Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald

Page created by Brent Sutton
 
CONTINUE READING
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019

Greek
Food and
Restaurants

                                  The National Herald
     TH

                             LD

          NA                 RA
      E

            TIO          E
                  N AL H
                                    www.thenationalherald.com
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
2    SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019   Greek Gastronomy                                              THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙

                                                                     Editorial
                                                      U
                                                                        sing only the fi-          From simple to elaborate, Greek
                                                                        nest,      freshest,   dishes delight ‘foodies’ from all
                                                                        and most flavorful     over the world.
                                                                        ingredients, Greek         Today, our Greek restaurants
                                                                        cuisine is known       in the United States, as well as
                                                      as some of the best in the world.        Greek food in Greece, preserve
                                                      It spreads its culinary influence not    the fundamentals of our cuisine:
                                                      only throughout Europe, but has          namely, using mainly fresh local
                                                      become a mainstay in the Ameri-          ingredients such as Mediterranean
                                                      cas as well.                             vegetables, olive oil, lemon juice,
                                                          Due to the geographical location     grains, and various types of meat
                                                      of the country, it fuses elements        and seafood.
                                                      from both eastern and western                As I recently read on a travel
                                                      cultures while maintaining its own       blog, Greeks – and Greeks abroad
                                                      traditions.                              – approach food with a combination

                                                                                                     “They
                                                                                               don’t eat to live,
                                                                                                   but rather
                                                                                                 live to eat –
                                                                                                and the meal
                                                                                                   is almost
                                                                                               always a social,
                                                                                                   convivial
                                                                                                   occasion”

                                                                                               of “seriousness and nostalgia, in-
                                                                                               evitably thinking back on the dishes
                                                                                               they were raised on.
                                                                                                   They don’t eat to live, but rather
                                                                                               live to eat – and the meal is almost
                                                                                               always a social, convivial occasion,
                                                                                               which revives the original meaning
                                                                                               of companionship – people who
                                                                                               break bread together.”
                                                                                                   While Greek food has been
                                                                                               ‘modernized’ to some extent (to
                                                                                               keep itself on ‘trend’ with concepts
                                                                                               such as street food), its foundation
                                                                                               remains unchanged: come togeth-
                                                                                               er, always bring your appetite, eat
                                                                                               well, and never say “no” when of-
                                                                                               fered food!

                                                                                                          Kali Orexi!
                                                                                                             Vanessa
                                                                                                          Diamataris

                                             We Delivery
                                             our Products
                                              Nationwide

                                       NOW AVAILABLE PARKING

                                     Info
ab

                                          27-02 Astoria Boulevard, NY 11102
                                      T. (718) 932-7858 • E. info@bzgrill.com
                                                                      BZGRILL.COM
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD                                                                     Greek Gastronomy                                                                            SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                3

                                               PHOTOS: TNH/YANA KATSAGEORGIS

Marguerite (Margie) Parlamis and Tim Vlahopoulos at Axia Taverna.                                                           The exterior of Axia Taverna in Tenafly, NJ.

Axia Taverna:

“Here, Where Greece Shines”
By Yana Katsageorgis                                       Vlahopoulos, Axia manager and partner, and told          and with 70 dessert wines, the Axia wine cellar is          And he learned so much, working as an assistant

W
                                                           him, “I do not know how to run restaurants, I build      probably the best wine cellar at a Greek restaurant.    chef in some of New York's best restaurants, Le
                    ith the phrase "Here, Greece           restaurants. I have a Greek-American chef. He                Alexander Gorant (Gorantis), the Executive Chef     Bernardin, Town, and Windows on the World with
                    shines,” Shivani Vora, the highly      knows how to cook French food, but we sent him           and also a partner in Axia, walked over to us with a    the world-renowned chefs Eric Ripert and Geoffrey
                    respected food critic summed up        to Greece and he learned something about Greek           glass of red, Pinot Noire Papaioannou, to cool me,      Zakarian.
                    Axia Taverna, 18 Piermont Road in      cuisine. What do you say, will you come?”                as he told me, before he starts serving some of             I sat down for a while at the bar for a chat with
                    Tenafly. The phrase which ap-              As a smart head hunter, Parlamis found the           the best Greek dishes I have eaten in the 18 years      Rozboril Dousan, the star barman who was talking
peared in the New York Times restaurant review is          most suitable person to organize Axia and equipped       I have been in New York. The multi-talented chef        about cocktails. I asked if I could photograph him
suitable for the headline this article.                    it with an excellent staff that does not leave easily    was full of surprises. Besides serving his roasted      before telling him that I was a journalist and he re-
    Michael Frank Parlamis, the well-known restau-         because he is a model professional and an extremely      quails with mushrooms, zea, and many other              sponded, "Why do you want to photograph me?"
rant creator (Frank Parlamis Corporation), who had         kind person. It is very difficult to find managers       blessed spices that sprang from its flavor oasis,           The people at Axia are all very dignified and
built over 800 restaurants, opened his first in 2006       like Tim, who if needed, has no problem cleaning         there was the Hercules salad with spinach, arugula,     humble. They managed to create a family environ-
with the name Axia and the desire to thank his             the tables, serving food, talking to the clients and     kale, and a dressing of baked quinoa with almonds       ment dominated by authentic Greek hospitality,
wife, Marguerite (Margie) Parlamis, for her value          giving me an appointment during business hours           and muscat wine, and the pie with artichokes that       which is hard to find in the area. So it's no coinci-
(axia in Greek) in his life, but also for their many       to speak with me.                                        made me dizzy with its deliciousness.                   dence that you will meet famous people, including
years together, eventually, celebrating their 47th             He is a juggler with a magical personality, a            He played blues on the harmonica later on,          Lori Stokes from Fox 5, the famous guitarist Al Di
anniversary in 2013, the year he passed away. A            connoisseur, and a lover of people and wine, who         transporting us to the banks of the Mississippi.        Meola, Hollywood actor Bill Murray, and many
highly educated man, Parlamis was an MIT and               came to America in late 1972 and has been in the             Axia’s distinctiveness does not only appear in      football players looking for fine cuisine, impeccable
Stanford graduate, a humorist, a cosmopolitan, a           restaurant business for nearly 50 years.                 food and service, but also in high-quality live music   service, and an intimate atmosphere, in other
descriptive narrator and one of the most remarkable            Vlahopoulos said, “our success is based on the       performed by the popular composer and guitarist         words, precisely what Axia has to offer.
members of the Greek community.                            self-sacrifice of all. We love our world. We have        Spiros Exaras, who enchants the audience the                I will not describe any more dishes I tasted and
    Axia is there, as Margie his wife, a beautiful         become a family with our clients, who are people of      days he plays there.                                    saw like all the restaurant reviewers do. I will leave
and aristocratic woman, told us, because of his            high social and educational level and are very de-           Gorant’s hobbies include darts and motorcycles      you to discover them on your own...but just between
support and love until his last breath, he was con-        manding. This inspires us to become better and           and he learned to cook. “Why do you think” he           us…the Spartan chicken is unforgettable, the Kala-
stantly disturbed by restaurants in the surrounding        better. One of our strongest points is that we offer     asked us. “Most chefs were inspired by their moth-      mata salmon is disarming, and the Rhodes pastitsio
areas and in Tenafly: "What will happen next? Will         excellent cuisine, often much better in quality and at   er's cooking. I was inspired by her lack of cooking     is a colossus. All this is in a wonderful two-story
we never eat a decent meal? I have to create a             reasonable prices compared to the very good Greek        skills. My mother cooked only a few things. She         house that floods you with joy, courtesy, and the
restaurant as I want it.” And it was realized just as      restaurants in Manhattan. Something that saddens         did not like cooking. We always ate spaghetti with      need to return, "Here, where Greece shines.”
he dreamed it. One of the finest Greek restaurants         me is that we do not have many Greeks nearby, for        Ragu sauce, and marinated chicken. She did not
in the tri-state area was created with the architectural   whom I have a particular weakness, although the          like cheese or vegetables. I studied at Widener                              Axia Taverna is located
and decorative supervision by the global, award-           Metropolis of New Jersey is very close by.”              University and then at the French Culinary Institute.             at 18 Piermont Road in Tenafly, NJ.
winning designer Tony Chi.                                     With 370 labels of different wines, of which 48      I did not know anything about food and I wanted to            More information is available by phone:
    The day he made the decision, he called Tim            are offered by the glass and 20 are half-bottles,        know so much!”                                             201-569-5999 and online: axiataverna.com.
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
4     SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                                                         Greek Gastronomy                                                                                     THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙

