St. Gregory's cooks make the best stuffed grape leaves! (And this is one of the worst photos, by Leah A. Zeldes.)
Heads up, folks, one of the best church festivals in Chicago is coming up Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15 and 16, when St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Belmont-Cragin holds its 34th annual Armenian fest.
The event is special because the churchwomen make all the food from scratch themselves. Some years ago, I was privileged to spend a few days with them — and the preparations are intense! They stretch out phyllo dough for pastry to paper thinness, and they bake dozens of varieties. They make homemade crust for hundreds of lahamajuns (thin-crust Armenian lamb pizzas). They spend hours packing seasoned rice into grape leaves for yalanchi sarma, and they are the best stuffed grape leaves I’ve tasted.
St. Gregory’s, by the way, is the home church of acclaimed Chef Carrie Nahabedian of Naha in River North, and let me tell you, some of the other cooks in the parish make her look like a piker.
Food lovers are keenly anticipating year’s festival, since last year’s event had to be canceled after a fire in the church hall. All that lovely handmade food wasted!
Besides food, the weekend offers Armenian music and dance, games for kids and adults, and a silent auction and raffle.
The fest runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. The church is at 6700 W. Diversey Ave. Get there early if you want a crack at the best food. The lahamajuns and sarma tend to run out. Event details (pdf).
thanks for the great article on our church! It is a great event and the food is the best.