The National Herald · THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 21, 2009 Greek Food & Wine 2009 3 By Tracy...

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The National Herald

Greek Food & Wine 20092 THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 21, 2009

By Eleni KostopoulosThe National Herald Staff Writer

Fighting over the best piece ofcarved turkey, engaging inunique family conversations,

hearing the football match on TVfrom the adjacent room, expressinggratitude to God for all our bless-ings; these are some of the thingswe look forward to when celebrat-ing Thanksgiving Day, a typicallyAmerican holiday that has its hum-ble beginnings on the PlymouthPlantation in the early 1600s. His-tory, however, tells us that manyrituals we anticipate in the modernworld during the end of November,closely resemble traditions prac-ticed by the Ancient Greeks.

Also during the autumn season,a festival known as Thesmophoriaused to be held in about 50 cities orvillages of Ancient Greece, in honorof the goddess Demeter, whotaught mankind to tend the soil.

According to N.S. Gills ofabout.com, there was no questionbut that the festival, held during amonth known as Pyanopsion(Puanepsion) in the lunisolar cal-endar of the Athenians, was part ofthe goddess' worship.

She writes: “Since our calendaris solar, the month doesn't exactlymatch, but Pyanopsion would be,more or less, October into Novem-ber, the same months as the Cana-dian and U.S. Thanksgivings. In an-cient Greece this was the time ofthe fall planting of crops like barleyand winter wheat.

On the 11-13 of Pyanopsion,Greek matrons took a break fromtheir usually homebound lives toparticipate in the autumn sowing(Sporetos) festival known as Thes-mophoria. Although most of thepractices remain a mystery, weknow that the holiday was a bitmore involved than our modernversions, and that no men were al-lowed to participate.

The matrons probably symboli-cally relived the anguish Demetersuffered when her daughterKore/Persephone was abducted byHades. They also probably askedfor her help in obtaining a bounti-ful harvest.”

As we learn in the classroom,Thanksgiving represents a time togive thanks for harvest, and to ex-press gratitude in general. Deme-ter, who is the Greek version of theRoman goddess Ceres, was indeedthe goddess of grain.

Gills writes: “Itwas her job to feedthe world, butwhen she discov-ered her daughterhad been kidnapped,she became so de-pressed she wouldn'tdo her job.

Finally, she found outwhere her daughterwas, but that didn't helpmuch. She still wanted Perse-phone back and the god who hadabducted Persephone didn't wantto return his lovely prize. Demeterrefused to eat or feed the world un-til the other gods arranged a satis-factory resolution to her conflict

withHades overPersephone.After her reunion with her daugh-ter, Demeter gave the gift of agri-culture to mankind so we could

plant for our-selves.”

Yet another theoryexists on an Ancient

Greek-originated Thanks-giving, complete with a pa-

rade and full-fledgedbanquet. An article on

dl.ket.org states: “TheGreeks called their Thanks-

giving Day ELEUTHERIA,and they celebrated it in the

month they called Maemacterion(November on our calendar). Theydid not, however, feast on turkey.Their ‘kill’ to be shared by all pre-sent at the banquet was a black bull-- much more practical since thewhole town was expected for din-ner.

“The Greek Thanksgiving Daywas started after the battle ofPlataea, 479 B.C. Every year, on the16th day of the month of Maemac-terion, a procession through townwould start at dawn, at the signalof a trumpet. The procession wasfollowed by wagons decorated withmyrtle boughs (cf. out Thanksgiv-ing Day parade floats decoratedwith roses and flowers), the blacksacrificial bull and young freeyouths (cf. the marching groups ofyoung people in our ThanksgivingDay parades). At the rear of theprocession came the Archon ofPlataea, dressed in the garments ofvictorious military leader and car-rying a sword (cf. our paradeGrand Marshal dressed in militarygarb).

Since the Greeks were not as fa-natical about athletics as we are,they only had their EleutherianBowl every fifth year, instead of theannual contests we enjoy onThanksgiving Day. Even though welive in the New World, and we liketo serve turkey instead of beef onThanksgiving Day, we continue towalk in the footsteps of our prede-cessors, the ancient Greeks.”

Thanksgiving-like rituals maydate back to ancient times, butThanksgiving traditions have beenclearly shaped by ever-evolvingeras.

One tradition that remains,however, is that of giving thanks;perhaps this Thanksgiving weshould also thank the AncientGreeks for officially launching thecustom of designating one periodto practice gratitude. We mustn’tforget, nevertheless, to remaineternally thankful for our blessingsin our daily lives as well.

By Rev. Andrew DemotsesGoarch.org

During the month of Novem-ber, we are reminded of ourobligation to give thanks to

Almighty God for the many andcountless blessings that surroundus. It is a sad commentary on ourhuman nature that we must institu-tionalize a day of thanksgiving lestno one give a thought to this mostbasic of responsibilities.

And Yet, all of Scripture is verysensitive to the need for us to givethanks. When the people of Israelwere led into the land of Canaan,they were told by the God of our fa-thers to "beware that thou forgetnot" all that had been done forthem. Nonetheless, they quicklyforgot the mighty acts by which theLord had formed them into a greatnation, and it became necessary forthe psalmist to remind them to "for-get not all His benefits." In the heal-ing of the 10 lepers, only one re-turned to give thanks, and Christasked, "Were there not tencleansed, but where are the nine?"

Surely God does not need ourfeeble thanks. It must be for ourbenefit, therefore, that we are re-quired to be grateful. Indeed, a fun-damental requirement for spiritualgrowth is a thankful heart. If we areto give thanks, we not only remem-ber all that we should be thankfulfor, but to whom those thanks aredue; we are bound to remembernot only the gifts received, but theGiver as well. It is in this awarenessthat a life of faith has its founda-tion. We begin to live each day forwhat it is, a gift from God. We strivenot to waste it, but to treat it as aninvestment trusted to our care. Wealso see our successes and our pos-

sessions for what they are, giftsmade possible by the intellect, thehealth, and the opportunities thathave been placed in our path. Grat-itude helps us to understand ourproper place in the scheme of cre-ation.

To be thankful is to look up atAnother far greater than ourselves,and to know that we are not godsourselves. In that knowledge is thebeginning of all wisdom. God asksus for thankful hearts not becauseHe needs them, but because we do.

The National HeraldA weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC. (ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ),

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On a Thankful Heart

Thanksgiving:An American Holiday, With Greek Roots?

Demeter, the goddess who taught mankind to tend the soil, was hon-ored during the autumn season in Ancient Greece during a festivalknown as Thesmophoria, similar to modern-day Thanksgiving Day.

cepagenoir.files.wordpress.com

Greek Food & Wine 2009THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 21, 2009 3

By Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D.,DWSCertified Wine Educator

While Greek wines haven’tmade big headlines in re-cent years, Greece has a

long vinous history dating back4,000 years and is actually consid-ered to be the birthplace of foodand wine as a culture. Among itsmore well-known wine exports isRetsina, which owes its unique fla-vor to its infusion with pine resin.While not most people’s prefer-ence, traditionally, this process ac-tually served a purpose, acting as apreservative and preventing oxida-tion long before the advent of re-frigeration and other modern tech-nology.

Other additives, such as opiates,were also common in ancientGreece, which gave rise to thosebacchanalian parties. As further ev-idence of its forward thinking,Greece also pioneered the conceptof using specific vessels for specificwines long before Riedel crafted hisfirst crystal stemware. Moreover,antique amphorae also sported thefirst wine labels, with seals indicat-ing the vintner, vintage, etc.

But, it wasn’t until more modernhistory that Greece has once againbecome a world class producer ofwine.

Previously, wines were high inalcohol, low in acidity and prone tooxidation due in part to poor wine-

making, high yields and over-oak-ing. Conversely, today, Greek winesare clean and fresh, with balancedstructure and acidity and are quitefood friendly. Combining OldWorld tradition with New Worldtechnology, many producers are us-ing indigenous grapes grown at lowyields and applying new technolo-gies such as refrigeration to pro-duce high quality wines.

Geographically, Greece resem-bles an outstretched hand, reach-ing into the water. Located withinthe Mediterranean Sea, Greece is acountry primarily made up of vol-canic islands and qualifying as thethird most mountainous country inEurope.

Not surprisingly, this is a coun-try whose vineyards are made up ofsmall plots of land with ancientsoils, in isolated areas and at highelevations (among the highest inthe world, second only to Argenti-na).

Given its maritime location, ithas a Mediterranean climate, witha heavy influence from the sea. Infact, low rainfall plagues most ofGreece, with moisture coming fromfog instead.

Home to over 300 indigenous

grapes that have been cataloged,Greece provides great diversity andoriginality in its wines. Yes, you canfind the usual suspects – Chardon-nay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mer-lot – but more importantly, andmore significantly, are grapes suchas Roditis, Assyrtiko, Agiorghitikoand Xinomavro.

Amidst the Aegean Islands, San-torini seems like an unlikely placefor wine production. Here, soils area mix of volcanic and minced rockwhile the climate is extremely dryand windy, so much so that vinesmust be trained low to the groundin a circular pattern, resembling awoven basket.

Yet despite this inhospitable cli-mate, Assyrtiko thrives, producingwines with vibrant acidity and min-erality that develop a beautifulrichness over time. Among otherwhites, Athiri grapes are grown inRhodes and Santorini, providingwines with low acidity, good weightand high aromatics. Roditis is thegrape best known for the winesfrom Patras, which are elegant,light white wines, displaying notesof citrus flavors.

Red grape star Agiorgitiko pro-vides dark color and soft tanninsand results in wines with a round-ness and balance similar to PinotNoir. Found in Nemea (the largestred wine appellation in Greece), onthe Peleponnese, these wines canbe aged and have nice acidity andgood aromatics.

Another well-respected red vari-ety is Xinomavro, which looselytranslates as sour black. This grapeis grown in Naoussa within the re-gion of Macedonia, and is responsi-ble in part for the blend in Rapsanion Mount Olympus.

Greece is also known for itsdessert wines. Mavrodaphnegrapes are generally used to pro-duce sweet, fortified wines that aresimilar in style to ruby Ports. Othersweet Greek wines include Muscatsof Samos as well as those from Rionand Patras, with notes of apricot,honey, orange peel and spice.

The wine renaissance takingplace in modern Greece is longoverdue, but well worth the wait.And, just in time, too, as Greek foodhas become an important trend inMetropolitan restaurants. In fact,in recent years, one magazine de-clared that “octopus is the newcalamari.”

But, regardless of what you or-der, Greek wines are food friendlywines that can pair easily with awealth of cuisines. And, with yournewly acquired knowledge, review-ing a list of Greek wines should nolonger have you saying, “It’s allGreek to me.”

