I think it would be a travesty to not do, you have to elbow your way to the front. I mean it's not that you should be shoving people out of the way, you just have to know what you want, and slither your way to the front. And if you "cut" people, then you "cut" them. But there is no line, so technically you aren't cutting anyone. Then when the lady behind the counter says "NEXT" you step up, even if the person next to you has been waiting longer than you. It's just how it works. And you tell the woman what you want. She won't be patient with you if you hem and haw. Don't step up to order if you haven't figured out what you want, let someone else go and figure it out. Then the next time one of the ladies yells out, you step up and say "I want 3 cannoli's." I prefer the regular ricotta filled, dipped in chocolate, or with the chocolate chips, or the peanut butter. You can also just point at what you want and say "2 of those and 1 of those." It's best if you are in a large party to leave most of them outside and send 1 or 2 to order for the whole group.

Then the lady will place them in the box, and wrap the blue and white string that is hanging from the ceiling, and you will wonder how on earth she did that, and she will take your money, and come back with your change.

Then you will slither your way back out and find another place to eat them, preferably on the grassy area with the fountains.

or at the warf.