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“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”
Mark Twain
A few weekends ago was the Jay St Italian Festival as well as St. George’s Greek Festival. 
I went with my Mom and we planned to have dinner at the Italian festival and dessert at the Greek festival.Our first stop was at Cornell’s Restaurant (39 North Jay St)
who had a small menu of food to choose from and a buffet of the foods.The choices were: Minestra (Greens & Beans with Pepperoni), Calamari Marinara, Veal & Peppers and Rigatoni with Bolognese Sauce all for $6.00. We ordered the Calamari Marinara and Rigatoni with Bolognese Sauce. In my opinion, the Rigatoni wasn’t much different than any pasta I could make. 
Since they served everything out of a buffet setting, though, I wouldn’t judge their usual pasta on this particular day.
Cornell's Rigatoni with Bolognese Sauce
Every time I looked at Cornell’s, there was a line so the time and focus that they usually put on individual meals probably wasn’t there so I wouldn’t rule it out as an option if you decide to eat there. I didn’t dislike the food, it was good, but when I think of Cornell’s I tend to think of a higher quality than what I can do in my kitchen and this wasn’t an example of that. The Calamari Marinara on the other hand was fantastic! It was non-breaded calamari in a lot of sauce. I would say it was less sauce than a soup and more sauce than a stew, somewhere in the middle.
The calamari’s were cooking beautifully, perfectly tender and the sauce was a good complement. I had wished that we ordered two of those instead of the rigatoni (my Mom went back and ordered some more), I highly recommend trying that if you ever find yourself at Cornell’s for dinner. Then we continued down the street, listening to music and seeing what else they offered including: fried dough, pizza & other types of pasta. We also walked in to Civitello’s for some of their famous Italian ice but the line was out the door,
Cavatelli from Cornells
plus we already promised ourselves Greek food for dessert. Before we left, I bought myself one of my favorite sandwiches from Perrecas (read about it in one of my previous blog entries) then we were on to Greek food.
I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a Greek best but they’re a lot of fun. The night starts out about food and music and then as more and more people drink more and more Ouzo, more and more dancing and singing add into the mix. Inside the building was a huge line wrapped around the parameter waiting to get the Greek goodies like baklava and my personal favorite Greek dessert, kourabiethes which are powdered almond cookies. I don’t exactly now what makes them my favorite, there isn’t a particular different taste than a regular cookie but with the crunchy consistency along with the powdered sugar and that almond taste I can’t get enough!
Baklava and Kourabiethes
Outside where all the dancing and music was happening is the line for souflaki and gyros. The prices were very fair. My gyro was $8 and each dessert was about $1. The most pricey item was probably the alcohol. I tried Mythos which is Greek beer and if you’re a fan of Budweiser then I would give it a shot. It’s a little less flavorful than Bud, probably closer to a Bud Light but still worth it if you’re at a Greek fest looking to try new things. Something I’m not so quick to recommend is Ouzo. Ouzo is the Greek’s tequila. One shot of this and you’ll feel a heavy buzz. Taste-wise? I wasn’t a fan. It tastes and smells like black licorice which is one food you will not find me writing about on my blog, I hate it. Therefore, I hated the taste of Ouzo but it’s just not my thing. 
If you’re looking to get on that Greek stage and dance with the best of them but are a tad nervous, a shot of Ouzo will do the trick. Designated drivers be weary, one shot of this will most definitely hinder your driving abilities so steer clear!
I love food festivals and the Greeks and the Italians are the best mix of fantastic food and a great time. If you missed this particular event this year, no worries! I assume that they’ll be doing this again soon and there are Greek & Italian fests all over this area in the late summer early fall so look out! Check the blog’s Facebook page HERE for mentions of various food festivals, you’re guaranteed to have a great time and leave full without spending a ton of money.
“There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.”
Kevin James
Yet again my loyal readers, another Italian restaurant. I lived in NYC for 4 years and all I can say is that the atmosphere of all the Italian restaurants I’ve been to there can’t compare at all to what you feel when you walk into most of the Italian restaurants in the 518. There’s that family feeling that can’t be duplicated. It may either come from the fact that Schenectady is a lot smaller than NYC therefore when you walk into an Italian restaurant you’re more likely to run into people you know or even family but that to me makes an Italian restaurant special.