It’s All Greek to Me: Greek Wines Make a Comeback in U.S. Market


ANTHOTIROS Anthotiros is traditional Greek

whey cheese with Controlled De-nomination of Origin (DOC). It hasbeen manufactured in Greece formany centuries from whey of ewe’sand goat’s milk or mixtures, withthe addition of small quantities ofmilk and/or cream, in the regionsof Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia,Sterea Hellas, Peloponissos, Ionianislands, Aegean islands, Kriti islandand Epirus. There are two types ofAnthotiros: Fresh and Dried. FreshAnthotiros has soft texture, mildtaste, very pleasant organolepticproperties, and is consumed as

table cheese or used in the prepara-tion of cheese-pastries. Dried An-thotiros has hard texture, saltytaste, a very rich flavor and is con-sumed as grated or table cheese.Fresh Anthotiros contains up to 70percent moisture and fat in drymatter of at least 65 percent, whiledried Anthotiros contains 40 per-cent and 65 percent, respectively.

FETA Feta is the most famous tradi-

tional Greek cheese, dating back tothe Homeric ages. It is a white softcheese, ripened and kept in brinefor at least two months. It has beenand still remains a significant partof Greek diet and its name is oftenconnected with the Greek historyand tradition. The average (percapita) annual consumption of Fetain Greece is more than 12 Kg, out of

a total cheese consumption of 25Kg, which is the highest in theworld. Feta is a cheese with Con-trolled Denomination of Origin(DOC) manufactured from pureewe's milk or a mixture with up to30 percent of goat's milk in the re-gions of Macedonia, Thrace,Epirus, Thessalia, Sterea Hellas,Peloponissos and Mitilini island. Ithas salty, slightly acid taste, naturalwhite color and pleasantorganoleptic characteristics. Feta ismanufactured mainly in mountain-ous and semi- mountainous regionsof Greece where the use of anyharmful substances (fertilizers,

pesticides etc.) is very scarce. It isdistributed to the market in barrels,in tin boxes or in the form of plas-tic-wrapped pieces and is con-sumed as table cheese, in the fa-mous Greek salad, in cheese-pas-tries and quite often as saganaki(shallow-fried cheese). The aver-age composition of Feta is, mois-ture: 52.9 percent, fat: 26.2 per-cent, proteins: 16.7 percent, salt:2.9 percent and a pH of 4.4.

FORMAELLA OF PARNASSOS Formaella of Parnassos is tradi-

tional Greek cheese with Con-trolled Denomination of Origin(DOC). It is manufactured fromewe’s or goat’s milk or mixtures, inthe region of Arachova at the footof the Parnassos mountain. It is ahard cheese with piquant taste andrich flavor, which is consumed as

table cheese after ripening for atleast for three months. It is alsoconsumed fresh as “saganaki”(shallow-fried cheese). The meancomposition of Formaella of Par-nassos is, moisture: 34.6 percent,fat: 32.9 percent, proteins: 27.7percent and salt: 2.1 percent.

GALOTIRI Galotiri is one of the oldest tra-

ditional cheeses of Greece withControlled Denomination of Origin(DOC). It is manufactured fromewe’s or goat’s milk or mixtures inthe regions of Epirus and Thessalia.It has a soft and spreadable texturewith sour-ish and a very pleasant,

refreshing taste and is consumed astable cheese. The mean composi-tion of Galotiri is, moisture: 70.8percent, fat: 13.8 percent, protein:9.8 percent, salt: 2.7 percent and apH of 4.1.

GRAVIERA OF CRETE Graviera of Crete is traditional

Greek cheese with Controlled De-nomination of Origin (DOC), whichis exclusively manufactured inCrete from ewe's milk or mixtureswith small quantities of goat's milk.It is ripened for at least for fivemonths. Graviera of Crete is a highquality hard cheese of propionicfermentation with a slightly sweettaste and very pleasant organolep-tic properties. It is consumed astable cheese. Graviera of Cretemust contain moisture up to 38percent, fat in dry matter at least 40

percent and salt not more than 2percent.

GRAVIERA OF NAXOS Graviera of Naxos is traditional

Greek cheese with Controlled De-nomination of Origin (DOC). It ismanufactured from cow's milk ormixtures with small quantities ofewe's or goat's milk on the island ofNaxos. It is a hard cheese of propi-onic fermentation which is ripenedfor at least for three months. It isconsidered to be a cheese of highquality with unique organolepticproperties and is consumed as tablecheese. Graviera of Naxos mustcontain up to 38 percent moistureand at least 40 percent fat in drymatter.

KALATHAKI OF LIMNOS Kalathaki of Limnos is tradition-

al Greek cheese with ControlledDenomination of Origin (DOC). Itis manufactured from ewe’s milk ormixtures with small quantities ofgoat’s milk on Limnos island.Kalathaki has a soft texture, isslightly sour and has a salty tasteand pleasant organoleptic proper-ties, similar to those of Feta cheese.It is consumed as table cheese, inGreek salad, in cheese-pastries andvery often as “saganaki” (shallow-fried cheese). The mean composi-tion of Kalathaki of Limnos is, mois-ture: 53.6 percent, fat: 25.3 per-cent, protein: 17.4 percent, salt:2.4 percent and a pH of 4.5.

KASSERI Kasseri is traditional Greek

cheese, of “pasta filata” type, withcontrolled Denomination of Origin(DOC). It is manufactured fromewe’s milk or a mixture with goat’smilk in the regions of Macedonia,Thessalia, Mitilini island and Xan-thi. Kasseri is a semi-hard cheesewhich is consumed as table cheeseor used in the preparation of pizza.The mean composition of Kasseri is: moisture 42.2 percent, fat 25.2percent, protein 25.8 percent, salt3.1 percent and pH 5.7.

KEFALOGRAVIERA Kefalograviera is traditional

Greek hard cheese with ControlledDenomination of Origin (DOC)which is manufactured from ewe’smilk in the regions of WesternMacedonia, Epirus, Etoloakarnaniaand Evritania. As the name of thecheese indicates, its organolepticproperties stand between Kefalotiriand Graviera cheese. It ripens atleast for 3 months and is consumedas table cheese, grated cheese, andquite often as “saganaki” (shallow-fried cheese). The mean composi-tion of Kefalograviera is : moisture35.4 percent, fat 31.3 percent, pro-tein 25.9 percent, salt 3.4 percentand pH 5.6.

KEFALOTIRI Kefalotiri is traditional Greek

cheese with Controlled Denomina-tion of Origin (DOC), the long his-tory and name of which are inti-mately connected with the customsand dietary habits of the Greeks. Itis manufactured from ewe's orgoat's milk or mixture of the two inthe regions of Macedonia, StereaHellas, Peloponissos, Thessalia,Crete island, Epirus, lonian islandsand Cyclades islands. Kefalotiri isconsidered the ancestor of manyhard Greek cheeses. It has a saltyand piquant taste and a unique richaroma which is obtained afterripening for at least 3 months. It isconsumed as table cheese, gratedcheese, in cheese-pastries and assaganaki (shallow-fried cheese).The mean composition of Kefalotiriis, moisture: 36.3 percent, fat: 28.8percent, proteins: 26.6 percent,salt: 3.9 percent and a pH of 5.1.

KOPANISTI Kopanisti is traditional Greek

cheese with Controlled Denomina-tion of Origin (DOC) which is ex-clusively manufactured in Cycladesislands from ewe’s, cow’s or goat’smilk or mixtures. The main charac-teristics of Kopanisti are the intensesalty and piquant taste and the softtexture and rich flavor which ap-proaches that of Roquefort. It isconsumed as table cheese, incheese-pastries and as a snack withwine and ouzo. The mean composi-tion of Kopanisti is, moisture: 60.2

percent, fat: 19.4 percent, protein:16.7 percent, salt three percent anda pH of 4.6.

LADOTIRI OF MITILINI Ladotiri is a traditional Greek

cheese with Controlled Denomina-tion of Origin (DOC) which is ex-clusively manufactured on Mitiliniisland from ewe’s milk or mixtureof it with goat’s milk. It is ripenedfor at least three months and is alsoknown with the name “Kefalaki”(small head) due to its particularshape. The main characteristic ofthis traditional cheese is that is pre-served in olive oil and this it iscalled Ladotiri because (ladi=oliveoil, tiri=cheese). It has strong fla-vor, a hard texture with slightlysalty taste and is mainly consumedas table cheese. The mean composi-tion of Ladotiri is, moisture: 33.6percent, fat: 31.6 percent, protein:2.7 percent and a pH of 5.3.

MANOURI Manouri is the most exceptional

traditional Greek whey cheese withControlled Denomination of Origin(DOC). It is exclusively manufac-tured in Central and Western Mace-donia and in Thessalia from wheyderived from ewe’s or goat’s or amixture of them, with the additionof milk and/or cream (in largerpercentages than these used for an-thotiros), when making hardcheeses. Manouri is a soft cheesewith unique taste and flavor. The

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Continued on page 19


By Jane BlackWashington Post Staff Writer

Michael Psilakis needs a goat.He reserved one, but therewas confusion about when

the famous chef from New Yorkwould pick it up, and the villagebutcher sold it to someone else.Without it, Psilakis could not makethe braised goat, the moussaka, thepasta with goat ragu or the tradi-tional Cretan wedding rice, whichis cooked in goat broth. Most of themenu he has planned to show mewould be ruined.

“Typical," Psilakis says as hewinds his way past fresh seafood,vegetables, local honey andtouristy T-shirts in the central mar-ket of Heraklion, Crete's largestcity. He lights a cigarette and in-hales deeply. "This is so Greek."

Psilakis, 40, is one part irritatedbut two parts amused. He has spenthis entire professional life evange-lizing about and explaining Greekfood, so anything typically Greek,even a typically Greek mistake, getsa pass. His haute establishment An-thos is the only Greek restaurant inthe United States to have received aMichelin star; his more rustic Kefihelped establish Manhattan's Up-per West Side, long a culinarydesert, as a dining destination. Thispast spring, he was invited by theWhite House to cook for a Greek In-dependence Day celebration. NowPsilakis has a new cookbook, "Howto Roast a Lamb" (Little, Brown,2009), that tracks his culinary de-velopment from the souvlaki and

cheese pies called tiropitas hewatched his mother make when hewas growing up on Long Island tothe smoked octopus with fennelpuree and lemon confit that is a sig-nature dish at Anthos.

Psilakis (pronounced see-LAH-kees) is serious about wantingAmericans to understand Greekcuisine. In part, it's because he is,like all good chefs, reverent towardfood, particularly its power toevoke memories and its ability tounite the family at the table. (Psi-lakis often compares his childhoodto a scene from the movie "My BigFat Greek Wedding" in which theprotagonist describes her familythis way: "You never just have aminute alone just to think, 'causewe're always together, just eating,eating, eating!")

In part, though, it's because Psi-lakis has something to prove: thatGreek food deserves the same re-spect among Americans thatFrench and Italian cuisine receive.Greeks were making wine centuriesbefore the first vines were plantedin Burgundy. The Mediterraneandiet was born in Crete, where Psi-lakis's father grew up, not in Italy.Yet France had Julia Child. Italy hasMarcella Hazan. "How many timeshas someone asked me if this is re-ally Greek food?" he says of the so-phisticated dishes at Anthos. "Theydon't get it."

"How to Roast a Lamb" aims todefine Greek food. But the book isalso a love letter to Psilakis's family.The recipes are a tribute to hismother: her spanakopita, stuffedbaby eggplant and pastitsio, a kindof Greek lasagna scented with nut-meg. Many of the stories focus onhis father, Gus, who died in Sep-tember 2007. Indeed, the book's ti-tle stems from one of Psilakis's for-mative food memories: the firsttime he watched his father slaugh-ter a lamb and understood wheremeat actually comes from.

