The Festival Circuit

August and September are the months for all sorts of food festivals and street fairs. This is the season to either take advantage of your culinary heritage or someone else's. Street fairs also proliferate during this time too. City streets will be awash with interesting stands that feature everything from crepes to satays.

Ethnic festivals are being held all over the country right now. German clubs are offering early Octoberfests or "Summerfests " where all sorts of great dishes are being served. Southern German groups are offering tasty dishes such as bratwurst and spaetzle while Northern based clubs feature smoked eel and potato pancakes.Italians have many saints festivals right now and this is a good time to visit them. Fresh made zeppolis and savory sausage sandwiches are the best that the stands can make along with old fashioned , thick pizza and fresh mussels and clams..Check local Greek churches too for their saint's days celebrations. Orthodox parishes put out great spreads that feature everything from lamb on a spit to souvlaki.

This is also the time of year for street festivals.Most major cities like New York, Boston and Chicago have them however smaller towns hold them swell.These also offer a wide range of ethnic treats from satays to crepes to dim sum.A caveat though .Most stands use the same oil or grease for frying all day long.The best bet is to eat anything fried in the early afternoon when the stands are first set up. Street fairs also offer the best of carnival foods like candy apples and cotton candy. Take advantage of these great treats while you can.

This is the season for festivals and street fairs. Foodies should indulge in what they have to offer. It's a fun way to connect with other cultures and discover cities.