This Italian delicacy is the basis of an entire club here at UConn. (stu_spivack/Flickr, Creative Commons)
With hundreds of clubs at the University of Connecticut, it may be hard for you to select which ones to join. Many students desire a club that is not only fun, but also a place to meet new people. Sixth-semester accounting major Enri Duka had this dilemma, until he created the Cannoli Club. Yes, you read that right. UConn has a club dedicated to the popular Italian dessert, cannoli.
For those of you unfamiliar with this Italian delicacy, a cannolo is a pastry consisting of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling. They range in size, but are typically no bigger than a finger.
The Daily Campus sat down with Duka, the club’s founder and president, to learn more about the new organization.
The Daily Campus: Where did your interest to create the Cannoli Club come from?
Duka: “I would like to enculture the student population. I can’t get enough of them and want other students to enjoy them as well along with learning about a very important dessert in Italian culture.”
DC: Where did your interest in cannoli come from?
Duka: “ I am part Italian and love eating Cannoli’s especially the ones of my Grandmother’s secret recipe.”
DC: In general, describe to us your strategy for meetings?
Duka: “We plan to have three meetings per month. For the three meetings students will come and learn about Italian culture while having a cannolo provided by vendors. During one meeting we will make the cannoli ourselves.”
DC: Where did the idea to start this club come from?
Duka: “I have been to club meetings and although academics are important I wanted to create a club that allows students to network, and have fun while enjoying a cannolo.”
DC: Will you try different cannoli recipes?
Duka: “Yes, our goal is to make them on one out of the three weeks we meet in a month we will make the cannoli. We also have vendors from which we will get the various cannoli from.”
DC: What are the future plans for the club?
Duka: “With 200 plus students signed up, UCTV plans to feature our club and we are in the process of developing a design for the club shirt.”
Duka hopes more students attend meetings. With a large amount of students liking the club’s Facebook page, he wants to make this one of the largest clubs on campus. Although that would then mean needing to have 200-plus cannoli for each meeting, he would like most students to know what a cannolo is and to, of course, try one.
The club aims to inform students on the popular Italian dessert and to offer a fun way for students to network. With a group of club officers, support from USG and students still signing up, Duka can expect a huge crowd showing up for cannoli. Unfortunately, we will not be able to know Enri’s Grandmother’s recipe, as it is a secret family recipe.
For those interested in knowing more about meeting dates, times and places follow the UConn Cannoli Club on Facebook.
Sharon Sorto is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached by email at sharon.sorto@uconn.edu.