St. Mary Armenian Church Hosts 3rd Annual Food & Music Festival

“Overcast with thunderstorms and rain showers. Breezy; Chance of rain 90%.”

By Robyn & Doug Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors

That was the weather forecast for Saturday, April 21, 2012, the first day of St. Mary Armenian Church Food and Music Festival in Cooper City, Florida.

Did the threat of miserable weather keep the faithful and hungry from attending? Not in the least! It did, unfortunately, affect the children’s outdoor activities – sorry kids!

The church’s fellowship hall was buzzing with activity – live music was provided by ‘The Mediterraneans’, and a DJ filled in during their breaks; fortunes were being read in Armenian coffee cups in the ‘café’, guests purchased trinkets, food to-go, and a sundry of other products. (Yes, I bought another cookbook; couldn’t help myself!)

Doug and I went with two of our ‘odar’ (non-Armenian) buddies, Bonnie and David, who love Armenian food. We dined on lule kebab, pilaf, cheese boregs, lahmajoun, yalanchi, kufteh, hummus, babaganoush, eech, Armenian coffee, and assorted desserts. We rolled out of the hall with huge smiles on our faces!

I understand that Father Vartan Joulfayan, pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church, used his special blend of herbs and spices to season the kebab in preparation for the feast. As guests arrived he greeted them with a warm welcome, and as the pace picked up in the hall, he pitched right in and bussed tables. As we were leaving, Father Vartan was taking photos of the hard-working women who took a moment to link arms and dance behind the food service counter. (Talk about an uplifting atmosphere!)

We’re so glad we didn’t let an ominous weather forecast prevent us from attending another delicious Armenian Food and Music Festival in south Florida!