The Annual Greek Festival, a Favorite Summer Tradition

I met Maria at auditions for the school play in my Freshman year of high school.  She got a small role and we both volunteered for make-up crew.  The school was doing Dracula so we were excited with the ghoulish creativity we could discover.  We discovered we liked the new wave of British music in the early and mid 80s - Duran Duran, Sting,  New Order, as well as a deep respect for Queen, Pink Floyd, and the 80's U2.  Bod Geldof was our hero; the founder of Band Aid and Live Aid.  We both read his autobiography.  We became good friends quite quickly.

She lived close, so we carpooled for rehearsals.  I'll never forget the first time I was invited into Maria's home.  I knocked on her back door.  Her father opened the door with one hand and held a long, thin, meat carver's knife in the other.  He only had to lean down and over a few inches from where he was in the kitchen to the back door.  He was slicing meat off a large bone which I'd never seen before.

As he opened the door to let me in I said hello.  With a straight, but sincere face, wide eyes and friendly voice, he held out his knife straight to my face with a few chunks of meat, which did smell delicious, and said,

"You like lamb?  Taste.  It's good."

How could I refuse, especially with a knife in front of my face?

Actually, I wasn't that intimidated, with the lamb or Maria's father, especially with his welcoming smile and wide eyes. I  knew I was going to taste something wonderful.  I instantly loved lamb and Greek hospitality.  It reminded me much of the bare-bones sincere hospitality my family gave to long time friends.  Later in high school, her sister and my brother joined the theatre, music and arts crowd as well.  We, with a handful of others backstage became a tight group, often hanging at our house or Maria's house discussing the arts.

Our two high school friends with their kind father, a friend of theirs on Crete, and their beautiful, kind, mother, who makes the best baklava, pastisio and stuffed zucchini blossoms. 2001

Through the years I remember when their mother was making a kitchen full of pans of baklava for the Festival: light, flaky phillo pastry with a walnut and honey filling for the annual festival on Memorial Day Weekend.  I fondly remember helping my friends and their parents pass trunk loads of baklava into the large kitchen packed with volunteers and trays of other Greek delights the night before.

My brother, our group of theatre friends and I enjoyed when Maria and Tina performed their traditional dances they've learned the through their church.  We'd cheer them on, get a juicy grilled souvlaki, sit on the steps of the church and wait until the parents have had their time socializing.  Souvlaki is a skewer  of chunks of pork marinated in lemon, garlic and oregano, grilled to perfection, served on a lightly grilled pita with onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce (yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon and dill).  My husband now looks forward to at least two at the festival and two to take home each year.

Souvlaki: marinated chunks of pork, onions, tomatoes and tzaziki sauce on the side

TheGreek Fests have not been the same without my close high school friends.  The family has since moved back to Crete and are all doing well.  I haven't been able to visit them since October of 2001, so it's been too long.

Greek dancers, like our friends used to do
Click here for a video of the dance!

Until I can see them again someday I make it a point of going to the Greek Fest each year.  I'm happy to say I've shared my tradition with my husband and other friends and family through the years.  I need my Greek food fix, Greek music and dance, and the chance to spend time with family and friends, new and old.

Cousins enjoying gyros

Lots of folks at this Cleveland tradition.  During the festival, everyone is Greek.

The end of one of the indoor food lines

More people!

Not the best photo of the Cleveland Skyline from their parking lot, but you get the idea.

My friends' family's village on Crete.  Accessible only by ferry, as there are no roads or cars in this remote area. 1997

My friend and her grandpa on Crete. 1997

My friend relaxing with a frappe. Crete 1997

Lotus Coffee Cookies and Biscoff Spread

These crispy little cookies are one of the small pleasures my husband and I have enjoyed on our scuba diving trips to Bonaire.  It's a tiny island part of the Dutch Caribbean, so of course there is a heavy Dutch influence in food, groceries and culture, and it's also very international, as over 60 countries are represented in permanent residency in a population of @ 17,000.

It's our favorite place on Earth for a number of reasons.  We love visiting part of his family who lives there and it has pristine, spectacular and easy diving.  We love that there are no traffic lights on the island (except for in front of the pizza place, and that's just for show).  Almost anywhere in the small town or on the coast you can grab a tasty coffee and you are guaranteed to get one of these next to your cup.

This tasty, crispy cookie is wonderful on its own or with a a quick dunk.  It's not too sweet but has a wonderful taste of cinnamon and you can taste the butter as it melts in your mouth.



On Crete, friends and I loved getting free small dishes of potato chips, pistachios or fruit along with a cocktail, or even just a soda.  On Cozumel, My husband, friends and I loved being served fresh salsa, pico de gallo or requested picante as soon as we were seated.  On Bonaire, we look forward to our coffee cookies.

We don't get to Bonaire as often as we'd like.  Fortunately we were there six months ago after a three year hiatus.  Having been there a few times, and not knowing when we can get there again, we managed to save four of them to take home.

Every tiny bit we nibbled on we imagined being in our favorite coffee bar watching the sun set of the salty turquoise water.

We were down to one (the one above), until my mom saved the day.

Mom lives near a wine and imported foods store.  She's smart - she goes on Saturday afternoons when they have free food and wine samples.

One afternoon they were showcasing Lotus Biscoff Spread as a tasty and nutritious alternative to peanut butter.

The representatives said that this was now the spread and cookie which is being served on Delta Airlines because they are nut-free.  The spread topped the oblong coffee cookies.  Mom said she wondered if these were the tiny treats we rave about upon our return.

I was elated when she told me about her discovery.  I asked if she could pick me up a package of the cookies.  I thought that if they weren't the same, it had to be close, and if not, when have I ever met a cookie I didn't like?  Mom said that I must try the spread, too, since she promised it was as good as the cookie.  Ok, Mom, twist my arm.

I saw her a few days ago, she presented me the sweet treasures and,,,, WOW!!!  The cookies taste the same as in Bonaire!

And, as for the Lotus Biscoff Spread - DOUBLE WOW!!!  It tastes exactly like the cinnamon-y, buttery, slightly sugary cookie.  It's almost like you are eating cookie dough, only much smoother, and much less fat, even less than peanut butter.  This spread is the perfect option for vegans or who have nut allergies.  It's also perfect for everyone else, too, in my opinion.

I can't wait to try these with some Nutella.  I'm guessing that a cookie with Biscoff and Nutella would send me over the edge, as Biscoff spread alone on the cookie or with my homemade strawberry jam has taken me to the cliff of "Can Anything be Better Mountain.

Greek Potatoes

Two of my best high school friends are Greek.  I spent my teens and early 20s savoring their mother's cooking until they moved back to Crete.  I've visited them twice and have enjoyed these in kitchens and restaurants across the island.  This is the best recipe I've found that brings that Mediterranean taste home.

You can find this recipe here.

This is all about the moist absorption of flavor.  The potatoes are almost sure to soak up whatever you've got.  

You can keep them the oven longer to get them as brown or as crispy as you want them.  I enjoy them well done; however, this is the way that I was used to growing up and visiting Crete, with just slight browning on all of the edges.

It's super-easy to make but difficult to clean.  All of that liquid will reduce, browning the sides and bottom.  The caramelized garlic bits will stick like glue.  I saved myself much clean-up time and frustration by using a disposable but recyclable aluminum pan.  It was worth the .99 cents.