Amali:

Mediterranean Charm in Manhattan
By Vasilis Voultsos                                     lavraki. I think that if you are Greek in your heart,

A
                                                        you eat what is local, where you live. That we at
                mali, 115 East 60th Street in Man-      Amali always choose sustainability is something
                hattan, is one of the city's most au-   that the public and the press have recognized.
                thentic and stylish Mediterranean
                restaurants, serving New Yorkers           How would you characterize the clientele of
                for about eight years now. The Na-         the restaurant?
tional Herald met with James Mallios, owner of the         I always wanted to have strong ties with the
restaurant, for a discussion about food, his life and   neighborhood. We have many professionals who
future plans, and, of course, about Amali.              work around here but also permanent residents.
   Mallios was born in Flushing, Queens, and traces     At weekends, we often have tourists. At Calissa,
                                                                                                                    The tables are set for service
his roots to Epirus and even further back to Con-       of course, we serve more Greek than we do here,
                                                                                                                    at Amali restaurant in Manhattan.
stantinople. His grandfather after the war, and         though many Greeks who go to the Cathedral of
shortly before North Epirus was ceded to Albania,       the Holy Trinity in Manhattan often come to Amali.
immigrated to New York. Mallios' parents were not
what we would call the classic case of immigrants          In what category do you place the restaurant,
involved in the restaurant business, and he studied        and what is the style of its kitchen?

                                                                                                                      How do you see the future of the restau-
                                                          We are always                                               rant?
                                                                                                                                                                           also like Americans to go beyond the stereotypes
                                                                                                                                                                           and see that Greece has a gastronomic tradition
                                                                                                                      Very positive. I also love the contact with the      that varies and is very rich from region to region.
                                                        trying to preserve                                         public. It's one of the reasons I got into this job.
                                                                                                                   Our kitchen in Amali is open and we used to invite         In your opinion, what would be the perfect

                                                        the Mediterranean                                          and organize dinners for interesting people of
                                                                                                                   various specialties, who in turn were interested in
                                                                                                                                                                              dinner at Amali?
                                                                                                                                                                              I like dinners served family-style with people
                                                                                                                   food and wine. Many good things arose from these        sharing food. It would certainly include mezedes,
                                                              character...                                         dinners. I would like us to begin to do those again.    salad, and octopus. We would start off with a
                                                                                                                                                                           drink, something light, for example an aperitif. Be-
                                                                                                                     What do you think about the future of Greek           cause I like pasta, there would certainly be a pasta
                                                                                                                     cuisine in the United States?                         dish on the table. For the main course, I would
James Mallios, co-owner of Amali.                                                                                    I would like to have Greek restaurants in cities in   serve salt-baked fish and I would pair it with a
                                                                                                                   America where they currently do not exist. I would      Chardonnay from the Domaine Katsaros.
law and then worked for about six years as a lawyer.       When we first came up, we had to raise prices
His family was surprised when the young lawyer          because people thought our prices were very af-
left behind the law for the restaurant industry.        fordable for the area we are in. Regarding style
    Today, besides being a co-owner at Amali,           and prices, we would call us upscale casual, but
Mallios also co-owns Calissa, located in the Hamp-      we are definitely more economical than many
tons, and a restaurant in the Rockaways which will      restaurants in the neighborhood. Amali is influenced
open next week with his associates. He told TNH         by both Greek and Italian cuisine.
that the general idea of the new restaurant is
derived from the French Mediterranean. "We are             What inspired the name of the restaurant?
always trying to preserve the Mediterranean char-          Amali, in the years of the Ottoman Empire, was
acter, but also to change the theme of every restau-    a short name for Roumeli.
rant," said Mallios.
                                                             As an employer, do you believe in strict staff
   What makes Amali stand out from other local               inspection, and do you have enough free
   restaurants?                                              time for yourself?
   James Mallios: I think two main reasons. First            Strict inspection is a way to do things, and for
of all, the extensive wine list from Greece. We         some it can work, but it's not the only way. I want to
have a collection of 400 different wines. Then I        leave my colleagues the freedom to do their job. I
would mention sustainability. I remember my grand-      also want to be able to work with good people. In
mother, when we first came to America, would            terms of leisure time, and if it is enough, if you asked

                                                                                                                                                             GYRO
cook flounder which is found here in abundance.         my wife, she would definitely answer you no (laughs).
We did not have the choice to eat a Mediterranean       I like the challenges of work and working hard.

                                                                                                                                                             POINT
                                                                                                                                                             PLUS                                      We serve
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Authentic
                                                                                                                                                             OPEN 7 DAYS                          and Delicious
                                                                                                                                                             for Lunch
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Greek and
                                                                                                                                                             and Dinner
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mediterranean
                                                                                                                                                             11AM-9PM
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Cuisine
                                                                                                                                                        ab

                                                                                                                                                                                                     in a Warm
                                                                                                                                                                                               Welcoming Place

                                                                                                                                                                  77 S Liberty Drive Stony Point, NY 10980

                                                                                                                                                                 www.gyropointplus.com
                                                                                                                                                                    Tel: 845-271-3304 • 845-271-4936

                                                                                                                                                             Don’t miss our
                                                                                                                                                             Food, Wine & Travel section
                                                                                                                                                                     online...

                                                                                                                                                              www.thenationalherald.com
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD                                                        Greek Gastronomy                                                                             SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                5

     For Five Coffee
          Opens Its First Cafe
               in New York’s
            Financial District

                                                                                                                            TNH/ELENI SAKELLIS                                                    ABC/ERIC MCCANDLESS
                                                            Nick Livanos, wife Lorena, and son Johnny at the viewing party for                   The Livanos brothers, Enrico and Johnny, during the
                                                            ABC's Family Food Fight held at Ousia.                                               cooking competition.

