Despite the fact that nearby to where I live there is a Mosman Festival going on the very same day, M and her sons S and In and I are going across the bridge to another festival, the Norton Street Italian Festa in Leichhardt. For those unfamiliar with Leichhardt, it is a predominately Italian area with plenty of Italian restaurants often called “Little Italy”. It’s also notoriously hard to park at on a Saturday night which explains why it’s been so long between visits.
We’re greeted with two of the quintessential Italian obsessions when we first arrive, cars and food. Cars in the form of classic Italian cars, three in the colours of the Italian flag parked just so to represent the Italian flag. The stalls stretch further than the eye can see and as we’ve arrived earlyish (around 11am) the sun isn’t quite at it’s hottest so we stroll up and down the street. All of the stallholders are friendly and welcoming and ready to flirt or tease with customers.
There are freshly made cannoli in vanilla, choc chip and chocolate.
Italian biscuits
The most adorable fondant work by Pavli Foods
Fresh Zucchini flowers in all of their colourful glory
Eumundi Smokehouse sausages and filled rolls
Even the Police car here is a Fiat!
We walk past Mezzapica cake shop which has this adorable bee hive cake in the window-I love how there is a sad bee as well as a sleepy bee among all the happy bees
Clothing for adults and kids-of course being kids S and In were “grossed out” by the apron.
Free food appreciation workshops
Musical entertainment
And of course puppies in all shapes and forms. This cute little one called Vanilla has little shoes as the owner explains that she recently got a large cut on her foot-poor thing!
The Scientologists even pop up here!
Roman statue?
Suckling Pig porchetta
Osvaldo Poletti Suckling Pig porchetta roll $8
All of this walking has made me even hungrier having skipped breakfast due to lack of sleep and impending festival so I made my purchase of a Suckling Pig Porchetta roll at the Osvaldo Poletti stand.
Carving the porchetta
The pork is carved in front of us and stuffed into a small rosetta roll. It’s delicious and M in particular is a fan of this. In, despite being a firm carnivore has second thoughts about trying it having seen the pig from which it came. He becomes a vegetarian for the morning.
In holding The Cottage’s Arancini ball $5
The second purchase is the gigantic arancini ball. It’s not crunchy fresh on the outside as we are in a market location but it’s huge and is filled with a ragu of mince with peas and stringy mozarella and topped with a bolognese sauce.
Inside the Arancini ball
It’s also very filling not only because of it’s size and we struggle to finish it.
By now, I could eat a bit more but the sun is beating down so hard that I don’t feel like anything hot anymore despite having the very best intentions to try a slice of Italian pizza.
Zuccherati $3
We instead try Zuccherati, the sugar encrusted Italian donuts filled with custard which are the boys favourite. I particularly like the custard inside.
Pistachio Gelato in brioche $6
We’re on our way out when I spot a real gelato place (there seemed to be a lot of Mr Whippy type of ice cream vans) and I see that they are offering a scoop of gelato in a brioche which I recall Nigella saying was the way she had gelato while in Sicily. I don’t quite realise how gigantic it is, indeed I have trouble fitting my mouth around this having failed at unhinging my jaw. The brioche is deliciously buttery sweet and fresh, but the pistachio gelato not as pistachioey as I like and tasting more of almonds to me. Taking a bite of this is hard so instead I am satisfied with nibbling at bits on the side. It reminds me of when I was little and trying to bite into a gigantic burger was almost impossible (now of course either I have gotten a lot larger or the burgers a lot smaller but it’s easy…).
Honey biscuits
The honey biscuits are similar to gingerbread. I prefer these with coffee or tea rather than alone.
After some snowcones and soft serve ice cream we retreat from the heat and make our way back North to the comfort of the beach.
Another look at Vanilla with the Carrie Bradshaw shoe fetish!
Norton Street Italian Festa 2008, Leichhardt
Norton Street, Leichhardt, from Marion Street to William Street
Sunday 26th October 10:00am-5pm
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24 Comments | Add your own
Oooh, we were there too! Loved the arancini. Mmm, bolognesy cheesy goodness… missed the gelato in the brioche and the honeybee cake though! There was such a huge line at the gelato place that we passed that we succumbed to one of those numerous Mr Whippy vans that you mentioned
wow lots of nice things to see. I really like italian food.
