La Festa Italiana!

[Mosca]

I’ll split this into a few posts. This was a stone cold blast. It’s another one of those “eat recklessly and regret it later” occasions.

Scranton is the butt of a lot of jokes; and they should be, when their claim to status is, “We are more urbane than Wilkes-Barre!” But Scranton is also pretty damn good at holding street festivals, with a huge public square surrounding a cool old courthouse!




La Festa is set up facing inward around the perimeter of the square, so folks can walk around what is effectively four city blocks without shutting down traffic:

[Mosca]

We started off by walking the perimeter and doing some scouting. Experience has shown this to be the best course of action; there’s no point in loading up on mediocre food early, only to be faced with exceptional food and nowhere to put it! (Just in case, I brought a couple insulated bags, which came home filled.)

[Mosca]

Polish food rules in Luzerne County and the lower Wyoming Valley, but Italian food is a BIG DEAL in Lackawanna County. Old Forge is where most of The Irishman takes place; it was the home of Russell Buffalino, capo of the Philadelphia mob for many years; they self-style themselves as “Pizza Capital of the World” (not true, but they have a distinctive style that is pretty damn good.) And vendors come from Philadelphia and NYC to display at La Festa, along with local restaurants and fair circuit food trucks.

[Mosca]

And the food! The big deal is always pizza and pasta, but also garlic knots, sandwiches, sausage, peppers…



And special mention to these folks. I couldn’t get near this stand. They’re from NYC.

[Mosca]

And of course Italian pastries!

Notice Cusamano’s… STUFFED LONG HOTS. I didn’t get any, I only have a couple pounds of long hots in the fridge right now.

[Mosca]

I tried to pick my food judiciously. Eaten on site:


Sausage and pepper sandwich from Villa Maria. Outstanding.





Prosciutto, sharp provolone, sautéed long hots, and basil-garlic aioli from Valenti’s in Exeter PA. GREAT sandwich.




The previously shared gnocchi bread bowl, from Buono Pizza. The gnocchis were wonderfully pillowy and light; the sauce was a mix of tomato and buffalo. The bread was INSANE.

[Mosca]

Also, this pepper and onion brick oven pizza from Lupo Rosso, a fair-circuit food truck,




And this amaretto cheesecake cone from The Original Scala Pastry!

[Mosca]

We brought home various sausage, meatball, and porketta sandwiches, along with multiple slices of double crust pizza; those are still wrapped, no photos yet.

All in all, this was a damn good festival stop. Now I gotta go, I got some gym work to do.

[Willy]

I SO MUCH envy all of the festivals you enjoy in PA!

[RonB]

I just finished lunch and now I'm hungry again.

[Uncle Bob]

WOW!!

[Santamarina]

That’s a lot of Italian food in one place! Looks like a great way to spend a day!

…also, now I want Italian for dinner.

[Mosca]

Today’s dinner:

1) cappacuola (“gabagool”) with sharp provolone, roasted red pepper, and basil mayo. I added that slice of tomato; it seemed appropriate. (It was.) Delicious.





2) Meatball and cheese. The old standard, but done to perfection. I think I prefer meatball sandwiches to spaghetti and meatballs. Outstanding!

[Mosca]

And double crust steak and cheese pizza, which is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Both crusts are crisp, the cheese is gooey, the steak is cheese steak, and it's all dusted with rosemary and garlic.

[Uncle Bob]

I think one of the best benefits of a post like this is the memories it brings to the front of mind.

Growing up in my teenage years and early adulthood I'd frequent a local deli, Joe's Italian American Deli in Canoga Park. Joe wasn't actually Italian, but you'd never know it from the wonders he served. Two of my favorite sandwiches from his joint were the meatball sub, and a capicola sub that came with provolone and dried salami as well, topped with an unctuous Italian dressing. How I miss those............

[Uncle Bob]

Best I can remember is Joe's last name was Winnecki, or close to that.

[OC Sandy]

Did you know the meatball recipe is in the Files in RICPW?

[Uncle Bob]

Just looked it up, that's cool...