                                                            Family Food Fight Viewing Party at Ousia
                                                                  in Support of the Livanos Family
                                                            By Eleni Sakellis                                                             dough, but after tasting the Livanos’ spanakopita, she said she was a
                                                                                                                                          changed woman.
                                                                NEW YORK – Family and friends gathered at Ousia for a viewing                Their chicken cutlets also wowed the judges as American chef
                                                            party in support of the first appearance of the Livanos family, owners of     Graham Elliot exclaimed, “This chicken is sick!” For those unfamiliar
                                                            Ousia – among other restaurants – on ABC’s Family Food Fight on June          with the slang, that means very good. Lorena noted that the recipe
                                                            27.                                                                           they used was from Nona (grandma) Giovanna.
                                                                Brothers Johnny and Enrico, and mom Lorena, are competing on                  In the following round of the competition, the Livanos family
                                                            the cooking competition-based show that offers eight                                     presented their take on the classic American burger, fries,
                                                            families the opportunity to battle for the title of “America’s                                 and milkshake with the show-stopping shish-ka-burger,
                                                            No. 1 Food Family.”                                                                                 fries with rosemary and sea salt, and a baklava
                                                                The lively Livanos family, from Westchester,
                                                            NY, is best known as restaurant owners of
                                                                                                                            Mother                                 milkshake. The judges were again impressed
                                                                                                                                                                     with the flavors and originality of the mom and
                                                            Ousia, among other well-known restaurants,
                                                            including Molyvos, named for the family’s
                                                                                                                           and sons                                    sons, as Cora pointed out how well the Livanos
                                                                                                                                                                        family works together and also cares about
                                                            village of origin in Lesvos. The mother and                 are competing                                    the presentation of the food.
                                                            sons trio use their Greek-Italian (Lorena is                                                                     During commercial breaks, many took
                                                            of Italian descent) culinary skills on the                  for the $100K                                     to social media, noting the many posts in
                                                            show in competition for a $100,000 grand                                                                      support of the Livanos family. Mini-burgers,
                                                            prize and the coveted title.                                  grand prize                                    also known as sliders, and milkshakes were
                                                                Nick Livanos spoke to The National Herald                                                                being served as well for those at the viewing
                                                            about his wife and sons’ participation in the                   and the                                     party to get a taste of the recipes on the
                                                            cooking competition, noting that he is so proud                                                           show. A special drinks menu, including cocktails
                                                            of them and was excited to see their first ap-               coveted title.                              made with Gin Mare, was also available.
                                                            pearance on the show. He also thanked TNH for                                                             For those interested in the outcome of the
                                                            its coverage, mentioning that the family in Greece                                                 show, this is a spoiler alert – do not read beyond
                                                            was happy to see the article in the Greek edition.                                            this sentence. For those who have yet to see the
                                                                The anticipation was building at Ousia as everyone waited                           episode, the Livanos family was pronounced safe and will
                                           BUSINESS WIRE    for the show to begin at 9 PM. The moment the Livanos family appeared         appear in next week’s episode. Cheers and applause then filled Ousia
                                                            onscreen, on the TVs all around the restaurant and bar area, applause         once again as family and friends congratulated the members of the
     For Five Coffee founders Stefanos Vouvoudakis          and cheers filled the space. In the first round, they impressed the           team who were present, Johnny and Lorena. Enrico was out of town.
     and Tom Tsiplakos stand inside the new 1 Liberty       judges, including Greek-American celebrity chef Cat Cora with a                  Everyone is looking forward to the next episode and wished the
     Plaza cafe a few days prior to opening.                delicious spanakopita made with olive oil and not butter. Cora was            Livanos family all the best in the competition.
                                                            skeptical about the use of olive oil instead of butter to brush the phyllo       ABC’s Family Food Fight airs on Thursdays at 9 PM.

     Ralis Insurance Agency
             All Types of Insurance
     Personal Insurance
     ● Auto ● Motorcycle
     ● Homeowners
     ● Renters Umbrella ● Life

     Commercial
     Insurance
     ● Buildings ● Retail Stores
     ● Restaurants ● Wholesalers
     ● Contractors ● Offices

                    Call or stop by for a free quote
ab

                           Anthony D. Ralis - Agent
      32-17 Broadway, Astoria, New York 11106 • Tel.: (718) 274-0700 • Fax: (718) 274-7325
                            www.nwagent.com/ralis.html

                                                                                                            Yia Mas!
                                                                                                             Room for Parties up to 100 people
                                                                                                                    Gather with your Friends and Family

       OPEN
                                                                                                                        to Eat, Drink and Celebrate

       7 DAYS
       11AM-10PM
                                                                                                       ab

                                                                                                                                                                                  AUTHENTIC
                                         Authentic Greek Cuisine                                                                                                                    GREEK
                                                                                                                                                                                   CUISINE
                                                                                                            Catering Available
                                          with Natural Ingredients                                          Hours
                                                                                                            Tuesday-Sunday 5pm-Midnight
                                                    ATHENA GYRO
                                          1167 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540                            241 BOWERY
ab

                                                                                                            NEW YORK, NY 10002
                                                           Tel: 845-473-4976                                TEL: 212-388-0052
                                           www. athenagyrolagrange.com                                      www.karvounamezze.com
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
6     SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                                                       Greek Gastronomy                                                                                        THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙

Sweet Spot:

Greek Immigrants Candy Stores in Temple, Texas
TNH Staff                                                A town already known for confectioneries and           partner Tom Pappas, who died in 1973 at 91, said           and California before winding up in Temple in 1910,

R
                                                     sugary goods, Temple saw that reputation grow              they wanted to devote themselves to their new              a Greek community base.
             enowned for cafes that have been        with the arrival of Greek immigrants, some of              place, Olympia Candy Kitchen, which                                      He and four other Greek immigrants
             drawing customers for generations       whom jumped there from places like New York                also offered ice creams, sodas,                                            rented rooms and sold taffy and
             across the United States, Greek im-     and Chicago and quickly cooked up the sweet                and other delights and quickly                                                 other candies from push carts
             migrants showed they knew to make
             American-style candy too, especially
                                                     stuff that was irresistible.
                                                         With June being National Candy Month, the
                                                                                                                became a popular hangout,
                                                                                                                especially for sweet-
                                                                                                                                                  Among                                          along Avenue H and the high-
                                                                                                                                                                                                   traffic vicinity of the Santa
in the town of Temple, Texas when the 20th Cen-      Temple Daily Telegram (tdtnews.com) looked back            hearts.                      the confectioners                                       Fe and the Scott & White
tury bloomed.                                        at the many candy places in the town a hundred                 Bill Pappas, who                                                                  hospitals, the paper said
                                                     years ago, featuring those by the Pappas Brothers,         passed away in 1956,             were the                                              in his feature.
                                                     George P. Zacharias, who died in 1918 at 40, and           manned the lunch                                                                            In an oral history,
                                                     Argyris Karahal.                                           counter, where he            Pappas Brothers,                                           Karahal told historian El-
                                                         The Pappas siblings arrived one-by-one, year-          was renowned for                                                                        liott Robert Barkan that
                                                     by-year, beginning in the early 1900's, landing in         “Bill’s special chili,”     George P. Zacharias,                                        Greek immigrants often
                                                     the town after working their way across the United         while brother Jim,                                                                     established confectioner-
                                                     States as laborers and cooks before opening the            who died in 1967,               and Argyris                                           ies in the United States,
                                                     Chicago Cafe, which became a well-known diner.             worked with him. The                                                                 even in smaller cities such
                                                         “The restaurant is one of the best known and           Olympia was run by Tom            Karahal                                          as Temple, and estimated
                                                     popular in the city,” the paper reported shortly           Pappas until his retirement                                                      there were as many as 50 in
                                                     after the diner opened. The Pappas brothers owned          in 1952.                                                                      the state.
                                                     the Chicago Café for four years, upgraded the                  Karahal, who lived until 1984,                                           By 1922, Temple Daily Telegram
                                                     building and then, with the town's penchant for            came to Texas from a small Greek vil-                               advertisements featured Temple Candy

