The 21st annual "A Taste of Italy" takes place on Sunday, Apr. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St.
The annual fundraiser, which supports the operation and cultural programming provided by the ICC, will feature over 40 booths offering a variety of food and beverages including arancini (deep-fried rice balls filled with ground beef, cheese and peas), sfinciuni (thick crust Sicilian-style pizza), manicotti (ricotta-filled pasta tubes), eggplant strips, Italian subs and panini (grilled sandwiches), Roman antipasto, Italian breaded pork tenderloin, gelato and spumoni (frozen ice cream-like desserts), cannoli (fried pastry with a sweet creamy filling) and pizzelle (Italian wafer cookies).
Entertainment will include performances by Milwaukee’s Italian dance group, Tradizione Vivente at 1 and 2:30 p.m. as well as songs performed by Jayne Tayler and The Sicilian Serenaders – Peter Balistrieri and Tom and Ted Pappalardo – who will play Italian and Sicilian music throughout the afternoon.
"A Taste of Italy" is free and open to the public, with free parking available in the lot adjacent to the ICC. Food and beverage tickets can be purchased individually for $1.50 each or in books of seven for $10. All featured items require one ticket, with the exception of calimari, which is two tickets. Raffle tickets – including chances to win a diamond cocktail ring and a variety of cash prizes – will also be available for purchase.
For more information, iccmilwaukee.com.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