Food was at the center of hisfamily life. But Psilakis did not de-cide to cook until -- wait for it – hebegan working as a waiter at T.G.I.Fridays, he said. Making peoplefeel welcome and feeding them waswhat he had always done at home.It felt right. Soon, friends invitedhim to help open a small Italianrestaurant. Later, Psilakis took over,working some days as both chefand waiter to make ends meet. In2004, he opened Onera, Greek for"dreams," in Manhattan. His mis-sion to promote Greek food had be-gun.

Greeks don't like change, Psi-lakis tells me as he carries the goatwe eventually found at anotherbutcher into the kitchen at theBoutari winery outside Heraklion.The building is a blend of yellowstucco and glass that reflects thesurrounding hills, planted in vine-yards and olive groves. Even thisnod to modernity is an affront tosome Cretans, who with varyingdegrees of success have fought offinvasion by the Romans, the Vene-tians, the Turks and, during WorldWar II, the Germans. To Psilakis,however, the building embraces thesoul of Greek wine, and interpretsand elevates it.

That is Psilakis's goal for Greekcuisine. The meal he has planneduses local ingredients, such as thegoat and wild oregano (which has alemony finish "that you simply can-not find in the States"), and theway Greeks employ them. Psilakis'sgoat, for example, will go into sev-eral dishes. The meat will bebraised with aromatic vegetablesand tomatoes; some of the saucewill be reduced to dress homemadepasta called hilopites. The boneswill be used for stock, which Psi-lakis will in turn use to cook therice. If there's any leftover goat,he'd like to make moussaka.

Psilakis knows this is not theway Americans cook. He alsoknows most of them are unfamiliarwith or afraid of goat and octopus,the base for another dish on hismenu. "I know Americans don'tmake this to then make that," hesaid. "But I wanted to show how itwas done."

We start with the goat. Psilakisand Harris Sakalis, one of his for-mer sous-chefs who now lives inGreece, make quick work ofbutchering the animal into recog-nizable cuts. Goat, Psilakis says, islean like lamb. Rich cuts such as thetenderloin can be roasted, butmuch of the meat is best braised toavoid drying it out.

Psilakis's recipe calls for driedoregano, thyme and rosemary, buthe encourages home cooks to usewhatever spices they like. For hispart, he puts cinnamon sticks andbay leaves in almost everything.Cooks who don't want to use goatcan easily substitute another leanmeat, such as chicken, pheasant orrabbit.

With the goat simmering on thestove, we move on to the octopusand chickpea salad. It's a dish I re-quested. Octopus is transcendentwhen it is cooked well, which itusually isn't: Instead of being ten-der and meaty, it arrives like octo-pus jerky. The chew is enough toput many Americans off octopus forgood. (Also off-putting, I learn up-on my return, is that Mediter-ranean octopus is considered un-sustainable by the Monterey BayAquarium's Seafood Watch. Squidis an acceptable substitute in thisrecipe, though cooking proceduresand times will need to be adjusted.)

The mistake cooks make withoctopus, Psilakis says, is that theythink of it as seafood, most ofwhich is best lightly sautéed orgrilled. But octopus, like goat, is abraising meat: brisket of the sea, ifyou will. For his family members,who appreciate a chewy texture,he'll grill octopus. But in every dishat the restaurant, the octopus isbraised first to break down the fi-brous meat.

Preparing octopus right turnsout to be easier than I expected.One slice removes the head, then Ipop out the pointy beak and cutapart the legs. (Most octopus is soldfrozen and already prepared.) Weheat a skillet and sear the meat, be-ing careful not to crowd the pan.When the octopus turns a brilliantviolet, we add a whole garlic cloveand bay leaves. (The recipe calls forcrushed pepper flakes, but we don'thave any.) Then, we cover the panand put it in the oven. The heatpulls water from the octopus to cre-ate the braising liquid.

While the octopus cooks, weprepare the salad. The chickpeaconfit calls for dried beans to becooked, then cooled and drainedand cooked again in fruity olive oiland spices. But Psilakis says it's fineto use canned chickpeas to savetime. He does recommend the extraconfit step, which adds richnessand a layer of flavor from the aro-matics. As with a braise, Psilakis is

happy for cooks to replace the gar-lic, cumin and mustard seeds hecalls for with whatever they like;fennel, star anise and cardamom allwork well.

Dinner is served under an arborcrawling with vines and shinywhite grapes. We start with the oc-topus and chickpea salad, fleckedwith plump sun-dried tomatoesand fresh herbs. Alongside thebraised goat is the rice, cooked inthe goat stock and finished with apat of goat butter, and quick-pick-led beets served with Greek yogurtand a generous glug of the winery'solive oil. "There's a beauty in rusticfood that you can never capture inhaute cuisine. It takes you on ajourney," Psilakis said. "I knowyou've had a meal, probably inItaly, that takes you somewhere."

That I indeed had that meal inItaly seems to frustrate Psilakis. It'snot only that people think first ofItaly. It's that Psilakis doesn't be-lieve food should be treasured onlywhen it is exotic. His dearest foodmemories are these: making hisparents poached eggs and blueber-ry muffins and serving them in bed,pitting cherries for preserves withhis mother, growing tomatoes andhunting rabbits with his father.Food marks special occasions, Psi-lakis said. "But the point is, youdon't have to go on a vacation tohave a moment like that. You canhave it at home."

Chef Michael Psilakis Finds Culinary Inspiration in Villages of Greece

Michael Psilakis, seen here, is the founder and Executive Chef of NewYork-based Anthos restaurant, known for its elegant Greek cuisine.

Braised GoatSummary:Goat takes longer to cook than lamb and is less forgiving of cooking

errors. If this dish yields leftovers, use them to make a goat moussaka.Serve with a rice pilaf.

4 to 6 generous servings

Ingredients:• 1 goat leg, on the bone, cut crosswise into 4 pieces (a scant 2 1/2

pounds, or a scant 3 1/2 pounds with the neck)• Kosher salt• Freshly cracked black pepper• 3 tablespoons blended oil (90 percent canola oil, 10 percent extra-

virgin olive oil)• 5 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped• 1/2 large Spanish or sweet onion, coarsely chopped ( 1 cup)• 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped (3/4 to 1 cup)• 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped (1 cup)• 3 tablespoons tomato paste• 1 cup dry red wine• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar• 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard• 4 quarts water• 5 large sprigs thyme• 2 sprigs rosemary• 1 tablespoon homemade or store-bought roasted garlic (see NOTE)• 3 fronds of dill, chopped (1 tablespoon)• 3 or 4 mint leaves, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:Season the goat pieces liberally with kosher salt and pepper.Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high

heat, then add the blended oil. When the oil is very hot, add the goatpieces and sear until deep golden brown on all sides. (This could takea total of 20 to 30 minutes.) Transfer the meat to a platter and pour offmost of the oil.

Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery to the pot; cook for 3 to 5minutes, stirring, until they have softened slightly. Add the tomatopaste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat and to slightly caramelizethe tomato paste.

Add the red wine and vinegar, stirring to deglaze the pot. (Use awooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of thepot.) Cook for about 20 minutes, allowing the liquid to evaporate al-most completely. Add the oregano, mustard, water, thyme and rose-mary; mix well.

Return the goat pieces to the pot; season the mixture with 1 1/2 ta-blespoons kosher salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Bring just toa boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and cookfor as long as 2 1/2 hours; at the start of cooking, skim off any scumthat rises to the top (you may need to do this twice in the first 30 min-utes or so). The meat should be tender and falling off the bone.

Transfer the goat and any vegetables that haven't melted away to aplatter; discard the cooked herbs. Cover loosely to keep warm.

Increase the heat to high under the pot; reduce any remaining panjuices until thickened (this can take a few minutes), then add theroasted garlic, chopped dill and mint; stir to combine.

Drizzle the reduced pan juices over the goat and vegetables on theplatter, then finish with a drizzle of the extra-virgin olive. Serve warm.

NOTE: To roast garlic, lop off the top of a head so that its cloves areexposed a bit. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil,then roast for about 40 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Squeeze thecloves into a small bowl and mash to form a puree.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "How to Roast a Lamb: New GreekClassic Cooking," by Michael Psilakis (Little, Brown, 2009).


By Eleni KostopoulosThe National Herald Staff Reporter

AThanksgiving feast with aGreek twist would be incom-plete without touches of delec-

table dishes of authentic cuisine,and there perhaps exists no moresuitable, experienced and well-re-spected home cook than Vefa Alexi-adou to translate those specialGreek touches to a traditionalTurkey tabletop. With her newestsizeable cookbook, “Vefa’s Kitchen”,dubbed by critics as the first “BigFat” bible of authentic Greek cook-ing, Ms. Alexiadou features morethan 650 easy-to-follow recipes fitfor all seasons and holidays. The pri-mary ingredient to Ms. Alexiadou’ssuccess, however, is, and always hasbeen, love.

“I grew in a home where thepreparation of food was really a fun-damental concern,” Ms. Alexiadoutold The National Herald in a recentinterview. “The aromatic scents thatcame from the kitchen dominatedthe whole house. Preparing andcooking food was a ritual that sur-passed the simple biological needfor food, transubstantiating flavorsof dishes during seasons and periodsof feasts and fasts.”

Tradition in Greek cuisine is al-most as important as the food itself,according to Ms. Alexiadou, who not-ed the strong connection betweenscents and childhood memories.

“Each specific period of time wasmarked by a characteristic dish:How can I imagine a Christmaswithout melomakarona? Easterwithout lamb on the spit? The day ofEuaggelismou without fish?”

Ms. Alexiadou added that hermother, who was a wonderfulhomemaker herself, was one of themain reasons she took up cooking asa profession.

“My mother was the model of anideal woman,” Ms. Alexiadou said.“She was the one who inspired me,who instilled in me a passion withher love of cooking. [When my pro-fession developed], it was the pre-sentation of dishes from televisionthat [inspired me even more].Specifically, it was the enormoussuccess of Cook Julia Child, awoman who made her mark inAmerica.”

With her own unique style, manyagree Ms. Alexiadou became the“Julia Child” of Greece, presentingrecipes and decorative ideas in dailyemissions that were cherished bymillions of Greece, and eventually,by Greeks outside of the border.

“My books, particularly thosetranslated in the English language,have successfully circulated inAmerica for many years as well as inAustralia, Canada and in other An-

glophone countries where Greekcommunities thrive,” said Ms. Alexi-adou. “[I knew] people wanted toexplore the gastronomy of Greece,because that is the mother ofMediterranean diet; [Greek food]travels beyond the community andbecomes familiar to the world. Be-ing a participant of the Frankfurt’sBookfair for 25 years, I had the bigdream to find a big foreign publisherto publish my Greek cuisine. Thanksto Edouard Cointreau, who recom-mended me unequivocally toPhaidon Press, as the best person forthis difficult undertaking, all my ef-forts came through. The Bible of au-thentic Greek Cooking, titled “Vefa’sKitchen” became a reality on June2009. After 25 years, my effortswere crowned with success.”