                                                                                                                                                                      CREATE
                                                     sweets, opened a confectionery store too.                  lage, stowing away on a boat at the age of 15 to           Co., Gem Confectionary, Model Confectionery, Tri-
                                                         In July, 1913, the brothers traded their place         get to the United States, arriving knowing not a           angle Candy Co., American Confectionery, as well
                                                     for 100 acres of land outside of town as senior            word of English but working odd jobs in Chicago            as Pappas’ Olympia Candy Kitchen.

                                             Voted
                                                                               Open Every Day for Lunch and Dinner

                                          #1 Gyros
                                                                                                                                                       ❚ Bowls ❚ Cafe ❚ Coffee and Tea
                                                                                                                                                               ❚ Dinner ❚ Lunch

                                          in Texas
                                                                                                                                                           ❚ Sandwiches ❚ Shakes

                                          for 2019
                                                                               31-14 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106
                                                                               Tel.: (718) 204-8968
                                                                               Fax: (718) 204-8964
                                                                               www.bahariestiatorio.com
ab

                                                                               Catering Available
     delicious
                                                                                           Host
     dishes with                                                                 your private event or party
                                                                                                                                                 ab

     the freshest                                                                   at Bahari Estiatorio
     ingredients                                                                ❱ Private, Professional and Associate Parties
                                                                                         ❱ Sweet Sixteen ❱ Birthdays
                                                                                                                                                                  Online ordering
                                                                                                                                                              for delivery or takeout!
             Monday-Saturday                                                      ❱ Shower Parties ❱ Name Day ❱ Baptisms
                                                                                   ❱ Memorials and any other social events
                                                                          ab

               11AM-9PM
                                                                                 Parking available behind the Restaurant                               29-21 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105 • 718-777-0504
          23255 Kingsland Blvd, Katy, TX 77494
                                                                                          On Sundays is FREE                                             36-03 30 Ave, Astoria, NY 11103 • 718-204-0333
      Tel: 281-574-7764 • www.pappagyros.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                    235 North Avenue West
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Westfield, NJ 07090
                                                                                                                                                                                                   www.limaniseafood.com

                                                                                                                                                              Proprietors: Vasilia & George Vastardis
                                                                                                                                                       We invite you to indulge
                                                                                                                                                       your guests with
                                                                                                                                                       culinary excellence
                                                                                                                                                       in our exceptional
                                                                                                                                                       facilities.
                                                                                                                                                       Plan your parties
                                                                                                                                                       with us
                                                                                                                                                             Wedding ❚ Engagement Party
                                                                                                                                                  ab

                                                                                                                                                        Rehearsal Dinner ❚ Post-Wedding Brunch
                                                                                                                                                                Anniversary ❚ Birthday
                                                                                                                                                                Οne eek                      For a memorable
                                                                                                                                                        res ta u
                                                                                                                                                                   t Gr
                                                                                                                                                       of the baens ts in NJ
                                                                                                                                                                r                                  experience
                                                                                                                                                             accordinagt»
                                                                                                                                                             to «Ζag                   Tel: (908) 233-0052

                                                                                                                                                         The National Herald
                                                                                                                                                             Bookstore
                                                                                                                                                                              (718) 784-5255
                                                                                                                                                                        info@thenationalherald.com
                                       TOLL FREE (855) 773-1515 • NY AREA (718) 346-1515 • FAX (718) 346-1537
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD                                                       Greek Gastronomy                                                                        SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                7

     Cincinnati’s                                                                                                                                                    Students must
                                                                                                                                                                     attend 880 hours
     Skyline Chili Offer:                                                                                                                                            of theory classes
                                                                                                                                                                     and laboratory
     Trip to Greece                                                                                                                                                  work, while
                                                                                                                                                                     the corresponding
                                                                                                                                                                     time for in-service
                                                                                                                                                                     training
                                                                                                                                                                     is 5,840 hours

                                                                                       EZA & Hellenic-German Chamber
                                                                                       Offer Training Program
                                                                                       for Brewing and Beer-Making
                                                                                       By ANA                                                         where they were informed by representatives of the

                                                                                       T
                                                                                                                                                      company and the Hellenic-German Chamber of Com-
                                                                                                          he Hellenic Brewery of Atalanti –           merce about the educational program, its curriculum,
By TNH Staff                                                                                              known by its Greek acronym EZA –            its structure and the potential career prospects after
                                                                                                          has initiated a program offering train-     the completion of the program.
   Talk about extras: Skyline                                                                             ing and certification in the art of beer-       The Dual Vocational Training Program faithfully fol-
Chili in Cincinnati is giving                                                                             making and brewing, in cooperation          lows the structure, duration and content of the relevant
away a trip to Greece in hon-                                                          with the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce and               training program in Germany. The science of brewing
or of its 70th anniversary                                                             Industry. The training course is                                                      combines aspects of chemistry,
and Greek roots.                                                                       offered through a special ‘Dual                                                       food technology, agriculture and
   The Facebook post an-                                                               Vocational Education’ program,                                                        engineering.
nouncing the contest got a                                                             where trainees attend theory                                                              Students must attend 880
lot of attention nationwide,                                                           classes and workshops fo-                                                             hours of theory classes and lab-
said the Cincinnati Enquirer                                                           cused on business training.                                                           oratory work, while the corre-
as the restaurant has fran-                                                            These types of courses are                                                            sponding time for in-service train-
chises Kentucky, Indiana and                                                           being offered for the first time                                                      ing in the practical learning mod-
Florida and people in other                                                            in Greece.                                                                            ules, for the transfer of skills,
states want one too.                                                                       According to the announce-                                                        knowledge and skills, is 5,840
   Other people would love                                                             ment, the three-year training                                                         hours. Upon completion of the
to see the country where                                                               program started at the premis-                                                        three annual training cycles,
founder Nicholas Lam-                                                                  es of the Hellenic Brewery of                                                         trainees sit for written, oral and
brinides lived before he                                                               Atalanti on June 10. The pro-                                                         practical examinations in order
opened his first Skyline Chili                                                         gram provides participants with                                                       to obtain a certificate of Sec-
restaurant on Glenway Av-                                                              all the required theoretical                                                          ondary Vocational Training rec-
enue in East Price Hill in                                                             knowledge as well as the op-                                                          ognized by the Central Associa-
1949.                                                                                  portunity to apply what they                                                          tion of German Chambers of
   “Fingers crossed we win!!!” said a Cincinnati man.                                  have learned in real working                                                          Commerce (DIHK), awarded by
   “Stop giving away those expensive trips and bring some stores to Texas! We          conditions in a Greek brewery.                                                        the Greek-German Chamber of
don’t need fancy trips to be coerced into eating there, LOL,” a man from Nassau Bay,   An important advantage for                                                            Commerce and Industry.
Texas, said.                                                                           those who follow the program is the fact that they                 For information on the program and participation,
   And, “Wish we had one in California,” said another man.                             are paid.                                                      anyone interested can visit the website: www.dual.com.gr
   Greece better than extra cheese.                                                        The first trainees were selected through a process         or contact the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce
                                                                                       of applying and visiting EZA production facilities,            and Industry at: +210 64 19 035.

