rev:text
| - 10/09
Went by myself to the Greek Festival. I really encourage others who want to take these excursions, but are hesitant to go by themselves. It's a great way to check out events w/out the worry of boring your other companions who may not enjoy the same types of activities as you, plus you just might make new acquaintances! Had I not gone tonight, I would've missed out on the chance meeting of two dear friends (a coworker and her adorable father), and consequently meeting her aunt, Greek uncle, cousins, and nephews! And I thought I was the sole Asian among this lot of Greeks- I think I spotted only a couple of Indians and African-Americans in the three hours I was there!
For $10, I purchased a spanakopita (spinach and cheese-stuffed phyllo-dough pie, $3), dolmades (lemon-infused rice and beef-stuffed grape leaves, $3 for 2 pcs.), and pastitsio [Greek-style "lasagna" of pasta (rigatoni), meat sauce, and bechamel, $4). I didn't care for the spanakopita as it was all butter-laden phyllo and not much filling, but the dolmades/dolmas were very flavorful. The winner, all around the table, was the pastitsio! Loved, loved, loved the bechamel sauce! Other tablemates purchased and shared their choices of moussaka, an eggplant, meat sauce, and bechamel layered baked dish (delish!); saganaki (flambeed cheese, commonly Kasseri or Kefalotyri) w/ stale pita bread; and loukoumades, Greek-style doughnuts soaked in honey [I've never favored this greasy-tasting pastry... biting into one always makes me wish I was eating gulab jamun, an Indian sweet made by deep-frying milkballs (milk solids and flour), bathing them in rosewater/saffron syrup, and then topping them w/ cardamom seeds] instead. For dessert, I bought take-home packs ($8 each) of kataifi- one of my fave Greek sweets- made with shredded phyllo dough, nuts, and honey; and baklava, a multi-layered pastry of phyllo, walnuts, and honey. (Of course, I portioned a few for the table to enjoy along w/ me.) Both were very good, w/ the kataifi being less sweeter than the baklava, yet, to a friend and me, more delightful w/ the added textural surprise of the shredded phyllo! Enjoy the photos!
|