“Vefa's Kitchen” now circulates in

the English language, as well as inItalian, Spanish and French.

“The whole world now is offeredthe possibility of cooking and ofknowing how many simple, tastyand healthy ways of cooking stemfrom Greece,” she said. “Now I wantto pass the secrets of the simple,tasty and healthy cooking of Greecebeyond the Greek communities.”

“Vefa’s Kitchen” has been de-scribed as a heavy bible represent-ing Greek cooking and culture. Con-taining hundreds of traditionalrecipes, collected from all overGreece, the first edition of “Vefa’sKitchen” has already sold out. Sim-

plicity is the key of all the recipes inthe large and colourful hardback,marked by picturesque photos bothof delicious dishes and the beautifulparts of Greece from which theyoriginate. The ingredients used inthe book are simple, and the proce-dures are both easy-to-find andwell-detailed.

“The dishes were born throughmy experimentations. One of myspecialties and my beloved dishes ismantilakia ala Vefa, the food that re-ally established me in the world ofgastronomy. Apart from the uniquerelish, the dish also had an attractivepresentation which in 1980, whenmy first book “Invitation in Dinner”was circulating, was a pioneeringmove for the Greeks. At the time,Greeks weren’t known for present-ing dishes to catch the eye, but they

were more focused on flavor alone.This is also the difference that mademy books stand out for Greeks allover the world.”

Ms. Alexiadou told TNH the se-cret to success, in and out of thekitchen, is to love what you do.

“I belong in the category of indi-viduals who really love their profes-sions. Besides material remunera-tion, you enjoy the joy and the satis-faction that is provided when yourjob is also your pastime. You workwith a bigger appetite, more mirth;you attribute effortlessly and better;you are not tired and you are neverbored.”

Inside the Mind (and Kitchen) of Greece’s Most Important Cook: Vefa

Vefa’s PumpkinPie From

Sterea Ellada(Kolokithotiropita Strifti)

• 3 lb (1.5 kg) pumpkin orwhite or yellow wintersquash, peeled and cut intopieces

• 1/2 teaspoon salt• generous 1 cup (225 g / 8

oz) superfine (caster) sugar• scant 1/2 cup (80 g / 3 oz)

shortgrain rice, parboiled• 1 small onion, grated and

blanched• 1 tablespoon ground

cinnamon, plus extra fordusting

• cup (150 ml / 1/4 pint) olive• oil or melted clarified butter,or a mixture• 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) ready-made

phyllo (filo) or Homemadephyllo dough (filo pastry),

• confectioners’ (icing) sugar,for dusting

Grate the squash and tosswith the salt, then let drain in acolander overnight.

Squeeze out the remainingliquid and mash the squashwith a fork in a bowl.

Add the sugar, rice, onion,cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons ofthe melted butter, oil, or mix-ture.

Preheat the oven to 350oF(180oC / Gas Mark 4) and brusha 14-inch (35-cm) round bak-ing pan with melted butter oroil.

If using homemade phyllodough, divide it into 12 equalpieces and roll out into verythin sheets.

Brush half of each sheet withmelted butter or oil, fold theother half over it, and brush itagain.

Spread 3-4 tablespoons ofthe filling along the long edgeand roll it up into a cylinder.Coil the roll into a spiral in thecenter of the baking pan. Re-peat with the other phyllosheets to form a large spiral.Brush with melted butter or oiland bake for 1 hour, or untilgolden.

Sprinkle with confectioners’sugar and cinnamon and servewarm or cold.

Makes: 1 large piePreparation time: 12.5

hours (including draining).Cooking time: 1 hour

Vefa Alexiadou, seen above, has earned her title as the leading culi-nary authority in Greece, having authored about a dozen cookooks.

Volos-born Alexiadou, right, combines her culinary talents with sci-ence; she holds a degree in chemistry from the Aristotle University.


By Maria A. KaramitsosSpecial to The National Herald

As long as I can remember, in our family, thisuniquely American holiday was alwaysGreek-infused. Even with five of my moth-

er’s six siblings married to non-Greeks and of dif-ferent religions, every holiday, every event, hadits own Greek flavor.

My late grandfather, James Lalagos, who wasa well-known businessman in Chicago’s originalGreektown, had a very special recipe for a meatdressing. He passed away in 1963, however, thefamily has faithfully and lovingly prepared thisrecipe in his honor at every Thanksgiving. He’dsaid it was a family recipe he’d brought fromGreece, which he refined at his Acropolis Tavernand Restaurant. Made of ground beef, chestnuts,pine nuts and more, this distinctive “stuffing”was something we always looked forward towith great anticipation. In fact, for years, themaking of this dressing, with its many steps –and of course to make enough to feed a smallarmy – my aunt and uncle would host a party theweekend before Thanksgiving, to gather peopleto assist in the preparations. Everyone had atask. We’d sip wine, tell stories, eat pizza orsandwiches, and listen to Greek music. The par-ty grew to include neighbors and friends, andmany of us believed it was more fun than the ac-tual holiday itself.

Now the Thanksgiving bounty containedmore than Papou’s special dressing. My father,Gregory Fotinopoulos, who also was in therestaurant business for many years, countsamong his specialties roasted lamb with pota-toes and Greek rice pudding. My dad would nev-er show up to a holiday without his special dish-es; and so a holiday wasn’t a holiday withoutthem. Yes, we had lamb on Thanksgiving in ad-dition to the turkey. The menu always includedpastitsio, plus spanakopites and tiropites, made

from Yiayia’s recipes. Plates of feta and kassericheeses, plus Greek olives, as well as Greek sal-ad, also adorned the table. As I grew older andbegan to cook, I would bring mezedakia; usuallysomething seasonal, so on Thanksgiving, I’d pre-pare kolokithokeftedes, and my uncles would al-ways request my meatless dolmadakia. One ofmy aunts would usually make taramosalata andskordalia as well. Greek music would typicallydominate the occasion. Dessert always includedYiayia’s kourambiedes and koulouria, as well aspumpkin pie, sometimes pecan pie, and Dad’s ri-zogallo. A few years back, I took over the bakingof Yiayia’s cookies, and began to bake melo-makarona as well. Though traditionally a Christ-mas cookie, this confection, featuring a mix ofclove, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice – anamalgamation whose aroma evokes the feelingof fall –seems so appropriately suited forThanksgiving. To some, this cornucopia mayseem an odd combination of tastes and smells;however, to us it is a return to our childhood, tothe home, heart and love of Yiayia. This is howevery holiday has been celebrated in our family,along with other items traditional to a specificholiday, such as red eggs at Easter.

As the years have gone by, Yiayia has passedon and the family has grown, though theThanksgiving gathering has gotten smaller.Cousins now attend parties with their in-laws. Ioften hear them reminisce about the uniquelyGreek-spiced Thanksgiving we would have, andso enjoyed.

This year, as I embark on hosting Thanksgiv-ing for the very first time, I’m developing themenu based on our distinctively Greek-inspiredtradition. Yes, we’ll have turkey, sweet potatoesand pumpkin pie. Nevertheless, our table will al-so include traditional Greek foods, and certainly,since it’s a party at our home, there will be Greekdancing. Family, friends, delicious food, musicand dancing; sounds like the recipe for a perfectholiday.

By Michele KayalThe Associated Press

Nothing says Thanksgivinglike... pastitsio?

"For Thanksgiving, my motheractually did a turkey, which was apretty big step for her, but every-thing else on the table was Greek,"says Michael Psilakis, the chef be-hind New York's Anthos restaurant.

For his family, pastitsio, alasagna-like dish of noodles andeggy, Greek bechamel sauce, wasjust as important as the bird.

Thanksgiving called for a similarblending of cultures in the Koreanhousehold of chef David Chang,who dubs the famous pork buns,ginger scallion noodles and ramenof his Momofuku restaurants"American" food.

"Thanksgiving was almost apotluck," Chang says, rememberingthe dozens of relatives who tot-

tered in with heaping trays of shortribs called kalbi-jim, the pickledcabbage called kimchi, and thenoodle dish chop che. "We wouldhave Korean dishes that were tradi-tionally cooked on celebratory oc-casions and your Thanksgiving go-to classics. It was a feast."

Americans come from morethan 125 nations, according toCensus figures, and more than 299million people — or 97 percent ofthe population — claim ethnicroots. So it's only fitting that on thisiconic American holiday peopledraw on the melting pot for inspira-tion.

At the turn of the 19th century,Thanksgiving was appropriated asa way to "Americanize" new immi-grants, says Sandra Oliver, the edi-tor of Food History News and co-author of "Giving Thanks," a historyof the holiday.

"There was considerable effort

put into teaching these kids aboutthe Thanksgiving holiday — it wasdone in the schools — and attribut-ing all kinds of virtues to the saint-ed pilgrim forefathers, really ele-vating them beyond their signifi-cance," Oliver says.

"There are pictures of these littlekids kitted out in pilgrim hats, nomatter who they were. It met withsome success. Kids are really goodabout going home and saying, 'Wehave to have turkey on Thursday.'"

The founders probably didn'tcount on the ingenuity of the new-comers, many of whom did adoptthe holiday, but in their own way.

Marcela Valladolid, author ofthe cookbook "Fresh Mexico," grewup crossing the U.S.-Mexico borderevery day, leaving her Tijuanahome before dawn to attend schoolin San Diego. She says she ab-sorbed both cultures "100 percent"and so has her Thanksgiving cele-

bration."We don't segregate it," she says.

"It's not like the turkey is Americanand then there are tamales. There'schili in the turkey."

Valladolid glazes her turkeywith an apricot, tequila and chilisauce and serves it alongside roast-ed chipotle acorn squash and Brus-sels sprouts in morilla cream. Val-ladolid says the feast was inspiredby her cross-border experience, butalso was a way to make the holidaytruly inclusive for everyone in thefamily.

"My father barely speaks Eng-lish," she says. "This holiday is verynew for him. He started celebratingThanksgiving when he married mymom. Try to sit down and haveThai food for the first time. It's in-timidating. And I imagine that wasthe way my father felt the first timehe sat down in front of a big fatturkey."

If Valladolid sees ethnicizingThanksgiving as a way to bring thefamily's older generation into thenew tradition, others see the re-verse: a way to preserve and com-municate culture to the next gener-ation.

At New York's Tabla, Bombay-born chef Floyd Cardoz is knownfor merging Indian spices and sen-sibilities with American ingredi-ents. After more than 20 years inthe United States, he does the sameat his Thanksgiving feast.

Cardoz brines his turkey in apungent solution of fresh gingerand bay leaf, then dry rubs it withblack pepper, chilies, fresh garlicand crushed bay leaf. "I rub it allover the bird and under the skintoo," he says. "It makes it more fla-vorful."

His stuffing spikes a cornbreadbase with Goan-style pork sausage,redolent of vinegar, garlic, cloves

and cinnamon. The homemadecranberry sauce has touches of gin-ger, black pepper, cloves and cinna-mon. "So it's a little more interest-ing than plain old canned cranber-ry," he says.

