We'll be rallying around Roncesvalles this weekend when the great Ronsevalles Polish Festival revves up with plenty of partying, pierogies and pizzazz.

Starting Saturday at 10 a.m., and for two days, Roncesvalles Ave. will be closed from Howard Park to Galley Ave. to make room for food stations, shopping , contests, dancing, and much more -- and trust us, you'll need to keep walking to work off all the calories from all the delicious fare being prepared for this event!

Most important, say organizers, it's a chance for the community to come together and celebrate the proud heritage of Poland.

"This event is very close to my heart," says Andrew Chomentowski, promotions chair of the Roncesvalles Village B.I.A. "My wife and I lived here when we first married, our children attended school across the street from my shop and now my sons are moving back here ... there is so much goodness here," adds Chomentowski, a photographer whose company is still in the neighbourhood.

"Roncesvalles is the heart of Polish community, and it's becoming more and more vibrant," says Chomentowski. "But the beauty is everyone is part of the neighbourhood, and there's such a sense of welcome."

Plus the traditional way of shopping -- a shop for your meats, another shop for bread, still another for groceries -- "makes a visit special; you can't find the same intimacy in the big box stores. "People may move from Roncesvalles, but they don't move out." ... After WWII, the Roncesvalles area was transformed by the arrival of many European newcomers and throughout the years, retail businesses were established. "It's like coming back to my roots -- I grew up here, and I'm still here, celebrating a community that has given so much," says Brzuchalksi.

The Roncesvalles Village Polish Festival started as an idea five years ago and was originally called the Harvest Festival. Wright Ave. was closed off, a beer garden was put in place -- and a tradition was born.

Roncesvalles is well known for its Polish history. It's where His Holiness John Paul II's presence is bigger than life -- he even visited when he was still a cardinal, before he became pope.

That's what makes this festival so much dearer, says Brzuchalski, whose credit union is the presenting sponsor of the event, along with such companies as European Fine Foods, Supreme Pierogies, TD Canada Trust and more.

"This festival is a celebration of our community -- and everyone is welcome. We are thrilled to embrace more of our Polish culture and cuisine. And we look forward to sharing this with our neighbours,friends and visitors."

For more information, visit Roncesvallesvillage.ca.

See you at the Festival!

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PIEROGIES

According to chef Robert Strybel of the Polish American, pierogi is probably the only Polish dish that seems to have its own patron saint. "Swiety Jacek z pierogami!" (St. Hyacinth and his pierogi!) is an old expression of surprise, roughly equivalent to the American saying "good grief!" or "holy smokes!" Nobody seems to know what the connection between these dumplings and the saintly 13th century monk was all about.

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WHAT IS POLISH CUISINE REALLY LIKE?

Polish food is robust, earthy, hearty and incredibly delicious!

Research shows the elementary ingredients of Poland's cuisine are dictated by cereal crops such as rye, wheat, millet, barley and buckwheat.

Bread has always had enormous symbolic importance to Poles. According to Staypoland.com, buckwheat is also often seen in the Polish cuisine today, as it's Poland's most popular side dish. Pickled vegetables such as cucumbers, beetroot, cabbage (sauerkraut) and kohlrabi have become an essential part of Polish cooking. The idea of pickling is not limited to vegetables; herring, fished in the Baltic, is soused with spices and vinegar and used among other things, for fasting days and holy days. This has remained as Poland's favourite national food. With the accent on storage, sour cream, curd cheese and soured milk have become important constituents of the Polish kitchen. These dairy products have become an essential element in the taste and flavour of Polish cooking. Meat plays a significant importance as well -- perhaps the most famous Polish meat known is the kielbasa, the Polish sausage. Polish food has much to offer, and as the Polish would say, "Jedzcie, pijcie i popuszczajcie pasa" -- "Eat, drink and loosen your belt!"

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TYPICAL POLISH DISHES