               ...Your Complete Payroll Service Since 1982!

              Olympic Payroll
              “Accurate Payroll The First Time. Every Time”
                                                                                                                                                                  The best Gyro
       For our New Customers                                                                                                                                         in Astoria
          the FIRST MONTH
               IS FREE!
        CALL OLYMPIC TODAY
      FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!
ab

             64 US Highway 46 West, Pine Brook, NJ 07058
               Tel.: (973) 882-6882 - Fax: (973) 882-8020
                           www.olympicpayroll.com
                                                                                                      ■ Calzones
                                                                                                      ■ Pasta
                                                                                                      ■ Pizza
     ABILITY SERVICE AGENCY, INC.                                                                     ■ Salads
                                                                                                      ■ Gyro
     COMPLETE INSURANCE SERVICES
      2075 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510 • www.abilityservice.com

                                                                                                      ■ Sandwiches
                     ❚ Restaurants ❚ Real Estate
                    ❚ Homeowners ❚ Automobile                                                         ■ Wraps
     CALL TODAY FOR FREE QUOTE                                                                                          Online ordering
                                                                                                                    for delivery or takeout!
ab

                                         (516) 223-3144
                                                                                                ab

     Peter Spiliotis                   Liz DeMaria                  John Spiliotis                             28-01 STEINWAY STREET, ASTORIA, NY 11103
     Specializing in the Insurance Industry for over 44 years!                                                                     (718) 274-4870
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
8         SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                                                       Greek Gastronomy                                                                                       THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙

Bioengineered Salmon Won’t Come
                                                                                 from U.S.’ Biggest Farm State
By Associated Press                                                                                                                                                                      containment features, and they will face
                                                                                                                                                                                         regulatory oversight, he said.
    PORTLAND, Maine — Genetically en-                                                                                                                                                        Genetically engineered salmon have
gineered salmon is heading to store                                                                                                                                                      faced numerous regulatory delays since
shelves in the U.S., but it won’t be coming                                                                                                      AquaBounty’s                            a Canadian research team first developed
from the biggest salmon farming state in                                                                                                                                                 them in the 1980s. Conley has said the
the country. Massachusetts-based                                                                                                                     salmon                              goal of genetically modifying the fish is to
AquaBounty Technologies has said Amer-                                                                                                                                                   “produce food more efficiently and more
ican supermarkets could begin selling the                                                                                                          is the first                          responsibly.”
much-debated fish by the end of next
year. Its fish are modified with added
                                                                                                                                                 GMO animal                                  But consumers, fish farmers and re-
                                                                                                                                                                                         tailers are slow to warm to the idea. Some
genes from other fish to grow about twice
as fast as conventional salmon. The com-
                                                                                                                                                to be approved                           retail chains have flatly refused to sell the
                                                                                                                                                                                         genetically engineered fish. The Interna-
pany modifies Atlantic salmon, a species
that forms the backbone of the worldwide
                                                                                                                                                   for human                             tional Salmon Farmers Association issued
                                                                                                                                                                                         a statement years ago that it “firmly
salmon aquaculture industry. Maine is
the biggest producer of conventional At-
                                                                                                                                                 consumption                             rejects” the idea because of environmental
                                                                                                                                                                                         concerns. The group’s president, Trond
lantic salmon in the U.S., sometimes pro-                                                                                                                                                Davidsen, said that position still holds.
ducing more than 35 million pounds (15.9                                                                                                                                                     Nordic Aquafarms, a Norwegian firm,
million kilograms) of salmon per year, and                                                                                                                                               is planning a salmon farming operation in
its industry is poised to grow. Two new          he said. The group also feels the environ-   sition.”                                         The company’s Indiana facility recently   Belfast, Maine, that would be one of the
major salmon farms are in the approvals          mental assessment of the fish conducted          AquaBounty’s salmon is the first ge-     received the first batch of genetically en-   largest in the United States. Erik Heim,
process in the state.                            by regulators was not rigorous enough,       netically modified, or GMO, animal to be     gineered salmon eggs in the U.S., and         the company’s president of U.S. operations,
    But fish farmers in Maine are not con-       Belle said.                                  approved for human consumption. It has       they should be ready for harvesting in the    said genetically engineered fish are not
sidering using the genetically engineered            “Our competitors would have to be        become a touchstone for the international    final quarter of 2020, said AquaBounty        part of the plan.
fish, said Sebastian Belle, executive director   using them and that would have to be         debate about genetic engineering and         spokesman Dave Conley.                            “Based on practices and knowledge
of the Maine Aquaculture Association.            giving our competitors an advantage in       food. The U.S. Food and Drug Adminis-            Other growers hoping to use the tech-     of consumers in our market at least, our
Numerous conditions would have to be             the marketplace,” Belle said. “We have       tration has signed off on the fish as safe   nology will face hurdles, he said. Fish       decision is we will not pursue that,” Heim
met before that would change, including          no interest in growing GMO salmon, but       to eat. The genetically modified salmon      farmers who want to use the eggs need         said. “It’ll be interesting to see how that
customers requesting the fish in stores,         we reserve the right to reassess that po-    are also approved for sale in Canada.        FDA-approved, land-based facilities with      goes with them.”

                                    Zorba’s Tavern… a little corner of Greece right
                                          in Philadelphia. For over 20 years,
                                        our Mediterranean restaurant features
                                          superb homemade Greek cuisine.                                                  6th-Century Celts Had
                                                                                                                          a Soft Spot for Red Wine
                                            We’re proud to provide you with
                                        our Greek history of authentic Greek food.
                                                                                                                          from the Greek Colony
                                                                                                                          of Marseille
                                                                                                                          By ANA                                              red wine and of olive oil. Researchers said
                                                                                                                                                                              that as the local area was not known to pro-
                                                                                                                             Early Celtic tribes in Central Europe drank      duce wine – just beer, which was a very
                                                                                                                          Greek wine in ceramic vessels bought at the         popular drink – the most likely source of the
                                                                                                                          ancient Greek colony of Marseille, according        wine and the jars it came in were from Mar-
                                                                                                                          to analyses by a French and German research         seille or even other Greek colonies in Italy.
                                                                                                                          team publishing its findings in “PLoS One”             The Celts would have travelled down the
                                                                                                                          magazine on June 19.                                river Rhone to Marseille, which was founded
                            Opening              Sunday                                  1:00pm-9:00pm                       The team analyzed organic residue from           by Greek colonists around 600 BC, but may
                                                 Monday                                          Closed                   99 vessels found at an important Early Celtic       also have travelled through the Alps to get to
                            Hours
ab

