Sunday, September 23, 2007

Festival Fun

Today J-lo, The Sommeliatrix and I went out for a little Greek Life!

After a little mis-guided driving on my part, we arrived at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church on 16th Street in Washington, DC.

Food, treats, crafts, icons and fun!

In line for food! So many choices. We wanted to try them all...and we didn't even go all the way down the line...

Souvlaki, Kielbasi and Orzo. The souvlaki (pork skewers) was perfectly tender and full of flavor. The kielbasi were cook with lemon and some other spices. Great! Orzo in tomato sauce (manestra). Funny thing that orzo...it tasted like Chef Boyardee...and I loved it! It wasn't Chef BD, it was fresh and it was delicious. I've done a little web work...sounds like it's just cooked in a some broth and tomato sauce, with parm or romano grated in at the end...which seems like what we had.

We must have treats. Baklava that makes your mouth water. And a funny little cookie...cinnamon butter cookie soaked in honey and topped with walnuts. Interesting...I think the honey was a darker variety, maybe buckwheat (we had that for the past year in the cupboard, it was almost the taste of molasses)...a little too 'dark' tasting for my tastes.

The Sommeliatrix got into a conversation with some of the sweet ladies making Greek coffee. Having tried to make it at home and wasn't successful, the Sommeliatrix was asking questions, when the ladies invited her back to have her make the perfect cup! And it was heaven. Rich, dark, thick and tasty. I want my coffee like that every day. Hmmmm? Might have to invest in one of those little pots and get the right coffee.

Not shown, but tasted: Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves...which J-lo says are the best he's had, ever), Pastitsio (baked pasta & Bechamel sauce) and Moussaka (eggplant casserole) , Oreganato Chicken (roasted chicken with herbs and lemon). And a final tasting of rice pudding to top of a great days worth of food.

7 comments:

Dancer in DC said...

I also had some spanakopita, which was good. But as he said, my favorite was the dolmades - very fresh. Great stuff!

The question is - do we go the the other Greek festival next weekend?

Anonymous said...

I just drooled on the computer! Baklava!! MMM!!! There was this little Greek "fast food" place at the Mall of America a few years back... they had a similar cookie to the one you show with the baklava, which I had tried and loved. So good. The place is no longer there... replaced with a bbq joint, I think. Makes me sad every time I walk by.

Ramona said...

My butt's gonna be bruised from kicking myself for not going to that festival! I was at the Zoo on Friday, so close!
The food looks amazing. I bet it smelled good too.

ScottE. said...

It was delicious...so many great smells.

ScottE. said...

Have to throw out there: Saint Sofia's Greek Festival is this coming weekend: 9/28-9/30.

More info here:

http://www.saintsophiawashington.org/documents/2007_FALL_FLYER.pdf

This is the Festival I thought I was going to and oops, it wasn't! Wrong church.

Winnie said...

Spanakopita is my favorite greek food!

Do you keep your butter out? I think it's strange, but I google'd it and a lot of people said it was okay. My roommate does it and I'm scared she's going to get sick.

ScottE. said...

Winnie: I leave my butter out. Cold butter doesn't spread on a sandwich or toast. When it's really hot outside, then I will put it away in the fridge so it won't melt.