This time, I’m talking about Marino’s Pizza & Restaurant (1301 State St, Schenectady). 
*NOTE: this restaurant is cash only so make sure to stop by the bank on the way there!* The restaurant is small enough that you’re close enough to the family next to you as if they’re sitting with you. I don’t know the history behind this restaurant nor do I know if there’s a reason for the set-up but it seems to help the ambiance either way. There hasn’t been a time that I’ve been there where someone hasn’t come in and I’ve heard a giant up-roar of a “Heeeeeyyy!” followed by kisses on the cheek. Everyone who walks through the door is family, even if you’ve never seen them before.
When I think of Marino’s Pizza, I think of antipasta. Antipasta is a mix of vegetables and Italian meats, very tasty. 
Though I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of it, I ordered pizza. I was sharing this pizza with my Mother and my cousins, all very hungry, so half of the pizza was gone before I could even realize it was there. You can ask for anything on it, even if only on a half or a quarter of the pizza. It’s warm and fresh and if you’re craving pizza as I was, fills that pizza void. I recommend this place even if you just order a slice and go to experience the family atmosphere, who knows, maybe you’ll run into someone you know!
“Life is too short to stuff a mushroom.”
Shirley Conran
Homestyle Pizza (1720 Union Street, Schenectady) is a hop skip and a jump from where I live and when I was younger it used to be the only delivery pizza place in the area worth getting pizza from. Now that Pizza Hut and I Love NY Pizza have established themselves as worthy competition, Homestyle had to step up their menu and now offer more than ever. Now offering paninis, salads, ciabattas, subs, wraps, gelatto and they still offer the pizza that made them so well-known around the Union St area.
This past time that I went to Homestyle Pizza for dinner, I steered away from my normal meal of pizza and a garlic knot and decided to have a panini. 
For the bread, they offer many options and I decided on the whole grain bread and for the panini I ordered the Portabello & Fresh Mozzarella which is Portabello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, onions and fresh basil ($7.99).
The sandwich was a bit runny but very good! What I love about portabello mushrooms is that it tastes like a burger but healthier. The bread was great, strong enough to hold in all of that goodness long enough to make it into your mouth. I’ve never had a sandwich from Homestyle before and though it took them a rather long time to make it (we waited there, standing, for about a half hour) it was worth it. Next time, if I’m ordering something other than pizza I think I’ll stay there so I at least can sit down while waiting for my food.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore”
Jack Brooks
I have had pizza from places all over the 518 and I would have to say that my favorite is Perreca’s pizza in downtown Schenectady, Schenectady’s Little Italy (33 North Jay Street, Schenectady). 
To become a fan on Facebook- CLICK HERE. This pizza isn’t your normal home delivery pizza as you can see by the picture. Perreca’s pizza is less like East Coast thin crust pizza and more like the best Italian bread you’ve ever had transformed into a saucy piece of heaven with sprinkled cheese you from then on will find yourself addicted to.
*Note* This pizza is best eaten at room temperature, no need to put in the oven and if you do put it in your fridge to save for later, make sure you give it time to come back to room temperature, but fresh is when it’s at it’s best!
In addition to this delicious pizza, Perreca’s also offers a few sandwich choices such as my favorite, Roasted Red Pepper and Cheese on thick Italian bread. 
Though it looks like a not very intimidating half a sandwich, it’s heavy bread so before you order that and two pieces of pizza, make sure you know just how much your stomach can hold.
Thought Perreca’s only offers a small selection of sandwiches and things other than pizza, be sure to check out More Perrecas for more appetizing Italian foods made by this fantastic bakery. To become a fan on Facebook, CLICK HERE.
A new option at Perreca’s bakery is their cupcakes. Each sold for $2.50 and enough cupcake to share with AT LEAST one other person. They offer vanilla, chocolate and almost everyone’s favorite red velvet. This past time I went to Perreca’s I got a vanilla cupcake and it was delicious.
As I’ve mentioned before when I talked about Coccadott’s cupcakes in a previous entry I’m not a fan of cupcakes that tend to have an overly sugary, sickening sweet taste and I do have to say that I found these cupcakes to fit that description. 
