Festival atmosphere

Fall seems to be the season for food festivals in Sacramento. The 29th annual Jewish Food Faire is this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Congregation Beth Shalom (4746 El Camino Avenue in Carmichael, (916) 485-4478). Admission is $2 with a canned-food donation or $3 without. I asked Jana Fields-Uslan, event chairwoman, about her favorite foods there:

1. “Our theme this year is matzah. We’ll have traditional chicken soup and matzah balls, which I love and make all winter long.”

2. “Our most popular food is usually cabbage rolls. They’re a recipe of one of our congregants, who used to make them all herself. Now she’s 84 years old, so she asked for some help.”

3. “I personally have a very big sweet tooth—all of the goodies at the bake shop are absolutely wonderful. There are two things I really love: the apple strudel, for which again we use the recipe of one of our congregants, who’s made it for years and years, and the mandelbrodt. It’s a Jewish biscotti. I love the chocolate chip—there’s nothing better in your coffee.”