Oh Those Greeks!

No not the political or monetary crises. Just memories of a few weeks back and the wonderful Greek Festival. That's the joy of memory making, aka scrapbooking. You get to relieve the memories and have fun in the process. Somehow just the plain photos doesn't quite have the same fun anymore.

I wasn't overjoyed with the results of my watercolor technique here, but it's a leaning process, and hopefully I'll look back one day and say...Ah but that was one of my first tries. Practice, practice, practice.

Once A Year or Maybe More

Each year we try to go to as many ethnic festivals as we can in the greater Baltimore-Washington area. That really takes me back to my roots when each church in my small Pennsylvania hometown consisted of a particular nationality.  My mother came from a Lithuanian family and my father came from an Irish family. Their marriage was not looked on with favor from either family, even though both families and churches were Roman Catholic.  But that was the downside. The upside is that in communities like this, the old traditions were kept and more importantly to me, the old recipes were cooked year after year.

Baltimore has kept this kind of neighborhood for much longer than a lot of areas probably because of its historic blue color base, and festivals are supported by the city government. In addition, t's a draw for tourists. Washington DC has many many foreign nationalities represented in the population but it is still the churches that keep these kinds of events going.

This is the hall of the church

 

 

Annapolis? Well our Greek Festival has blossomed in the years that I've lived here. The community has remained solid, mainly a Cypriot based community, and the new church is magnificent. If we're in town we always try to get there. This year we were home and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

I had all mezze

He had the roast chicken dinner

What the tent had is below

No, we didn't have any sundaes

We went to see the Greek dancing inside the main hall. I had seen another group of children dancing inside yet another tent while he went back to the car for his phone. This 2nd group was one of many throughout the day, from little ones on up to adults. The tiny boy on the far left really was good and I hope he continues with the dance as he grows up. You could tell he felt the music and wasn't just doing the steps. What woman doesn't like a man who can dance???

While we bypassed those Baklava sundaes, we did have our desserts while watching the dancing. Each year I  have my absolute favorite. Galaktobouriko.  One piece to eat and one to take home. He got the pastry sampler which is lasting us all week.

GREEK FESTIVAL

Sunday Serenade: Oh Melina...

This weekend is the annual Greek Festival in our town. As seems traditional, one night tends to have a tremendous rain, and while we didn't plan to go Friday night, the weather was true to course. Potential tornado for a lot of the afternoon and evening, and then a real downpour at night.

So for their final day this year, maybe rain will be "Never on Sunday".

Tuesdays with Morrie, Dorie or Sam?

Today I'll go with Sam, Toronto's Greek Gourmand, since Galatopita is a recipe I've been thinking about since he posted it some time ago on his blog. But now Sam has shared a video. Ain't nuthin' like seeeing the real deal, is there folks?



Now I just have to get to the store for milk and more Cream of Wheat. I thought I was going to get them for breakfast, but hey...why not just have a slice of pie for breakfast? Works for me! (Oh and I AM going to the library to pick up a copy of Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. Crazy aren't I?)