Sydney is so fabulously multicultural! It looks like you guys had a wonderful afternoon and met some fun people. I adore Vanilla’s little shoes, but wasn’t she sweltering in her coat?
The gelato tucked in a brioche makes me think that it may be time to hit the freezer for dessert….
I’m grossed out by the apron! When I think Italian food, that wasn’t the sausage I was envisioning…I need to go look at the beehive cake some more
The bees are adorable!
We saw that same apron all over Italy on our recent trip. I can’t imagine why anyone would buy it. Looks like the festival was fun!
I love the concept of the gelato in the brioche! yum!
This looks like a fun event. Love the cannoli and the beehive cake.
My goodness – what a beautiful blog and amazing pictures!!
Great pictures! The food looks yummy and I love the bees.
Sigh too bad I didn’t make it to this one!
That bee cake and Vanilla are the most adorable things I ever seen!
*drooling over the Italian desserts*
So many amazing cakes and foods! The honey biscuits look really big too haha. Mmmm hungryyy
everything looks so yummy!! we have an Italian festival going on soon, hope it’s as good as that one!
OHH Mezzapica! That’s where I got my birthday cake from! The icing actually tasted pretty yum!
Everyone else looks so great! but maybe not that pigs head… -__-
Hi flapflap-Oh cool! I’m so surprised there weren’t gelato stands everywhere, they would have made a killing with the hot weather
Hi snooky doodle-It’s great I agree! There were too many choices, not enough stomach room in this case
Hi Angela-It is isn’t it! I love that about it
I’m not sure about Vanilla and the coat although she looked pretty happy, such a sweet dog!
Hi Blond Duck-lol at Italian sausage. Yes the bee cake deserves a second look
Hi Y-I know, how could you eat one?
Hi Barbara-I often wonder the same about those Booby aprons and the like. Perhaps as a gift for someone you don’t see very often?
Hi reemski-It’s so gigantic, I think you could devote a whole meal to it
Hi Cakelaw-Ahh you’re a fan of the sweet things, not surprising given the lovely sweets on your website!
Hi Jen-Thanks so much! You are too kind
Hi Elana-Thankyou so much! The food was great and I wish I had ordered that bee cake for myself
Hi Karen-It’s so hard to get to them all with so many great outdoor events. Vanilla was the star of the day for me along with the food of course
Hi Ffichiban-The honey biscuits were huge indeed, I think the kids ate bits of it all afternoon
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-I can imagine that Melbourne’s Italian festival would be amazing!
Hi Teresa-Cool! What sort of cake did you get? Don’t tell me the bee cake!?
what an awesome festival! i wouldn’t have been distracted by the cars for even a second–you’d see me making a beeline for the food. the zuccherati looks particularly scrumptious, and i adore the little bears on the loveseat.
Those treats look amazing…what a festival! WOW!
Ohhhh I loved the Italian Festival in Leichardt! I used to go every year when I was living in Rozelle.. Your making me home sick!
Hi grace-Haha I think they tried to distract us but we wouldn’t have strayed from our mission. To eat great Italian food!
Hi Noble Pig-It was fantastic, I can’t wait to go back next year
Hi Mel-Sounds like you have lots of good memories of it!
HAHAHAH I wish! It looks awesome!
I got something really random… a basketball because I did a joint birthday with another friend and he loves basketball…!
That festival looks like so much fun! That puppy wearing shoes keeps cracking me up.
Hi Teresa-You’re a good friend-after all you could have asked for a handbag or shoe cake and he might have been a bit embarrassed!
Hi Bria-It was lots of fun and I so wanted a puppy so I could give them those shoes
Gosh, my daughter would have made an audible “Ewwwww” at the site of that apron too (Statue of David?)
Choc-chip canoli? Never heard of that before! Can you remember how much the zucchini flowers cost?
I couldn’t help but think the roll was expensive.. but I guess not for Sydney prices. I’m never able get anything nice to eat for less than $10 from street vendors during Australia Day celebrations there. The porchetta looks so nice, I would have bought one myself..and one for my girl, she’s such a carnivore.
Love the idea of the gelato in brioche!
Hi Maria-I believe it’s Michelangelo. I think all kids would think it a bit ew (and perhaps some adults!).
I think the tray of Zucchini flowers was $8?
I suppose it was given it’s size but I am used to Sydney prices by now. The arancini ball was great value though as was the gelato in brioche
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