                                                 Tuesday-Thursday                      11:30am-10:00pm                    site in Burgundy, Vix-Mont Lassois. Sixteen         the Mediterranean wine. Their contacts and
                                                 Friday-Saturday                       11:30am-11:00pm                    of these vessels imported Attica black and          trade with the Mediterranean were no surprise,
                                                                                                                          red figured pottery, which transported am-          but the actual use of Greek-style ceramics at
                                                                                                                          phorae and other items. They have been dated        Vix-Mont Lassois had not been analyzed for
                                             Private Parties • Catering                                                   back to Hallstat culture D2-D3, or 530-480          residues before, the researchers said.
                                                                                                                          BC.                                                                         For more information:
                                        2230 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130                                           The analysis of the Greek vessels revealed          https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?i
                                                         215-978-5990                                                     residue of grapes used in the production of                      d=10.1371/journal.pone.0218001

            Awarde 18
                     d              RETAIL AND WHOLESALE
                  A 20
                   T                                                                                                       Queen's Room
          by Z A G and
            Google e
                              Offers wide variety of Mediterranean Goods                                                   is a Bistro Bar
                     vis
             Trip Ad nce               freshly made on premises
                   c lle
                     e                                                                                                     in the heart of Astoria,
           with Ex
                                                                                                                           with a heavy
                                                                                                                           Mediterranean influence
                                                                                                                           Queen's Room
                                                                                                                           brings a level of refinement
                                                                                                                           to classic comfort food

                                   Bakerie
                                                                                           Store Hours:
                                                                                Mon-Sat.: 7a.m. - 8p.m.
                                                                                                                           in an elegant
                                                                               Sun. 8:00a.m. - 8:00p.m.                    and comfortable setting

                                   All kinds of Pies, are made with
                                   our HANDMADE FILLO
                                   ❙ Βougatses ❙ Chicken Pies
                                   ❙ Meatpies ❙ Makaronopita ❙ Painerli
                                   ❙ Pastitsio ❙ Mousakas
                                                                                                                     ab
     ab

                                               Our Breakfast Catering includes wide selection
                                                   of breakfast options such as mixed veggie
                                                       and feta frittata or our fresh imported
                                          Greek Yogurt bar with Cretan honey and fresh fruits
                                   Specific Greek desserts including our famous
                                   Galaktoboureko, assorted flavor Baklava
                                                                                                                           36-02 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105 • (347) 987-3994
                                                                                                                                                              Reservations: opentable.com
            CATERING                       RESTAURANTS • FESTIVALS
            AVAILABLE                                   and all your holiday events

                                                                                                                           Order online Menu: places.singleplatform.com
                                                                                                                                        Order: grubhub.com • seamless.com
      512 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013 • Tel.: 212 226 2701 • Fax: 212 226 2880
                 e-mail: info@pibakerie.com • www.pibakerie.com
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD                                                               Greek Gastronomy                                                                     SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019              9

                                            First “Greek Panorama:                                                                                    Cultural, Gastronomy
                       Alternative Tourism                                                                                                               and Sports Events
                  & Gastronomy” Exhibition                                                                                                              throughout Greece
                      to Be Held in Athens
By ANA June 27, 2019                              blematic and historic areas of Athens, at
                                                                                                                                                            in the Summer
                                                  the Zappeion Mansion.
   The “Greek Panorama: Alternative                   GREEK PANORAMA aspires to highlight     By ANA                                                       Spain, Finland, Romania, Poland, Russia, Lithuania and
Tourism & Gastronomy” exhibition                  Greece’s hidden secrets contributing to                                                                  Hong Kong.
(www.greekpanorama.gr), which will take           the sustainable development of local so-        The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)              The cultural happening, “The Rocks Speak,” will be
place from November 14 to November                cieties and the strategic goal of Greek     has placed under its auspices a series of gastronomy,        presented in several different venues in Athens in July,
16 in Thessaloniki, aims to attract Greek         tourism for extension of the tourist sea-   cultural and sports events that promote Greece as a          September and October. It is a theatrical performance
and foreign visitors who want to discover         son.                                        top destination in special forms of tourism.                 based on texts deriving from Ancient Greek literature
the alternative forms of tourism.                     The exhibition is under the auspices        The first event is the 3rd Lesvos Food Festival that     which will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in
   According to the press release, the            of Tourism Ministry and the support of      will be held from July 2 to July 7 in several parts of the   selected archaeological sites and museums in Athens.
exhibition is organized by North Events           the Association of Greek Tourism Con-       island, giving visitors the opportunity to experience a      The performances will last two hours and will be
and its aim is to highlight the range of          federation (SETE), the Federation of Hel-   series of gastronomy events and discover the locally         available in three languages (Greek, English and French)
alternative forms of tourism and gas-             lenic Associations of Tourist & Travel      produced foods.                                              while entrance will be free of charge.
tronomy in Greece.                                Agencies (FEDHATTA), the Hellenic Hote-         The second event is the 7th International Bollywood         Finally, the European Windsurf slalom championships
   GREEK PANORAMA is the first exhibi-            liers Federation (HHF) and the Hellenic     and Multicultural Dances Festival that will be held in       will be held in Pounta on the island of Paros with the
tion of alternative tourism in the capital        Confederation of Tourist Accommodation      Athens on July 6-7. Greek and foreign visitors will be       participation of approximately 100 athletes aged 15 to
and is housed in one of the most em-              Entrepreneurs (SETKE).                      able to see and attend dance and music seminars              65. The competition is included in the IFCA calendar for
                                                                                              taught by top teachers from India, the United Kingdom,       2019.

Our Bi-Monthly Botanist
Greek Thyme
and Honey:
A Lifetime
Relationship

By Evropi-Sofia Dalampira

G
               reece sits above three main and three small tectonic
               plates, which keeps land above in constant motion
               through frequent earthquakes. This may be a disad-
               vantage for human activity but nature thrives under
               those conditions!
    And that movement has led over the years to regions of fasci-
nating variations in relief, with most of Greece’s area mountainous
or semi-mountainous.
    All the different batches of land and climates in Greece led to
the evolution of more than 30 species and subspecies of thyme.
Each one is as unique as the corners of Greece to which they are
                                                                                                                                                           A Taste Of Greece
native. The patterns of flowering, shapes of the leaves, aromas,
and flavors are different, from the mountains of Macedonia and
Thrace to the drylands of the Greek islands.
    Sometimes it is easy even for an untrained palate to grasp the
                                                                                                                                                              In Every Bite
difference between lemon-thyme or oregano-thyme taste. The
resulting more than 30 thyme aromas for our food is thus highly
dependent on the place the plant grows.
    For example, in Crete the are a few Greek oregano native
plants but many types of thyme plants smell like Greek oregano
because of the climate! And speaking of Crete…who hasn’t
tasted Greek thyme honey from the islands? Each island has a
different type of native thyme. The rocky, wild, dry, and warm
islands of Greece present a unique climate that grows a highly
aromatic thyme and the bees are enchanted by it! They collect
nectar from the flowers but also aromatic ingredients (volatiles)
from the essential oils of the plants, which creates in each batch
of honey a unique flavor. Bees cannot survive without these
plants’ nectar and plants cannot survive without pollination from

                                                                                 Nick’s Bistro is a Full Service Bar, and Restaurant
bees. This lifetime symbiotic relationship gives us the opportunity
to “have a taste” of Greece with thyme or honey thyme.