He also makes sure there's lotsof heavy, Indian-style snacking onitems such as samosas and spicedpotato dumplings before the meal,and that there are plenty of Indianspecialties as well, like rice pulaoand a Goan pork stew full of porkbelly, shoulder, liver and chili.

"By putting our beliefs into ameal, it ties my past with my kids'future," says Cardoz, whose sonsare 12 and 16.

"At some point when they havetheir kids and they're doing theirThanksgiving tradition, maybethere will be something from Indiain there, and it will bring themback. It ties up the generationswhen you do this."

Utilizing Your Cultural Roots to Spice Up a Traditional Thanksgiving Day Dinner

A Greek American Thanksgiving: Holding on to My Bountiful Family Customs

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Καλή σας όρεξη

Turkey withChestnut StuffingHungry.gr

INGREDIENTS:• 1 turkey (with intestines finely

chopped) • 1 onion chopped into fine pieces• 3 spoonfuls bread crumbs • 5 spoonfuls butter • 1 chirp cup of wine milk • 1 and 1/2 to 2 pounds of

chestnuts boiled and cleaned • Some cinnamon • Juice of a lemon • Salt • Pepper

PREPARATION:Wash the turkey well. Add salt

and pepper. In large saucepan, addtwo spoonfuls of butter and dicedonion. After onions are sautéed andsoft, add diced intestines. Whenthey have browned, add milk andleave the food to boil for severalminutes. Add chestnuts and aftertwo to three minutes, add a pinchof cinnamon, salt and pepper.When the mixture begins to boil,remove the saucepan from the heatand mix well, adding the serving ofbreadcrumbs. Mix well. Proceed tostuff the turkey until full and sewthe opening.

Rub the turkey with a lemon oradd lemon juice. Then, place it in abaking pan, drizzling the remain-ing butter on top. Cook at 325 de-grees (for 8 to 12 pounds, 3 to 31/2 hours; for 12 to 14 pounds, 31/2 to 4 hours; for 14 to 18 pounds,4 to 4 1/4 hours). When the turkeyis golden brown, place it on theoven-top and add more lemonjuice.

When cooking is complete, re-move twine and serve on platter.

Kastorian Sarmades(Cabbage Rolls withAvgolemono Sauce)INGREDIENTS:• 1 large head of cabbage or 4 to 5

small cabbages• 1 pound of ground beef• 1 grated onion• 1/2 cup of medium grain rice• 1 egg• 1/2 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons

dried parsley• salt and pepper

PREPARATION:Core out a large hole in the cab-

bage and place hole-side down in alarge pot with about 2 inches of wa-ter. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Lift

cabbage, allowing it to cool off andpulling leaves apart. Place about 1-2 TBL of a mixture of the cookedmeat and rice at the base of eachleaf and roll away from you. Placein a large pot even making two lay-ers. Fill the pot with enough waterand/or chicken broth to cover therolls and above about 1-2 inches.Place a clean plate on top so theywon't open up. Put a lid on and letthem simmer for about 30-40 min-utes.

Avgolemono: Beat three eggsand the juice of two lemons in alarge bowl. When the rolls aredone, turn the pot a bit to ladle outthe hot broth. Ladle the hot brothinto the egg mixture. When theegg/lemon mixture is very hot,pour it back into the pot with thesarmades. Shake the pot to distrib-ute well.

Chef Jim Botsacos’Keftedes with RedSauceINGREDIENTS:• 1/4 cup Bread crumbs - (to 1/2

cup) • 1 medium Yellow onion; peeled,

diced fine • 4 tablespoons Olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin

• Kosher salt; to taste • Freshly-ground black pepper; to

taste • 4 slices White bread • 1 cup Whole milk -; (to 2 cups) • 1/2 pounds Lean ground beef • 1/4 pounds Ground lamb • 2 Garlic cloves; peeled, chopped • 3 tablespoons Chopped fresh

parsley • 1 large Egg • 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano • Red Sauce• Extra-virgin olive oil; for garnish

PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread crumbs on cookie sheetand place in oven on center rack.Toss bread crumbs every couple ofminutes, for about 5 to 7 minutes.Set aside to cool. Heat 1 tablespoonof the olive oil in a sauce pan overmedium-low heat. Add onions,cumin, and season with salt andpepper. Sautee onions until trans-parent, stirring occasionally about 5to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, setaside and cool. Place sliced bread ina bowl and add milk to cover. Soakuntil bread becomes soft, pressingon bread to absorb liquid. Drain ex-cess milk. In a mixing bowl, com-bine ground meats and sautéedonion with garlic, parsley, egg andmilk-soaked bread. Work mixturewith your hands until ingredientsare well combined. Add toastedbread crumbs a bit at a time, thor-

oughly mixing with each addition.The meat mixture should be moistto the touch, but not wet. Formmeat into small balls about 1-inchin diameter. Set a large, heavy-bot-tomed sauce pan over medium heatand add the remaining 3 table-spoons of olive oil. Heat until oil ishot, but not smoking. Cook meat-balls, turning, until all sides arebrowned, about 5 minutes. Movemeatballs from heat and drain onpaper towels. Bring sauce to a sim-mer and add meatballs. Cook 25 to30 minutes, uncovered. To serve,plate 4 meatballs per person, sprin-kled with additional cumin, freshparsley and drizzle with extra-vir-gin olive oil.

*Look for Chef Botsacos makinghis special keftedes on Late Nightwith Jimmy Fallon, on the videosection of www.thenationalher-ald.com.

Milopita – Greek-Style Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:• 2 and 1/2 cups flour• 1/2 pound of butter• 1 cup sugar• 4 eggs• 2 small packets vanilla• 2 apples cleaned, cored and

sliced• Cinnamon for dusting• 3/4 cup milk or orange juice• handful of raisins• handful of walnuts

PREPARATION:Take a large round pan and coat

it with 2 tablespoons of butter, 3 ta-blespoons sugar and some cinna-mon. Place the apple slices in a cir-cle until pan is covered. On top ofthe apples, sprinkle the raisins andwalnuts. For dough, mix eggs, sug-ar, vanilla, milk or juice and flouruntil texture is ready and roll out.Place dough mixture on top of ap-ples. Bake at 325 degrees for about45 minutes or until golden brown.Allow pie to cool until ready toserve.

Spinach StrudelsAllrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:• 1/2 cup olive oil• 1 bunch green onions, chopped• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen

chopped spinach, thawed, welldrained

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill• 3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten• 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper• 40 sheets frozen phyllo pastry,

thawed in refrigerator• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

(200 degrees C). In a medium skil-let, heat olive oil over a mediumheat. Stir in green onions and cookuntil soft, about 5 minutes. Setaside. Meanwhile in a large bowl,combine spinach, dill, eggs, feta,salt and pepper. Add reservedgreen onions, and mix well. Unfold1 sheet of the phyllo pastry, brushwith melted butter, and sprinklelightly with breadcrumbs. Lay an-other sheet directly on top of thefirst sheet; repeat butter and bread-crumb steps. Continue to do thisuntil you have 10 layers. Spoon 3/4cup of spinach mixture (in asausage-like shape) along longeredge of the top sheet. Roll it up,place on baking sheet, and brushlightly with butter. Score off 1-inchrounds by marking with a knife foreasier cutting later. Repeat processwith the remaining pastry sheets.You will have 4 rolls total when fin-ished. Bake in a preheated oven for12 minutes or until edges are light-ly brown. Cut into individual serv-ings where you have marked. Serveimmediately.

Add a Dose of Love to Your Greek American Holiday with Recipes Easy as 1,2,3

325 West 42 Street, New York, NY 10036Tel: 212-315.1010 • Fax: 212-315.2410

www.dafnitaverna.com

A dining experience reminiscent of a small village in Greece

SERVING AUTHENTIC GREEK CUISINEUsing the freshest and purest ingredients

Open every day for Lunch and Dinner

Serving Traditional Thanksgiving DinnerCall for reservations

The god Apollo’s first love was the nymph Dafni. As he pur-

sued her, she called upon the gods to help her escape him and was

immediately transformed into a laurel tree. Still in love with

her, Apollo vowed to always wear a crown of laurel. As the

originator of the Pythian games, and as the god of poetry, he

swore to crown all victors, heroes and poets with wreaths wo-

ven of laurel leaves.

The leaf of the laurel tree is also known as the bay leaf (dafni, in Greek). It is an

essential ingredient in many cuisines, especially those of the Mediterranean.

Used either fresh of dried, the leaves impart a subtle but distinctive flavor and

fragrance to food.

On behalf of Dafni, we welcome you and wish you

Καλή Ορεξη!


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By Angelike ContisThe National Herald Staff Writer

Tsoureki filled with chocolateand chestnuts. Pumpkin, ap-ple, pecan and blueberry pies.

Cranberry tart made with almondpaste. Hungry yet? These are a fewof the Thanksgiving options thatwill be available at Greekbakery/patisserie Artopolis.

“We do the traditional Americanthing,” says the Astoria shop’s co-owner and manager, ReginaKatopodis, of the biggest food-cen-tric holiday in the U.S. Year round,Artopolis specializes in followingthe Greek calendar of feasts (as wellas some Lenten fasts). But on No-vember 26, there will also be cakesthere reading “Happy Thanksgiv-ing” too.

Artopolis, located a short dis-tance from the Astoria-Ditmars sub-way terminus, quickly became a fix-ture among sweet tooths sinceopening in 2003. The shop has thedécor of a high-end Athens patis-serie, with a central wooden kioskand packages and ribbons importedfrom Greece to boot.

“Nothing is too sweet,” notesKatopodis of the traditional Greekand European-influenced sweets inthe shop. “Nothing is too anything,”she adds.

Greek is often the lingua francaas people order bread, boxes ofgoodies or a quick tiropita (cheesepie) for their children. Retirees and

younger folk often can be found sip-ping Greek coffee or frappees at Ar-topolis’ little tables.

As a food lover, I enjoy Artopolis’Belgian chocolate and nut wafersand the luscious traditional galakto-boureko (custard pie) alike. As ajournalist though, I’m amazed by

the constant flow of news there. In between juggling orders and

phone calls, the Brooklyn-bredKatopodis spends much of her daytalking to customers. She consultswith soon-to-be-married couplessampling traditional items likekourambiedes (sugar cookies) and

imported koufeta (sugar coated al-monds) for their big day. Katopodisdoesn’t miss a beat in telling awoman what the best cake is for a40-year-old male chocolate lovercolleague. But Artopolis’ manageralso inquires about the health of acustomer’s father. She eagerly takes

a client’s cell phone to speak to hisson about his flashy new car. (“Ilove cars!” Katopodis confesses.)And she asks a baritone about hisupcoming concert in Cyprus.

Katopodis, whose roots are inSparta and Mani, is delighted thatArtopolis has become a meetingplace for Greeks. It’s not just “kafe-nion” gossip, either, she points out,noting that Artopolis has become agathering place of academics, pub-lishers and artists too. “That’s whatpleases me so much, that this hasbecome a meeting place, in a moreintellectual way.”

As for her own Thanksgiving, af-ter spending the day at Artopolis,each year Katopodis races, after6pm, to her sister’s house for“American stuff” like turkey, home-made cranberry sauce, sweet pota-toes and Theia (Aunt) Aglaia’samazing stuffing.