No worries though, the cupcake is very delicious, just not in one mouthful! Unless you enjoy cupcakes where the sugar amount is in the forefront I recommend sharing this cupcake or eating it over a period of days as I had. The cupcake itself was tasty, a little heavy because of the amount of sugar, but still very very very good but watch the sugar!
I hope when you visit that you enjoy this bakery as much as I do. Even if you’re not hungry at the moment, Perreca’s sells Casa Visco sauces, cheese, meats as well as Italian cookies and pastries (yes, that means canolis). So give them a try and I’ll guarantee you will not be disappointed!!
“Life is too short, and I’m Italian. I’d much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.”
Sophia Bush
I’ve found throughout writing this blog just how much Italian food I eat. If you haven’t noticed, I tend to make the titles of my blog entries a quote that has something to do with what I’m writing about with the person who said the quote written in italics below. Each time I write about an Italian restaurant, I type in “Italian food quotes” into Google to find a quote and I’ve almost used all the good ones. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the restaurants which the 518 offers us or the restaurants I tend to find myself, regardless, Italian food is great so I’m happy to offer you many options to fill that Italian food void.
One of my favorite Italian restaurants in the 518, in Schenectady is Pettas (134 Duane Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12307). I’ve been going to this restaurant since I was really little, it’s always been a favorite restaurant of my whole family and the food has always been fantastic. This isn’t your normal Italian restaurant. Many restaurants claim to have that family feel, such as Olive Garden where their tagline is “When you’re here, you’re family.” When was the last time you walked into an Olive Garden or a restaurant like that and felt like you were eating among family? The difference with Petta’s is that when you walk in, you genuinely are part of the family. The waiters as well as the atmosphere help in giving this restaurant a personal dining room feel. This family owned restaurant opened in 1951 has never lost that family style feel (Find the very interesting complete story of the restaurant on their website HERE).
To start off the meal, my Mom, her friend Pete and I got Fried Calamari ($7.95). 
The calamari were very good but the sauce they gave us was a cocktail sauce where I would have preferred to have had a marinara sauce. This was a perfect amount to be shared between the three of us since we had dinner on the way. Sometimes I’ve found that calamari sometimes has too much fried and not enough calamari but I love Petta’s calamari. An Italian classic done beautifully.
For dinner I decided to be a little healthy. As I mentioned, I eat quite a bit of Italian food and sometimes you just have to eat something a little healthy to balance out the pasta. This time, I ordered a Blackened Wild Alaskan Keta Salmon Fillet ($17.95) with a side of Italian Greens and Roasted Potatoes.
I love Salmon but I’ve never had blackened salmon before and it tasted very good. 
There’s a slight taste difference between blackened and what I would expect smoked to taste like in my opinion. This blackened salmon wasn’t very smoky but I liked it that way. This way I had more of an opportunity to focus on the real flavor of the salmon and the seasonings on it instead of it being hidden by the char-grilled flavor.
Paired with it is the option of pasta or Italian greens and various options of ways to have a potato and a salad. I chose the Italian greens and roasted potatoes. With all the food I ate that night, I had to hold off on the sides for the next night. Thankfully, all kept well and though it obviously wasn’t exactly the same the next night it still tasted pretty good!
The Italian greens, as my Mom told me, were supposed to taste like garlic but my taste buds need a lot of garlic to taste garlic and I didn’t really taste anything except for spinach. 
The potatoes were a little dry but ample amounts of butter and salt helped. Though it wasn’t an option, I think I would’ve asked if they could have made a baked potato or mashed potatoes because I don’t like twice baked potatoes (the only other option).
I think next time, even though I was trying to be healthy, I would get the pasta only because I assume it would end up as a left over and if I was to make dinner the next night I’d rather leftover pasta then leftover greens. For the side, think about what you want for dinner the next night because chances are that’s when you’re going to eat it. Make sure you take home the Italian bread too!!!
Petta’s offers difference specials every night, each one fantastic and anything they make “Parmesan” (Eggplant, Chicken, Veal, etc.) is worth a try. Also, while eating you can play Quick Draw and maybe win enough money to pay for your dinner! Good Luck!
“I have a good collection of cookery books. This is not so much because I like cooking, but because I like eating. “
Louise Brown
I don’t know if it’s because I went to the Festa or just because I was in the mood to cook but I’m ready to expand my blog to cooking and I’ve begun with pasta.
