Zalău Days - Romanian Food Festival 7/27/14

Fans of Romanian food, and Hungarian-influenced Transylvanian cuisine may be interested in attending this coming weekend's Zilele Zalaului la Chicago or "Zalău Days in Chicago," celebrating in the style of the Romanian city of Zalău , a city northwest of Cluj in Transylvania. According to Wikipedia, "Zalău was the crossing point between Central Europe and Transylvania, along the so-called 'Salt Route'." You can read more on the Wiki page. I smiled when I saw this mention of a summer festival at the end of the article: "Zalău hosts lively pageants each year, including a summer festival known as the 'Zalău Days'." It's nice to know that Romanians in Chicago are keeping up the tradition. The festival's Facebook page invites the whole Romanian community of Chicago for draft beer and grilled mititei prepared by a church group, and for lángos , a deep-fried Hungarian flatbread, grilled carnati, (cured smoked sausages), and a dish called "beans with bones" (which may lose some appeal in the translation).

Ovy's Transylvanian, first mentioned here, by sundevilpeg, will be providing the pastries. If you scroll down a ways on the Facebook page, you will notice that Ovy's chef has been at the helm of a number of Romanian food events in the Chicago area. I'd have loved to be at the Romanian culinary event last October 26, for instance. Looks like there was gulyas cooked outdoors, possibly in the same style as the one mentioned here by lemoneater.

For all who are lucky enough to attend, "Poftă Bună!"

Zilele Zalăului la Chicago - Zalău Days in Chicago
11:00 AM -8:00 PM, Sunday, July 27th 2014
Schiller Woods South, Grove #2
River Road
Des Plaines

Hi,

From 'reading' their facebook page, which is almost all in Romanian. It appears Ovy's is as well known for their smoked sausages as they are for their pastries.

Their poster for this picnic is in Romanian, too.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:From 'reading' their facebook page, which is almost all in Romanian. It appears Ovy's is as well known for their smoked sausages as they are for their pastries.

Their poster for this picnic is in Romanian, too.

Right, all Romanian publicity. That's why I thought to translate and post about it. They must not be expecting non-Romanian Chicagoans to attend. However, in my travels, I have found Romanians to be full of hospitality. In a typical country home, the best room is set aside for guests, and rarely used by the family. As a young woman traveling in the Bicaz Gorges area with friends, I - a complete stranger- was ushered to the table of the groom's family to eat celebratory sarmale at a wedding dinner. That is Romanian hospitality. As the saying goes, "La Romania, casa mica, inima mare."-- In Romania, small house, big heart. Yes.