Even when she lived in Greecefor 14 years, Artopolis’ co-owner/manager insisted on cele-brating Thanksgiving… thoughfinding a turkey wasn’t always easy.When Katopodis was living on Itha-ca island in 1978, she had a birdshipped to her from Patras. The cov-eted turkey arrived - to her horror -still covered in feathers. Thankfullytoday, she notes, turkeys are morereadily available in Greece.

ArtopolisAgora Plaza 23 - 18 31 St.,

Astoria Tel: (718) 728- 8484

Patisserie Artopolis Commemorates Fall with Festive Cornucopia

Queens-based Artopolis is an Odyssey of confectionery, pastries, breads, cakes, tarts,pies, and creations of Mediterranean Delights. Artopolis’ Manager Regina Katopodis,

right, tends to customers by not only helping them find the best traditional Greek andEuropean-inspired sweets, but by taking the time to learn about them and their likes.

Food forThought, a Quiz1. Which of the following is

not a type of Greek olive?a. kalamatab. stafidholyesc. kokinosouvlesd. koroneikie. megharitiki

2. Retsina is one of the oldest,consistently-produced winesin the world. What gives itits unique flavor?

a. lemonsb. green applesc. pine tree resind. raisinse. jasmine flowers

3. What is the basic ingredientin ouzo?

a. aniseedb. brandyc. fenneld. hazelnute. mint

4. What is the chief food of thetraditional wedding feast inGreek villages?

a. fresh fishb. suckling pigc. stuffed vine leavesd. cheese pies and cheesecakee. spit-roast lamb

5. This food is eatenthroughout in Greece as anappetizer or a meze, but inCrete, it is a staple. Is it…

a. codb. tunac. sardinesd. mackerele. snails

An employee of Artopolis happily waits behind the baked goods counter to serve the following customer.

Answers:1. C, 2. C, 3. A, 4. E, 5. E


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These are major points of the diet followed by thepeople of rural Crete who scored the highest of allin heart health in several international studies.

Incorporating these elements of the Greek diet intoeveryday menus, combined with increased physical ac-tivity, can have a positive effect on heart health.

USE OLIVE OILOlive oil is one of the "healthy" fats, meaning it's a

monounsaturated fat. This type of fat can actually low-er the LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and in 2004, the FDArecognized claims that replacing other fats with oliveoil can help reduce heart disease risk.

INCREASE BARLEY PRODUCTS (AND OTHERWHOLE GRAINS)

It's long been known that whole grains can help re-duce the risk of heart disease, but just recently, the FDAchimed in once again to recognize claims that barleyand barley products do indeed reduce the risk of coro-nary disease. Barley and other whole grains are an im-portant part of the Cretan diet, used in crackedgrain breads and our famous barley rusks.

EAT THOSE LEAFY GREENSOur Cretan diet is based largely on vegeta-

bles, with no shortage of dark leafy greens,both those we pick in the wild and those webuy. Leafy greens contain lutein, known toprevent clogged arteries (atherosclerosis).

DON'T FORGET THE LEGUMES (PULSES)Legumes are that group of beans, peas, and

lentils that are high in fiber and combat heart dis-ease. The Cretan (and Greek) diet is filled with fabu-lous dishes using many varieties of legumes.

KEEP IT NATURALAglaia Kremezi, a well-known Greek food expert

and author, says that the art of traditional Greek cook-ing is taking a natural, fresh ingredient and doing theleast possible to it. Refined and processed foods don'thelp a healthy heart. Keeping the basic structure offood is important, and sticking with foods that are rec-ognizable in their original form is the key. Shop healthyto stay healthy.

Of course, the Greek diet also includes meat and

fish, but generally in smaller quantities, and less fre-quently. We also incorporate garlic and onions every-where possible (we like them), and they are hearthealthy additions as well.

Over recent years, the Greek diet, even in rural ar-eas, has been modified by the availability of fast foods,processed foods, and junk foods, so we, too, need totake a lesson from the traditional ways of our parentsand grandparents.

From Nancy Gaifyllia, for About.com

Improve Your Health with Greek Food

Commandaria Roasted Pears Wrapped in Proscuitto

This appetizer is a great twist on a classic proscuitto with melon. Theripe pear is roasted until the wine concentrates its earthy honey notes,creating a perfect balance of fruit and salt.

INGREDIENTS:• 2 ripe bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into fourths• 1 1/2 cups Commandaria wine (375 ml)• 1 tbsp. honey (15 ml)• Several strips lemon zest• 2 sprigs fresh thyme• 8 slices prosciutto, cut in half

PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium roasting pan or dish, arrange pear wedges, so they are

not overlapping. Whisk together the honey with wine in a small bowl. Pour over pears.

Add the lemon zest and thyme sprigs. Bake the pears for about 25-30 minutes or until pears are soft and

golden, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove only pears from pan (discard thyme sprigs) and let pears

cool on a plate. Transfer remaining liquid into a small saucepan and simmer uncov-

ered over medium heat until it’s the thickness of honey. To serve, wrap pear wedge in a half slice prosciutto and arrange on

platters. Drizzle with reduced wine. For the creative ones, garnish with herbs such as parsley.

Serves 4

Creamy Wild Mushroom &Commandaria Soup

This Commandaria wine is a perfect match with the earthly flavoursof wild mushrooms and takes this classic soup to new heights.

INGREDIENTS:• 2 Tbsp. Butter (25 ml)• 4 shallots, chopped• 1 clove garlic, chopped• 1/4 tsp. fresh chopped ginger (2 ml)• 1 leek, thoroughly washed, white part only, chopped• 2 stalks celery, diced• 1 cup Commandaria wine (250 ml)• 5 cups assorted mushrooms (Portobello & shitake), washed and

sliced (1.25L) • 1 pinch grated nutmeg• 3 sprigs fresh thyme• 1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced • 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (1.5L) • Salt and pepper to taste• 1/2 - 3/4 cup whipping cream ( 125 -175 ml), depending on your

taste • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (15 ml) • Chopped fresh tarragon to taste

PREPARATION:In a large, pot heat butter on medium. Add the shallots, garlic, gin-

ger, celery and leek and sweat for about 7-9 minutes until just soft. Addthe wine and increase heat to high and simmer uncovered until liquid issyrupy and almost evaporated. Add the sliced mushrooms and reduceheat to medium and cook for about 5-8 minutes until mushrooms aresoft.

Add the nutmeg, fresh thyme, diced potato, chicken stock, salt andpepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer covered for 30minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Add cream and bring back to the boil. Add the lemon juice and ad-just seasoning. Puree the soup with an immersion wand blender for sev-eral seconds for a creamier soup. Add freshly chopped tarragon just be-fore serving.

For added flavour, sauté a few small shitake caps in hot butter untilgolden and serve on top of soup with sprigs of tarragon. Serves 4-6

Baby Rocket Salad with HalloumiCroutons in Citrus Olive Oil Vinaigrette INGREDIENTS:Salad• 5 oz package baby rocket (arugula), washed • 5 oz Halloumi cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes • 1/4 cup fine corn meal • 2 tablespoon grape seed oil for frying• 1 beet, thinly sliced on a mandolin and shallow fried until crisp.

Citrus Dressing • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice • Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/2 teaspoon vin cotto or balsamic vinegar • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION:1. Wash and dry the arugula and place in a medium bowl. 2. To make the dressing, combine the citrus juices and zests, mus-

tard, vin cotto or balsamic with salt and pepper and whisk well. Whilewhisking slowly pour in the oil and combine well. Set aside.

3. Dust the Halloumi cubes in fine corn meal, tossing gently in abowl. Transfer to a plate and discard remaining corn meal.

4. In a medium skillet, heat grape seed oil over medium high temper-ature. Fry the Halloumi for about 5 minutes, turning often to get a darkgolden crust.

5. Remove from heat and transfer back to plate. 6. Toss the greens with the vinaigrette and cheese gently to coat.

Sprinkle with beet chips and serve immediately. Serves 4

Christine Cushing’s Cypriot Recipes

From epicurious.com

Go for What's in Season: Whenplanning your meal, first con-sult the calendar. This is no

time for asparagus and artichokes.Buy produce in season, and you willget much more for your money, notto mention livelier flavors.

Buy a Supermarket Bird: In anideal world we would all be eatingheritage turkeys. They have out-standing texture and flavor, andwhen we buy them, we help pre-serve unique breeds. But they areanything but a bargain: A 12- to 14-pound bird—which feeds eight—from Heritage Foods USA goes for$159 including shipping, or morethan $10 a pound. Supermarket

turkeys can be fine alternatives forless than $2 a pound.

Start from Scratch: Some con-venience foods are often ridicu-lously cheap, loaded as they arewith high-fructose corn syrup andchemicals, yet they rarely taste bet-ter than homemade. To cut costsand ensure the tastiest of feasts,make your own pie crust, cranberrysauce, and gravy rather than open-ing up a box or can.

Know When to Buy Canned orFrozen: Some canned and frozenfoods are fine alternatives to fresh.Canned pumpkin is one of the greatAmerican ingredients, and thegeneric brands are as good as pre-mium labels. You could make a pieusing a fresh cheese pumpkin for

$5, but you would wind up with amore watery filling than one madefrom a $2.49 can.

Don't Be a Slave to a Recipe: Ifyou don't want to spring for threekinds of herbs in your soup or stuff-ing, choose one. Or none. Nothingbut salt and pepper is ever really in-dispensable. Substitute water forcanned stock in a soup; use a slurryof flour and water to thicken yourpan gravy rather than makingturkey stock.

Make It a Potluck: Don't be em-barrassed to ask for help. Peopleare happy to pitch in and bring adish or two, and potlucks aretrendy right now (see our guide tohosting or attending a PotluckThanksgiving).

Thanksgiving on A Budget: Money-saving tips


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Showers, WeddingsSweet Sixteen, Anniversaries, etc.

All baking done on premises

Καταϊφι, µπακλαβά

κουραµπιέδες

µελοµακάρονα

κουλουράκια

γλυκά κουταλιού, cakes

τούρτες για γάµουs

αρραβώνες

βαπτίσεις

Πρώτο στη γεύση, την ποιότητατη φρεσκάδα και τη διακόσµηση

για κάθε περίπτωση

∆ΩΡΕΑΝ ΠΑΡΚΙΝΓΚZagat Extraordinary Αward

2004 to 2010

ΕΥΧΟΜΑΣΤΕ ΣΕ ΟΛΟΥΣHAPPY THANKSGIVING...µε γλυκά από το Artopolis

By Aphrodite MatsakisSpecial to The National Herald

(The characters in the following sto-ry are fictional. Any resemblance topersons living or dead is purely coin-cidental.)

Once upon a time, there was aGreek American familywho’s Yiayia and Papou had

never heard of Thanksgiving.Trapped inside Hitler’s Greece, theyhadn’t heard of Valentine’s Day norColombus Day, until the war finallyended and they came to live withtheir son Tasos in Baltimore, whohad risen from dishwasher to theowner of a deluxe diner. He wasnow also the Papa of two school-age children.