1. I started with flour and eggs. I looked up online that you should make this crazy egg volcano but have learned that this is an awful idea, it spills.
2. Then I mixed them and made dough
3. I only recently bought myself a pasta maker so I had to roll and cut each noddle/ravioli by hand
Finished Ravioli
I MADE PASTA!!!
“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michaelangelo.”
Mark Twain
To me, Italian festival equals great food, great friends and more great food. Last weekend was St. Anthony’s Italian Festa in Schenectady (331 Seward Place) and my stomach is always happy when that time comes around.
For those of you outside of the Schenectady area, Festa is a yearly event held by St. Anthony’s Church to celebrate all that is Italian. 
No worries for those of you, like me, who are not Italian because Festa is for everyone with an Italian appetite. When you first walk up, you walk past many game options like rock climbing, throwing a ball into a fish bowl, water gun games, etc. Granted, I remember Festa being more entertaining back in the day when I could really spend all evening there hanging out with friends but I still enjoyed myself.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the food. I can’t go to Festa without my homemade cavatelli (NOT pronounced CAVA-TELLI but CAVA-DEAL) or Pizza Frite (Fried Dough). They also offered sausage and peppers, hot dogs, pizza and calzones. For drinks, there was a beer tent which as usual was horribly over priced but they had an Iced Tea/Lemonade station which served a solo cup full of Iced Tea/Lemonade for $1. My cavatelli was $5.50 with one meatball which was a great deal for the amount we got and it was just enough to share.
Cavatelli
On top of food are raffles for prizes up to $500 and Italian style music played by a local band whose name I didn’t catch. Though it seems as if Festa isn’t as good as it used to be, it’s a great celebration of Italian culture even if you’re not Italian. Bored on that Saturday night? It’s a great place for a date because the food is cheap and the atmosphere isn’t intimidating. You can invite all your friends, eat and then move on to the great bars in Downtown Schenectady as my friends and I did. Luckily, that was the same night as Clinton’s Ditch’s 5 year anniversary complete with drink specials, only a $5 cover and a mechanical bull. We can only hope next year will bring the same crowds and I know for sure, it will at least be that same fantastic Italian food. Hope to see you next year!
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we should dance.”
Unknown
We don’t usually have big family parties very often and when we do, my mother cooks. This time, though, she decided to order food from Daurizios.
Photo Credit: Marcy Dwyer
All we had to do was call, tell them what we wanted, what size & when we’d want it delivered. We got everything we wanted right on time. The delivery boy forgot a bag of ours but had no problem coming back to make sure we had everything we asked for. My Mother ordered chicken wings, salad, pasta salad, garlic knots, “cinni knots” and more. There was so much tasty food I couldn’t decipher all what I ate.
To break down the food into the various kinds as I usually do would be difficult. They would all just say the same thing- AMAZING. I’m a huge fan of garlic knots, to the point where most are more oil than garlic for my taste but Daurizios made them perfect. On the same note, we heard that the “cinni knots” were the best, and boy was that an understatement. Think: fried dough COVERED in cinnamon sugar- how could you go wrong? They’re dangerous. Once you eat one, you’ll find yourself sneaking back for more.
What was really great about ordering this much food was the shelf life of it. We ate most of these as leftovers for at least a week. I had no problem finishing off the wings and blue cheese! Granted, most of our guests were more than happy to take home any food they could but whatever we could keep we did. They also gave us plenty of condiments (Blue Cheese, Ranch, etc) so we weren’t without. Anything we needed, they were accommodating. I would highly recommend ordering from Daurizios if you have a party to cater. The food is great, the people are fantastic & all at a good price. Not having a party? Stop by FatBoy Style Pizza (2315 Curry Rd. Rotterdam, NY) for a slice or two…or more!
BECOME A FAN OF DAURIZIOS ON FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE
“Whiskey is by far the most popular of all remedies that won’t cure a cold. “
Jerry Vale
When you think of Schenectady, I assume you don’t think of lakeside locations where you can sit on the water and relax with each passing wave. I’ve lived here my whole life and I can tell you, I didn’t. I didn’t, that is, until I went to The Water’s Edge Lighthouse (4 Freemans Bridge Road, Scotia). 