                                                                                   providing unique Greek American Cuisine
    The main ingredient of thyme is usually thymol which has an-
tiseptic and antibacterial properties but it also helps with respiratory
system problems. Also, thyme tea can reduce high cholesterol

                                                                                in a contemporary, neighborhood bistro setting
and triglycerides.
    The best way to enjoy thyme is on slice of bread, with some
plain butter and a spoonful of thyme honey, in order to get the
whole flavor and to spark a daydream of a visit to a Greek island!
Please note that cooking in high temperatures or in hot tea will
cause the evaporation all the ingredients that gives us this unique
aroma, beneficial ingredients, and flavor.
    The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for im-
                                                                                                                        Mon-Thurs                                          11:30AM - 9:30PM
proving your diet. Before each herbal use you should consult                                                            Friday                                            11:30AM - 10:30PM
your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant,
or are under the age of 6.                                                                                              Saturday                                             11AM - 10:30PM
    Evropi-Sofia Dalampira – Agriculturist-MSc Botany-Biology
and PhD Candidate in Agricultural-Environmental Education and                                                           Sunday                                                11AM - 9:30PM

                                                                                                                                             Brunch Available
Science Communication

                                                                                                                                      Catering Available
                                                                                                                                  for all your private events
                                                                                                                                 104-20 Metropolitan Ave, Forest Hills, NY 11375
                                                                           ab

                                                                                                                                          www.nicksbistro.com
                                                                                                                                          Tel.: (718) 544-Nick (6425)
Greek Food and Restaurants - The National Herald
10    SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019                                                             Greek Gastronomy                                                                                          THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙

The Art of Olive Oil:
   Athena IOOC Tasting and Awards Day
By Lisa Radinovsky/greekliquidgold.com                      the Greek olive oils he has tasted. He was impressed       “Greek olive oil is where wine was 20 years ago”—          accuracy for producers and consumers.

H
                                                            by the tasting event, which he considered “a great         getting ready for a major renaissance.                         Another major innovation at ATHIOOC this year
                       ave you ever seen 201 award          initiative” in a beautiful setting.                            Several years ago, Stergides explained to Greek        was digitization of the score reporting process, so
                       winning extra virgin olive oils in       Vangelis Varaklas of Delicious Crete considered        Liquid Gold, he and ATHIOOC manager Maria Kat-             paper assessment sheets were no longer needed.
                       one room? If you were at the         the tasting day and ceremony so important that he          souli decided to establish a strict international olive    This enabled a variety of improvements, including
                       Athena International Olive Oil       delayed his return to Crete after a business trip to       oil competition based in Greece that would be              more time for judges to focus on the oils (instead
                       Competition’s tasting day and        China. He came “to taste as many olive oils as I           taken seriously internationally. They aimed for “a         of arithmetic), the presentation of various statistics,
awards ceremony at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in             can,” although he hadn’t seen his family for 11            competition that is so trustworthy that the best           and spider diagrams displaying each olive oil’s
Athens in April, you not only saw them but tasted           days and didn’t “even know if it’s day or night.”          olive oils in the world that send samples to three         flavor and aroma attributes (such as fruitiness,
any that struck your fancy. Like Anita Zachou, you          Also going far out of her way, Valia Kelidou of Kyk-       or four competitions send them to us. We want to           spiciness, bitterness, sweetness, and specific
had a chance to experience “an explosion of the             lopas drove nine hours from Alexandroupolis in             become a partner for the top producers, and we             aromas including fresh herbs, freshly cut grass,
senses!”                                                    northern Greece with her husband and father for            think this will be good for Greece.”                       and tomato). Olive oil companies received these
    Zachou came from the island of Mykonos,                 what she called “the biggest olive oil tasting in              So, for example, they limit tasting to 30 to 35        diagrams, which they can use to describe their
where she heads Mykonos Olive Oil Tasting, to try           Greece.”                                                   samples per day, only in the morning, in place of          products to consumers.
these awarded olive oils. Inside the hotel’s elegant            Why the great effort to attend? Aside from the         the tiring all-day tasting of many more samples at             According to George Economou, director of the
ballroom, she said, “it’s like a journey; you are           fascination of tasting many award winning extra            some competitions. (In the afternoon, judges explore       Association of Greek Industries and Packers of
here, and you taste olive oils from many different          virgin olive oils from various parts of the world,         the culture of ancient and modern Greece with ex-          Olive Oil (SEVITEL), “highlighting the quality of
countries.”                                                 Dimitris Anagnostopoulos of One & Olive believes           cursions to such sites as Mycenae and Delphi.)             olive oil is a prerequisite for its successful presence
    Angelica Peterson reported that she                                   the tasting event helps his team improve.        This year, Stergides revealed at the awards cer-       in branded form on the world market, which guar-
“never knew so many olive oil                                                   Last year, One & Olive team mem-       emony, ATHIOOC became “the only competition in             antees its prospect and future.” The ATHIOOC
types existed!” Enthusiastic                                                        bers tried all the olive oils at   the world that gives the list of olive oils they tasted”   competition, tasting day, and awards ceremony
about her discovery of “the            Stergides                                      the Athena tasting day. This     to the judges after judging is completed, along            aimed to highlight that quality in numerous ways.
art of olive oil,” this Amer-                                                           year, they were the only       with the codes used during blind tasting. That way,            (This story was originally published on Greek
ican was surprised to                explained he                                         Greek Double Gold            judges have a record of the final scores, and orga-        Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: greekliq-
find oils from Croatia                                                                      medal winner at the        nizers cannot tamper with the results—a major              uidgold.com. See that site for recipes with olive
and Turkey, as well as          and ATHIOOC manager                                         competition.               step toward transparency. Next year, ATHIOOC will          oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and culinary
the better-known olive                                                                          That could be a co-    start working with a notary and testing awarded            tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and infor-
oil producing nations           Maria Katsouli decided                                       incidence; their suc-     olive oils at the mills, another step toward ensuring      mation.)
of Greece, Italy, and                                                                        cess may be due to
Spain. Staying at the             to establish a strict                                      their other special ef-
Grande Bretagne with
her husband Anthony,             international olive oil                                    forts, including their
                                                                                           “pioneering production            57 Greek Honey, Olive Oil Producers
who said “we’re in
Greece; we have to try the
                                  competition based                                       process, which reduces
                                                                                        the production time by              Receive Awards in London Competitions
olive oil,” she was fascinated
by her first olive oil tasting ex-
                                       in Greece                                      86% and minimizes the con-
                                                                                   tact with oxygen,” but it also              A total of fifty-seven olive oil and honey pro-
perience. Anthony decided to tell                                              seems to be part of the company’s            ducers in Greece were presented with awards
his history and geography students                                       dedication to serious study. In any case,          in two international competitions, it was an-
about it.                                                   Anagnostopoulos considers the tasting day and                   nounced earlier this month by the Hellenic Food
    Another international visitor had come to two           awards ceremony “a great chance for the olive oil               Authority (EFET).
other editions of the Athena International Olive Oil        community from different countries to meet together,               Specifically, 40 olive oil businesses in the re-
Competition (ATHIOOC) tasting day. Olive oil taster         a great opportunity to taste different olive oils.”             gions of Kalamata, Lesvos and Chalkidiki, received
and Double Gold medal winner Carlo Di Giacomo                   Maria Gabriella Anagnostopoulos added that it               several awards at the London International Table
traveled with his father from Abruzzo, Italy for the        is important to give olive oil the same consideration           Olives Competitions 2019, as well as the London
third time. Spanish award winners were also there.          as wine: especially at a tasting day like this, “we             International Design Olives Competitions 2019,
Alvaro Garcia-Rosales, Economic and Commercial              see there are different olive oils,” so we can think            which saw 400 international contestants.
Counsellor at the Spanish Embassy, praised the              about pairing them with different foods. Many                      Another 17 Greek honey producers were
six Spanish companies awarded Double Gold                   agree. With a strong background in the wine world,              handed prizes at the London Honey Awards
medals, as well as the “very, very high” quality of         ATHIOOC chairman Constantine Stergides believes                 2019. These businesses are in the regions of
                                                                                                                            Kalymnos, Andros, Crete, Lakonia, Evrytania,
                                                                                                                            Etoloakarnania and Macedonia, and they com-
                                                                                                                            peted against more than 150 international con-
                                                                                                                            testants.
                                                                   For information and wholesales                              In a statement, EFET congratulated these
                                                                                                                            Greek companies for excelling in global com-
                                                                     info@demetraorganics.com
                                                                                                                            petitions with their quality products.
                                                                  or www.demetraorganics.com
                                                                                                                                                      Artopolis has been awarded with the
                                                                                                                                  Excellent & Extraordinary Zagat Award continuously from 2004 to the present
     Demetra Organics offers the USA market
                                                                                                                                                                                          AGORA PLAZA, 23-18 31ST STREET
     their exclusive
                                                                                                                                                                                                     ASTORIA, NY 11105
     ancient grain ZEA                                                                                                                                                                                 Tel.: 718-728-8484
     Life-Giving products,                                                                                                                                                                             Fax: 718-728-0066

