Greece is the word at weekend festival in New jersey

[Angelo]

Greece is the word at weekend festival
By SAMETTA M. • THOMPSON • Staff Writer • June 5, 2008

Post a CommentRecommend Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this?

HOLMDEL — If you yearn for authentic Greek dishes, especially homemade pastries and sweets, this year's annual Greek festival at Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church is where you ought to be, rain or shine.

About 14 parishioners gathered last week at the church's kitchen, to bake various desserts and for the four-day festival, which runs Thursday through Sunday.

As part of their weeklong baking preparation, for about three hours or so Wednesday, the women prepared melomakarona, which are honey cookies or biscuits soaked in syrup or honey. After about 25 pounds of dough was made, the helpers sat at a square, school cafeteria-like table and hand-rolled, shaped and designed with a fork about 3,000 pieces and placed them on a large oven tray.

"This is not a 9-to-5 job. We're done when the dough is done," said Joyce Coccaro, co-chairwoman of the event. "We love our culture and heritage."

When the melomakarona were baked, they were allowed to cool, transferred into large plastic bins and stashed away in a pantry until the day before the event. The bakers said the final preparation — adding honey, walnuts and other dressing — will be done the day before, to keep the baked goods from becoming soggy. Other pastries, such as galatoboureko, will be fully prepared the day before or day of the event because of the ingredients and special preparation procedures.

An estimated 15,000 pastries and desserts will be served at the weekendlong festival, said Georgia Mariolis, a volunteer and one of the top bakers. About 12 to 15 women are on the job each day to help with baking.

Margaret Voris, 80, of Manalapan, a church member, has been helping since the festival started in 1989 on church grounds, she said.

"I love it," Voris said. "People my age are getting older, and it gets harder. We need the younger ones to come in."

Natalie Orfanitopoulos of Holmdel said volunteering her time is all about learning more about the Greek culture. She is married to a Greek man. A helper since 1995, Orfanitopoulos said, "It's a good way to learn since I'm not Greek. I make good friends and help out church at the same time," she said.

For Deann Vastardis, it is a way to learn about the culture in which her husband was raised. "The tradition and culture is so strong, it's hard for us Americans to grasp," the Monroe resident said.

Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church is at 20 Hillcrest Road. For more information, visit
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
.


To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Does anybody know if anything like this ever happens near Jacksonville, Florida USA?

[Prokomenos]

Id try looking at Tarpon Springs in Florida. I know their is a very large Greek community their. I dont know about Jacksonville.

[Megale]

Originally Posted by thewendyjx
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Does anybody know if anything like this ever happens near Jacksonville, Florida USA?

There is a Greek church in Jacksonville, and they usually at least have a Greek festival.

St. John the Divine
3850 Atlantic Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Rev. Fr. Nicholas G. Louh - Presiding Priest
Rev. Fr. Milton Magos - Assistant Priest

Phone: (904) 396-5383
Fax: (904) 399-1547

[soulitaire]

I remember a Greek Festival being on in San Francisco when I visited the USA , at um, Union Square? It was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon it and meet some american - greeks . And they seemed just like the greeks in Oz lol