Originally published in The Blade on Thursday, September 4, 2008
BY RYAN E. SMITH
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Officially, the Greek-American Festival — a veritable smorgasbord of delicacies on the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral — kicks off tomorrow and lasts through the weekend. But thanks to a new cookbook sold there featuring more than 500 recipes by local parishioners, it doesn’t ever have to end.
The book, Olives, Feta, Phyllo & More, is intended to help feed the enthusiasm of many who already come to the festival to enjoy the food or cooking demonstrations. It will sell for $25.
“People come and they’re all excited about learning some new Greek foods,” explained Irene Kaufman, part of the steering committee for the book. “We like to just share our culture.”
In all, the book includes 520 recipes from about 190 people and covers classic and contemporary Greek and American cuisine.
“We tried to capture all of the old recipes from our mothers, our grandmothers, our aunts who love to cook,” she said.
The festival begins at noon tomorrow — with free admission until 3 p.m. — and lasts through 8 p.m. Sunday. As usual, the star of the event will be the food paired with Greek hospitality.
“You can never leave a Greek house without eating something,” said George Sarantou, publicity chairman.
Why fight it? The real question is to start with pastries — a custom in traditional Greek homes, Sarantou said — or dive right into the meal.
A gourmet food tent will sell three different dinner platters for $10 each. The sampler platter will include moussaka (eggplant and seasoned ground beef baked with cream sauce), spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese filling in a square phyllo crust), tiropitas (cheese filling in a crispy triangular phyllo crust), and dolmathes (seasoned ground beef and rice wrapped in grape leaves). Other platters feature chicken oregano and pork souvlaki.
All your other Greek favorites will make an appearance at the three-day festival too: pastichio (macaroni and seasoned ground beef baked with a cream sauce), rice pudding, rice pilaf, gyros, and more. Adult beverages will be available in the “Taverna.”
There’s just something about Greek food that keeps people coming back in droves. The festival goes through 25,000 pieces of pastry and 6,500 gyros.
“There’s going to be similarities in some Greek food with other cultures, but by and large Greek food is fairly unique,” Sarantou said.
Inside the community center there will be even more treats. Try some coffee with some of the thousands of pastries. While you’re there, check out the boutique with books, costume jewelry, T-shirts, paintings, and imported gifts.
For those interested in making these goodies themselves, the cookbook is just one option. Another is the cooking demonstrations that take place throughout the weekend. Learn to make dolmathes at 7 p.m. tomorrow, stuffed peppers at 6 p.m. Saturday, spanakopita at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by galaktoboureko (a custard pastry) at 4 p.m.
It might be tempting to let your tummy be your guide at the festival, but there’s plenty for the rest of your body to enjoy too. Get those legs dancing as you listen to the Greek and American music of the Levendes of Detroit tomorrow and Saturday, or the tunes provided by DJ Achilles on Sunday. Or watch performances from the Hellenic Dance Company, whose participants ranging from preschoolers to adults feature imported Greek costumes.
There also will be opportunities to meet husband and wife romance author team Tony and Lori Karayianni, who write under the name Tori Carrington. They will be at the festival tomorrow and Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.
For those interested in more spiritual stimulation, there will be 20-minute presentations on Orthodoxy in the cathedral at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Liturgical chanting will be presented tomorrow at 6 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m. The cathedral itself will be open for self-guided tours tomorrow and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
Nick Chirgott (l), flips pita bread on the grill at the Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Toledo last year. (THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY)