We went around 3pm so the restaurant wasn’t very busy but my Mom, her friend and I were eyeing the bar anyway. As I mentioned in an earlier post, what’s great about bar/restaurants is that you can order food at the bar as well as at a table and that usually goes for big as well as smaller restaurants. We had just eaten lunch and were only going for the atmosphere (though I’ve heard their food is fantastic and I definitely will be going back- look out for THAT entry).
The bartender was Nicole and she was very sweet. I ordered a Whiskey Sour, what else?, and she made it perfectly. 
What I like about whiskey sours is that even though I love the taste of whiskey the flavor isn’t very strong. I would classify it as a “girly drink” because of the fruity flavor but I like them.
I would love to see this restaurant on a regular busy night. The building itself is beautiful 
with plenty of room outside for seating with a view as well as a cabana bar outside with a lakeside view.
It looks very classy from the inside and the menu backs that up. I took a look at the menu and though everything looked wonderful it was a bit higher than my usual budget. I was able to find a few things that I would be able to buy on my post-graduation/jobless budget but it would have definitely been a splurge. Recommendations I’ve heard are the lasagna and bruchetta so if you take a ride out there make sure to sample those!
View from Outside
“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
George Bernard Shaw
Those of us who have lived in the Schenectady area for any amount of time, know the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia. 
To me, it’s where I had both my Junior and Senior proms in High School. To others, maybe a wedding, a great tasting meal or a satisfying night of sleep. On May 18th, I attended an Italian Cooking Show hosted by guest chefs Angelo Mazzone, who owns the Mansion as well as Angelo’s 677 Prime in Albany and Aperitivo in Downtown Schenectady, and Joe Viscusi who owns Casa Visco pizza sauces.
Cavatelli is one of my favorite pastas. To me, it has the right heaviness for a substantial meal but not too heavy where I couldn’t finish the bowl. I never usually put olives in my pasta, in all honesty I never usually put olives in much of anything. Therefore, getting such a strong added flavor in something I’m so used to was a nice change- I didn’t even need cheese (but I put a little on for good measure!). After that, we waited for the next course.
Mom's Head in the Way
What I liked the most about this event (other than the food, of course) was the placement of everything. I was sat at a table with a group of people who I had never met before. As we drank more and more wine and ate more and more delicious food, we left Glen Sanders like we had all been old friends. I was very surprised by the number of people who attended. The food was obviously worth the experience but I had no idea that they did these types of events, and this was the last one for a bit. I can’t wait for them to start-up again! Nothing beats being cooked for by a great chef, even if I have to share the experience.
Next, we ate the Panzanella Salad. I was looking forward to this, I love salad and his choice to use either mesclun or arugula was a perfect match for my appetite. 
There’s not much to dislike about salad, toss in a bit of lettuce, some veggies, dressing and call it salad. My only issue with this salad was that I would have preferred it with smaller piece of bread. I love Italian bread, it has the perfect amount of soft and hard if you get a good loaf. When I’m eating salad, though, I prefer to not have to chew so many large pieces of crusty bread. After pushing some of those pieces to the side, it was a fresh and beautifully prepared salad.
In my opinion, pizza without a dash of garlic can automatically be improved upon. Besides my personal flavor scheme, it was a little squishy. That can be attributed to the fact that these pieces were previously prepared and had some time to soak up their own juices but I like my pizza with a crunchy crust and a soft melted cheese on top. The sauce of this pizza was fantastic, Casa Visco of course, but the flavor and pizza-like consistency was lacking.
I can’t really equate the taste exactly to a donut, just the consistency. If Dunkin Donuts ever served anything remotely similar to something like this, it wouldn’t be long before the employees had my order memorized. The pastry itself was soft and warm, not flaky but a solid cake-like outside. The pastry on the inside was similar to Boston Cream, but they have nothing on the smoothness of this cream, almost pudding-like. Now for those who don’t like donuts and have already written off this delectable dessert as not for you, I would give it another shot. My mother, for example, hates donuts but I couldn’t keep her away from these pastries. We were given containers to take some of the food home and the entire room was fighting over the nicely stacked pastries at each table. I kept my pastry refrigerated and reheated it in the microwave the next day and it tasted almost as good as the night before. My mouth is watering just thinking about these pastries again, anyone who came to visit took a bite therefore, they didn’t last more than a few days.