When the Yiayia asked whichsaint Thanksgiving was named af-ter, the Papa told her that Thanks-giving had nothing to do withsaints. Thanksgiving was simply anAmerican holiday when familiesgathered together to give thanksfor all their blessings.

“That’s-a-nice,” she replied.“How long do we have to fast?”

“No fasting,” said the Grandson,age 10. “You just have turkey.”

Yiayia went white. “You meanwe have to invite Turks to dinner?”

“No,” the Grandson continued.“You just have a big dinner with lotsof food, like turkey, pumpkin pie,corn and other foods the Indiansused to eat.” He tried to explain

about the Pilgrims and the Indians,but all his grandparents could un-derstand was that the Pilgrims, likethemselves, were immigrantsgrateful to have made Americatheir home.

“I’ll make the lamb and Yiayiacan fix the pastichio,” said the Pa-pou.

“No lamb, no pastichio and noGreek nothing,” growled the Papa.“This is an American holiday andwe’re going to do everything Amer-ican-style. We’re Americans now,not Greeks.” Although the Papadearly loved Greek music and tradi-tions, he had experienced so muchpoverty in Greece, he never wantedto return.

“But what’s a holiday withoutlamb and why can’t we have both –turkey and lamb?” asked the Pa-pou. But the Papa wouldn’t hear ofit.

They argued for hours. The Pa-pou couldn’t believe that his son re-fused to serve lamb on a holidayand, even worse, he was trying toreverse the traditional order ofthings, where fathers, not children,ruled the roost. Eventually the Pa-pou gave in. After all, his son hadbrought him and his wife to Ameri-

ca and was supporting them too. Meanwhile, the Mama was in

the kitchen busily creating aThanksgiving disaster by trying topersuade her meek sister to helpher defy her sitherokefalo (iron-headed, stubborn) husband.

“This is America,” she whis-pered on the phone. “Women don’thave to listen to their husbands allthe time. No matter what Tasossays, at the last minute, I’m goingto put feta and olives on the table.What’s he doing to do? Throw themat me in front of his parents?

“I’m making Karpathian baklavatoo. There will be so much food onthe table, Tasos won’t even noticeit; and if he does, I’ll just tell him it’sa new kind of glazed donut. He’snever been to Karpathos, so he’llnever know the difference. Whencan I come to your house to makeit? I’ll need one whole day, maybemore, and all the help you can giveme.”

The island of Karpathos, locatedbetween Crete and Rhodes, fea-tures a uniquely flavored andshaped baklava. On Karpathos,the various types of baklava mostpeople are used to are referred to asxeniko baklava (foreign baklava).

Making Karpathian baklava is along involved process which beginsby rolling out dough then cutting itinto one inch strips. The strips arethen folded into a criss-cross, diag-onal, oval-shape design where oneoval shaped ring is surrounded byanother, with some space in be-tween. Today a pasta machinemight be used to press the doughinto the right size strips, but in theolden days, women used theirhands.

The dough strips are then heldtogether with cloves, fried in oiland covered in a honey- basedsyrup. Cinnamon and sometimespowdered sugar and chopped al-monds or pistachios are sprinkledon top and stick like glue to thethick honey glaze.

The challenges are many: suchas making the strips the correctlength and width, arranging themin the right shape, then frying eachbaklava enough so that it’s cookedsufficiently but not so much that itfalls apart.

That Thanksgiving, the Mamaplaced the feta, olives and a smallplatter of Karpathian baklava at theend of the table furthest away fromwhere the Papa was sitting. But he

spotted the Greek food immediate-ly and asked the Mama to removeit.

She acted like she hadn’t heardhim. When he told (ordered?) her asecond time, she just smiled sweet-ly at him and said, “Happy Thanks-giving.” In an effort to contain him-self, the Papa started fumbling withhis komboloi. But then his fatherchuckled: “Kala na patheis, yiemou. (You deserve it, my son). Seewhat happens when you become soAmerican you don’t listen to yourfather and teach your wife how todrive. Your wife snuck out of thehouse and drove to her sister’shouse to do this to you.”

The Papa pointed his finger atthe Mama and was about to call hera vre gynaika, when the Daughter,age 10, sensing the fireworks thatwere about to explode, burst intotears. “Why can’t we have a nicequiet Thanksgiving like the Ameri-cans do? How come there’s alwaysfights about Greek stuff? Howcome we’re so American we can’thave feta, but so Greek that I haveto go to Greek school?”

With that, the adults held theirtongues and soon the evening tookon a festive air.

In the years to come, the Paparelaxed his “only American” policyand Thanksgiving featured allkinds of foods. Over time, the Ma-ma started buying pastichio,kourampiedes and other time-con-suming Greek specialties instead ofmaking them. But Karpathianbaklava was no where to be foundand the Mama, who years beforehad risked the wrath of her hus-band by making Karpathian bakla-va, had begun to groan at thethought of all the work involved.Eventually, it disappeared from theThanksgiving table, as did the oldergeneration and, in time, she andthe Papa too.

By now the 10 year-old, whoonce had tried to explain Thanks-giving to his grandparents, was aPapa himself. As Thanksgiving ap-proached, his daughter, Anna, an-nounced that she didn’t want lambor turkey. While she was away atcollege, she had become a vegetari-an and some of the cousins comingto dinner were vegan. Her parentspromised to provide a veganTurkey and substitute vegetarianlasagna (with tofu cheese) for pas-tichio (the Greek lasagna) and thematter was quickly settled – except

for the issue of deserts.Since the vegans couldn’t have

dairy products like milk or eggs,galatobouriko, koulourakia andkourampiedes and even mostAmerican cakes and cookies, wereout of the question. Regular bakla-va was off limits too, because of thebutter used between layers of phyl-lo. Then Anna remembered her Yi-ayia telling her about how whenshe was a little girl, her parents hada fight on Thanksgiving overKarpathian baklava, and her Yi-ayia’s stories about Karpathianstaking their baklava with them onlong trips. Because it was madewith wheaten flower, it was quitesturdy; and because it contained nomilk, eggs or other dairy products,it could last for six months or morewithout refrigeration.

“Karpathian baklava is vegan!”Anna announced. She was deter-mined to make it, but the old-timers didn’t really use recipes.They made it “me to mati” (theyeyeballed it) and it was hard to findany Karpathian Americans whomade it anymore. Undaunted, An-na combed the Internet andtracked down every Karpathian shecould find until she learned how tomake this ancient form of trail mix.That Thanksgiving, she adornedthe table with a huge tray ofKarpathian baklava, decoratedKarpathian style with colorful bowsand ribbons

This Thanksgiving, as always,

the table will be loaded with food,traditional Greek and Americandishes, as well as vegan, vegetari-an, low-fat and sugar-free delights.But there will be empty spots. TheYiayias and Papous are missing andsome of the younger generationcan’t make it back from college.Others need to spend the holidaywith in-laws who live out of town.But come Christmas or Easter,they’ll be back. They always comeback, not for the food but for whatthe food represents – that sense offamily unity.

Should the Yiayias and the Pa-pous of old be looking down on thisyear’s Thanksgiving table, surelythey’ll be smiling, but not just be-cause Karpathian baklava is nowthe table’s centerpiece. They’rehappy because they see that despitethe tensions between them due todifferences of personality and thepressures of assimilation, they suc-ceeded in creating a strong sense offamily among their descendants,who despite the forces of fragmen-tation in today’s society, are grate-ful, not only for their many materi-al blessings, but for the simple plea-sure of being together – no matterwhat’s on the table.

Karpathian Baklava: a Tale of Cultivating Culture Through Food

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By Eleni KostopoulosThe National Herald Staff Writer

Since the seventh century B.C.,wine has played an importantrole in Greek culture; as a so-

cial catalyst, a party-promoter anda thought-provoker. Greeks werethe first to establish organizedvineyard strategies as well as fer-mentation methods, concepts lateradopted by the Romans. Wine waseven essential to Greece’s religiousceremonies. Today, Greece hasbeen making strides in the U.S.wine markets, with good to greatquality rankings and relatively in-expensive price tags. Knowingmore about the brew can help youto choose the perfect food-wine

pairings, enhancing any specialholiday feast. Stin Ygeia!

THIS THANKSGIVINGAndrea Englisis DWS, VP of

Athenee Importers in Hempstead,NY, recommended to The NationalHerald pairing a rose wine withturkey this Thanksgiving.

“Rose has the right acidity, fruitand tannin to pair well with all ofthe sides as well as the main event,”Englisis said. “I would recommendthe GAI’A 14-18, Pavlidis ThemaRose or the Spiropoulos Meliasto.If rose is not your thing, a high acidwhite like Assyrtiko from Santorini(GAI’A Thalassitis or Argyros San-torini) or a Sauvignon Blanc(Pavlidis Thema White) from

Northern Greece would work welltoo. You should avoid really fruity,high alcohol and tannic reds-theymask the great flavors of tradition-al Thanksgiving dishes.”

According to “WineWise: YourComplete Guide to Understanding,Selecting, and Enjoying Wine” bySteven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith andMichael A. Weiss of the Culinary In-stitute of America, Greek tablewines may be labeled in a variety ofways. As a consumer, understand-ing different labels can aid in shop-ping more effectively.

The authors said these labelingvariations include: “By grapename, such as Moschofiler (Euro-pean law stipulates that the winemust contain at least 85 percent ofthe grape mentioned; by placename, such as Nemea (a dry red) orSantorini (a dry white); by grapeand place, such as Muscat of Samos(a sweet white); by fantasy or pro-priety name, such as Miden Agan orFresco (both are dry reds).”

VIN DE VALUEWhether you have a set budget

for your holiday festivities, oryou’re willing to invest a little moreon your flavor-enhancing bottle ofwine, Koplan, Smith and Weissnote there are indeed various qual-itative levels that should be takeninto account when purchasing.From least to highest quality are:“Oenos epitrapezios, or tablewines. These may have just a brandname or traditional wine such asRetsina; Vins de pays, a Frenchterm for country wines (also knownlocally as topikos inos).

Looser rules for using both na-tive and international grape vari-eties exist at this level; The highestechelon in Geek wines is the appel-lation of origin wines, modeled onthe French AOC and meant tomaintain authenticity and tradi-tional ‘recipes’ of grape content forthe wines.”

WINES OF 2010Anthony Giglio, author of the

Food & Wine’s Wine Guide 2010,picked the best Greek wines for thecoming year. Some Greek Reds,mentioned in his recent book in-clude: “ArgyrosAtlantis/2006/Santorini. This San-torini red is made with the Mande-laria grape. Robust flavors of cassisliquor are upheld by fine –grainedtannins; Boutari Grande Re-serve/2003/Naoussa. Batouri agesthis wine for at least four years inboth Oakland bottle before release,and the result is one of the coun-

try’s finest reds. The complex noseis defined by animal, plum andcedar notes, while the firm tanninsgive the palate structure; DomaineMercouri/2005/Vin de pays DesLetrino. Made from a combinationof northern Italian grape Refoscoand native Greek Mavrodaphne,this wine impresses with its con-centration and complexity. It is full-bodied and dense, with flavors ofsweet spice, vanilla, licorice anddark cherry; Gaia Notions Agiorgi-tiko/2008/Nemea. This is thestraightforward, entry-level redfrom one of Greece’s finest produc-ers. An earthy nose gives way to an-imal, blackberry and dark cherryflavors on the palate; KtimaPavlidis Thema/2005/Drama. Thisblend of 40 percent Syrah and 60percent Agiorgitiko delights withits Bordeaux-like aromas of pencillead, earth and dark fruit. Ripe tan-nins frame ripe black currant fla-vors.”

