There's not much I can really add about the food, although I'll say the items that have most impressed me in years past, the sfingi, the cannoli and, especially, the stuffed melrose peppers, continue to be my favorites. Having arrived very early on Friday, we had the special treat of no line for the sfing.

What I do want to add, what really made my night the other day, the Mexican floor show. The night of 1000 dances. Straight from the streets of Cancun. I mean I swear I saw this revue there many years ago, where they introduce you to the broad range of Mexican music and dance styles, showing you that some sounds more polka than the SW side and others more mambo that Miami, and others, with the movie-class sombreros as cliche as possible. Still, to borrow another cliche, it was "all good." And I'll say, this, as much as I love Mexican food, I really have no ear for Mexican music. Still, I liked this. A lot. There was just something about this team, slightly above average, earnest in the best ways, that hit the spot exactly the way the food does. We had stumbled into this area, thinking there might be a hidden vendor of carne en su jugo or something, but stayed a long time for the show.

Melrose Park continues to have a lot to offer.

EvA wrote:Cabbagehead and I are planning to go this afternoon with friends from Oak Park. Ron's pics, as always, make everything look enticing. Be ready with your secret LTH handshake if you see us.

We'll be there at tome point, too.

Ronnie - By my count, you missed two stands. We went after the heaviest rain on Saturday and the crowds hadn't yet come back. Mr. X and I had: the arancini, artichoke casserole, pork tamale, pork chop sandwich, lasagna fritta, meatball sandwich, fried bologna sandwich, italian stuffed mushrooms, cannoli and sfingi. The tamale, lasagna fritta, meatball and fried bologna were great. Our two desserts were wonderful as well. This was my first visit and I'm glad we made the trek.

Haul for the day: arancino, bologna with mustard and onions, tamale, lupini, fried dough (pittula); consumed before shot, lemon ice (palate cleanser even if standard-issue Lezza), pistachios. Many years of practice with family here and at Da Feast has pointed to these favorites, and they do not disappoint.

I will take the fried dough with sugar over sfingi any day, much as I love the sisters, and enjoy the friendly and personal exchanges with the vendors, from whom quite a few shoppers take multiple orders home to set a Labor Day table, as we did; good packaging and recommendations abound ("keep the bag open, honey," "use the toaster oven, NEVER the microwave," "here's extra brine for the road"). Please take this in good humor from a Calabrese: rarely does anything make me happier than the southern Italians in line for homemade tamales and tacos, and the Mexicans in line for the lupini. A bronzed and beautiful thing.

Santander wrote:I will take the fried dough with sugar over sfingi any day

Last night, I did by necessity. I had a great visit to ToMP, but by the time I got around to wanting Sfingi, the line stretched back at least 250 feet and didn't move at all for the eintire 30 minutes I stood there. Finally, I gave up as the Chow Poodle came waltzing by with a cooked to order funnel cake that she didn't have to wait for any longer than the time it took to pull the dough from the grease. Highlights for me this year were the cheese tortolinni with spinach, garlic and oil and, of course, the fried bologna.

We got there right at Noon yesterday and had a great time as usual. I tell my wife it's easier to keep track of the kids, but it's also easier to chat w vendors and get a quick lap of the must haves done before it gets really crowded. I really enjoyed chatting with Don and Linda at Sicilianos as well as other vendors and random patrons. Man I wish I talked like that just once!

One of my favorites aside from others mentioned here is the panzerotti. They always come out light and crisp, and I almost got two this year but stuck w two fried bologna sandwiches as my only double. The stuffed melrose peppers were also great. I was bummed the panelle booth turned into a Nutella crepe booth and for the second straight year didn't get why so many people get the pasta fazool-it must be the bread bowl. We usually end w the lupinis and this year I got my 3 yo to try some. He's picky but getting there. Maybe. Someday.

jvalentino wrote: for the second straight year didn't get why so many people get the pasta fazool-it must be the bread bowl. We usually end w the lupinis and this year I got my 3 yo to try some. He's picky but getting there. Maybe. Someday.

I asked Joe Rosa at the Tiramisu stand for a rec and he strongly endorsed the pasta fagiole. I was, at that point and taking a cue from ReneG, thinking I'd go easy on the bread, so I didn't try the PF: All those starchy carbs didn't appeal (and I'm no Atkins freak).

jvalentino wrote:I tell my wife it's easier to keep track of the kids, but it's also easier to chat w vendors and get a quick lap of the must haves done before it gets really crowded..

Good advice. Navigating the sardine-can-packed food stall area at 3:30PM yesterday with a 16 month old was not easy. Once we acquired our goods and made our way over to the football field though, we had a very nice time.

Kennyz wrote:

jvalentino wrote:I tell my wife it's easier to keep track of the kids, but it's also easier to chat w vendors and get a quick lap of the must haves done before it gets really crowded..

Good advice. Navigating the sardine-can-packed food stall area at 3:30PM yesterday with a 16 month old was not easy. Once we acquired our goods and made our way over to the football field though, we had a very nice time.

The football field is a fun stop just for the reason that the kids can run around a bit. It also gives me a chance to burn off 17 of 3647 calories I just consumed.

David Hammond wrote:

jvalentino wrote: for the second straight year didn't get why so many people get the pasta fazool-it must be the bread bowl. We usually end w the lupinis and this year I got my 3 yo to try some. He's picky but getting there. Maybe. Someday.

I asked Joe Rosa at the Tiramisu stand for a rec and he strongly endorsed the pasta fagiole. I was, at that point and taking a cue from ReneG, thinking I'd go easy on the bread, so I didn't try the PF: All those starchy carbs didn't appeal (and I'm no Atkins freak).

I just find it to be bland. Three bites and I was done.

We had a great time at the ToMP yesterday. We also skipped the sfingi stand due to very long lines mid-afternoon, but we really enjoyed the lupini, fried bologna sandwich, panzerotti, arancini, stuffed melrose peppers, pepper and egg sandwich, cannoli, and tiramisu. Less successful in my opinion were the eggplant parm sandwich (definitely didn't need the bread, and even without rather bland), stuffed mushrooms, and artichoke casserole (too bready and bland). We found the cheese tortellini with spinach tasty but overly salty. I especially loved the arancini and the melrose peppers. It's a great festival with a real Chicago area feel, well patronized on a beautiful Sunday.

Cheese tortellini with spinach and garlic was my fave of the day.