Among some of Giglio’s choicesfor Greek Whites are: “Argyos Es-tate Argyros/2007/Santorini. Thisuniquely modern rendition of theGreek Assyrtiko grape is pleasinglyoaky without being too heavy orbuttery. The ripe, weighty palate of-fers flavors of citrus, herb and bitteralmond and features a long, richfinish; Domaine Spiropou-los/2008/Mantinia. Spiropouloswas established in 1870 and hasbeen framed organically since theearly 1990s. Made from theMoschofilero grape, which bearssimilarities to Gewurztraminer, thisstandout white is a phenomenalvalue. Dry and crisp, it shows in-tense flavors of citrus rind, lemonblossom and peach; Ktima TseleposMelissopetra Gewurztramin-er/2008/Vin deoats d’arcardie.(500 ml) Located in the heart of thePeloponnese, Ktima Tsepelos wasone of the fist Greek wineries to ex-periment with Gewurztraminer.Classic aromas of lychee, whiteflowers and ripe honeydew are fol-lowed by zesty flavors of melon andjuicy peach in this dry, well-bal-anced wine;

Lyrarakis Cuvee GrandeColline/2008/Heraklion. This fam-ily-owned winery has been in busi-ness since 1968. Muscat and Sauvi-gnon Blanc are joined by the ob-scure Cretan variety Vilana in thisrefreshing blend, which displays agrapy nose with whiffs of citrusrind and mango and a crisp, medi-um-long finish.”

For the complete list of the bestwines of 2010, see “Giglio’s WineGuide 2010.”

Enhancing the Mind, Body, Soul (and Tabletop)with the Finest Red and White Greek Wines

Drinking bowls, like the one seen here, were used to serve Greekwine. The most common style of wine in Ancient Greece was sweetand very aromatic, though dryer wines were also prevalent.

digital-images.net

Apollo's horses: in a splendid dawn ascendingBreathe their flames and another night is endingPraised be the sun ripening the grapes with his lightFor the grapes yield wine putting our pains to flight

Oh you who light the silver moon every nightYou whose grace grants desire, with me don't fightPlease, listen to my innocent and humble wishTurn the oceans into wine and make me a fish

Before Old wounds have adequate time to clearNew wounds in the tormented soul appearbecause nature like a doctor somehow slyWants you her medicine in big wine bottles to buy

The grapes sweet blood is life-givingWhen inside you, you become forgivingI have the greatest time in the wine's embraceBecause then I adore the whole human race

As our dreams fly through time space and airSometimes they touch success, sometimes despairToo often though they fly after red wine suppliesThat make one live immortal before one dies

The blasphemer's tongue and lips I wish them dry foreverIf they say I found another friend besides the jug ever!And if someone someday says I betrayed wineI'd like to see his body torn by dogs and swine

This is an excerpt from the series, The Rubaiyat of Melissinos, byAthenian poet and sandal-maker Stavros Melissinos.

Cyprus is a country steeped inhistory and tradition, a legacythat includes the country’s

wines. With fifteen indigenousgrape varieties, Cyprus was one ofthe first countries to produce wine.Today, winemaking is still a centralaspect of Cypriot life, making it thehighest per capita exporter in theworld. Although a small country incomparison to other wine export-ing nations, the Cypriot indigenousvarietals possess their own alluringquality and taste. Therefore, it isthe goal of the newly formedCyprus Wine Association to pro-mote Cyprus’ role in the interna-tional wine milieu.

The Cyprus Wine Association isa campaign designed to promote

the export sales of Cypriot indige-nous varietals in North America.Today’s press event at Anthos, chefMichael Psilakis and restaurateurDonatella Arpaia’s acclaimed Mod-ern Greek restaurant, is an impor-tant component of the EuroWinescampaign which includes initia-tives such as nationwide advertis-ing, participation in selected tradeshows, seminars, and over 200 in-store tastings in key metropolitanmarkets including Los Angeles,New York, and Boston.

“The goal of the EuroWinescampaign is to assist our U.S. wineindustry partners in increasingawareness and knowledge of Cypri-ot wines among the American con-sumer,” states Mr. Droushiotis, Eu-

roWines Managing Director. The luncheon is to raise aware-

ness of Cypriot wines as renownedchef Michael Psilakis serves pristinedishes paired with indigenous winevarietals selected by guest speakerand wine expert, Dr. GeorgeSoleas. Here the virtues of Cypriotwine and food will meet as thebright flavors of the wine are en-hanced by this award-winningchef’s talent for Mediterranean cui-sine. Psilakis’ depth and knowledgeof the cuisine along with Dr. Soleas’wine selection and accompanyinglecture will prove most enlighten-ing and palatable.

The Association is comprised ofthe four main Cypriot wineries:ETKO, KEO, LOEL, and SODAP,which represent 86% of Cypriotwine exports worldwide. All fourwineries each carry their own Com-mandaria dessert wine. The legendof Commandaria dates back as lateas 1000 B.C. and was later intro-duced to Europe by the Crusaders.It is the world’s oldest appellationwine in production with a long his-tory of accolades, from the Greekpoet, Homer to King Richard the Li-on Heart who once said, “I must re-turn to Cyprus if only to taste thiswine again.” Such testimonials con-tinue into the present with its “BestBuy - Exceptional” ratings fromWine & Spirits Magazine. Wine En-thusiast rates it as one of the “Top10 Dessert Wines” in the world.And wine expert Jonathan Levinehails its unique flavor, “I love itsaromas of dried fruit – apricots andpeaches – and undertones of nutsand honey.”

In addition to the legendaryCommandaria, Cyprus is home tofifteen indigenous grape varietieswhose rootstocks have grownundisturbed for over 150 years.Perhaps, a stroke of luck or blessingfrom the God of Wine, Dionysus,the cursed Philloxera beetle whichdecimated the majority of Euro-

pean vineyards never reachedCyprus. Therefore, Cypriot winesare European Vitis Vinifera self-sown plants retaining their classicorganoleptic characteristics andpotential for long life.

The most widely cultivated ofthese indigenous varieties are theXynisteri, Marthefitko, Mavro, andOpthalmo. The Xynisteri representsCyprus’ white grape variety. It pro-duces a light colored white winewith low alcohol levels and low tomedium acidity creating a lighttasting, crisp white wine. The ma-jority of Cypriot whites are madefrom Xynisteri. The unique toCyprus black grape Mavro makesup the bulk of red wines whilst themore pungent and higher acidityvarietals of the Maratheftiko andOpthalmo have been rediscoveredand encouraged to create improvedand interesting reds. The Marthe-fitko is particularly enticing towinemakers. Densely concentratedthroughout the mountain regionsof Paphos and Pitsilia, it is consid-ered extremely rare and valuable.This grape produces a high qualitywine rich both in color and body. Itsfruity aroma of cherries and black-berries compliment the country’sterroir further distinguishing itstrue Cypriot character. Enchantedby the wines Marathefitko pro-duces and enticed by its growingpotential, Cypriot wine producers

are eager to invest in it. In many ways, the island of

Cyprus is unusual. As a countrywith one of the oldest varietals inthe world and a rich history inwinemaking, it is an exciting timeto witness its reemergence. Wehope you will walk away with morethan a taste of Cyprus.


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Cyprus Wine Association Partners With Chef Michael Psilakis To Celebrate “Eurowines” Campaign

Sharing the History and Promoting the Future of Indigenous Cypriot Varietals

Signature Commandaria Cocktail

By Tony Abou-Ganim

INGREDIENTS• 1 oz St. John Commandaria sweet wine• 1 1/2 oz Bourbon • 1 oz fresh lemon juice• 2 oz apple cider or juice• 1 oz ginger syrup*

Add Commandaria Wine, bourbon, lemon juice,apple juice, and syrup to a mixing glass of a Bostonshaker set. Shake with ice until well blended. Straininto an ice-filled Collins glass and garnish with a fanof apples.

*HOMEMADE GINGER SYRUP DIRECTIONS• 2 cups sugar• 2 cups water• 1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and cubed

Bring water and ginger to a boil. Dissolve sugarand return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30minutes. Allow to cool and then strain liquid to re-move ginger.

Signature Commandaria Cocktail

By Avra Estiatorio Restaurant

GLASS SERVING• 2 parts Red Dry wine• 1 part Commandaria • 1/2 part Triple Sec (optional)• Splash of Orange Juice• Splash of Sprite• Chopped Apples & Oranges

PITCHER SERVING• 1 bottle of Cyprus dry red wine, preferably Mavro• 1 1/2 cups Commandaria• 1 cup Sprite or Ginger Ale• 1 splash of Orange Juice• 2 shots Triple Sec (optional)• 1 Orange cut into wedges• 1 Apple cut into wedges

Stir ingredients in a pitcher or carafe. Allow fruitto soak in the mixture between 3 and 8 hours Servein an ice-filled glass.

ABOVE: Cyprus Wine Regions.RIGHT: Traditional wine-makingin Cyprus.


mean composition of Manouri is,moisture: 51.9 percent, fat: 36.7percent, proteins: 10.9 percent,salt: 0.8 percent and a pH of 5.9.

METSOVONE Metsovone is traditional Greek

cheese with Controlled Denomina-tion of Origin (DOC). It is a hardsmoked cheese, of “pasta filata”type, which is produced in the re-gions of Metsovo (Epirus) fromwhere the name derives.Metsovone is considered as an ex-cellent quality table cheese. It ismanufactured from cow’s milk butmixtures with small quantities of

ewe’s or goat’s milk are also used. Itis ripened for at least 3 months. Themean composition of Metsovone is,moisture: 41.8 percent, fat: 25.9percent, protein: 26.8 percent, salt:2.8 percent and a pH of 5.5.

MIZITHRA Mizithra is a traditional Greek

whey cheese with Controlled De-nomination of Origin (DOC). It hasbeen manufactured in Greece forthousands of years and is consid-ered the ancestor of all Greek wheycheeses. Mizithra is manufacturedfrom whey derived from ewe’s,goats’ or cows’ milk or mixtures ofmilks in the regions of Macedonia,Thrace, Thessalia, Sterea Hellas,

Peloponissos, Ionian islands,Aegean island and Crete island.There are two types of Mizithra;Fresh Mizithra which is unsalted orslightly salted and consumed a fewhours or days after its manufactureand Dried Mizithra which is salted,dried and consumed as gratedcheese.

Fresh Mizithra contains up to 70percent moisture and at least 50percent fat in dry matter, whiledried Mizithra contains 40 percentand 50 percent, respectively.

The above article is fromGreece.org, “From the GreekCheese Page.”

Your Guide to Greek CheesesContinued from page 4


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Krinos Foods, LLC.47-00 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101

www.krinos.com

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