     namely,                                                                                                                    B AKERY                 PATISSERIE                        All Baking Done on Premises

     hard-ZEA flour,
                                                                                                                            We supply                                                                          Our Spinach
     perfect for bread making,
                                                                                                                            ❚ RESTAURANTS
                                                                                                                                                                                                             & Cheese Pies
     soft-ZEA flour,                                                                                                                                                                                              are made
     perfect for pastries,                                                                                                  ❚ FESTIVALS                                                                          with OUR
                                                                                                                            ❚ CHURCHES                                                                         HANDMADE
                                                                                                                            ❚ ASSOCIATIONS
     and handmade
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     FILLO
     ZEA pita-bread.
                                                                                                                            Enjoy your coffee - Select from our wide variety of Greek pastries
                                                                                                                            ❙ Kataifi ❙ Baklava ❙ Kourampiedes ❙ Melomakarona
                                                                                                                            ❙ Cookies ❙ Spoon Sweets ❙ Cakes and Tourtes

                                                                                                                                        WE EXCLUSIVELY IMPORT THE AWARDED
                                                       Each unique ZEA product                                                          KOUFETA HATZIGIANNAKI
                                                                                                                                        The top choice for your wedding and other occasions
                                                            is highly nutritional,
                                                                                                                       ab
ab

                                                        low in gluten and locally                                                         ❚ Showers ❚ Weddings ❚ Engagement Parties
                                                                                                                                          ❚ Sweet Sixteen ❚ Anniversaries and other events
                                                            produced in Greece.                                                                              FREE PARKING
                                                                                                                                         www.artopolis.net • e-mail:customerservice@artopolis.net
❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD                                                                      Greek Gastronomy                                                                          SPECIAL EDITION JULY 2019              11

Yolenis:

The Feel, Aroma, and Taste of Greece
By Matina Demeli                                                The Tilden Thurber building, built in the 19th

A
                                                                                                                                                                                                 The Philippides family
                                                            century, was the largest silverware manufacturer
                                                                                                                                                                                        who runs and operates Yolenis
                 s I walk on the main thoroughfare in       in the world for many years. During the WWII,
                                                                                                                                                                            with the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island,
                 Providence, RI, on Westminster             Queen Elizabeth had visited it and it was there that
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Jorge Elorza.
                 Street, I see a store that “smells” of     she kept her personal jewelry because she did not
                 Greece. As I look at the large glass       want to put it in a bank. She brought it to be placed
                 window, I see pictures of Greek is-        in a safe. “We have this safe at the shop. We had a
lands and recipes with Greek products. On the               locksmith open it. It's very heavy, but we kept it
shelves I see Greek products, from dried mush-              because it is part of history," says Alexandra.
rooms and tea, from Kozani egg yolk to organic                  Alexandra came to Rhode Island from the island
olive oil, fresh fruits and even Greek water! When          of Skiathos, but the family connection goes deeper.
I go inside I taste the authentic Greek cuisine, the        "In 1863 my grandfather had a U.S. passport. At
fresh aroma of coffee. I feel the warmth of the peo-        that time, it was just a paper certificate, with a
ple and the hospitality.                                    stamp on it, where you wrote why you were
                                                            traveling. He was a shipbuilder and he also did
    FROM ATHENS TO RHODE ISLAND                             lobster fishing. He came from Skiathos to Newport.
    When Yolenis opened in Athens in 2012, in the           He also had the monopoly on nuts. He was the
time of the Greek deep crisis, it had a purpose: to         only one selling them and now I am laughing
promote Greek products from small producers                 because I sell them here as well. I grew up speaking
who struggled to survive in difficult times. So, it         Greek at home and I also went to a Greek school.
initially started operating as an online shop, shipping     And then, I couldn’t imagine that after I got married
products around the world.                                  I would go to live in Greece and then come back
    "We chose very selectively from the best of             here with my family and children, Yannis and
places all over Greece. We chose 800 different              Dimitris, without whom the task would be much
products, the best we found. We created the                 harder," Alexandra said.
website which facilitated orders around the world,"             Yolenis opened its doors on May 10, 2018. "I
says Yolenis Providence’s owner Alexandra Philip-           remember everything was ready, the whole team,
pides, who runs the business along with her sons            and we said ‘shall we open the doors?’ Big lines of
Yannis and Dimitris. The beginning had been made.           people were waiting outside. It was unbelievable.
    In November 2016, the first shop was opened             People were making reservations at the restaurant
on Solonos Street in Kolonaki. "It was a place              from Maine to New Jersey, from Massachusetts
where everyone could come to see and test the               and Canada. We ship Greek products to places
products. Then there was interest from London,              that we could not imagine. What people prefer
Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and of course                 most is honey, olive oil, dried mushrooms, truffle
Greece. But we then started investing in America            oil, and homemade chocolates. We sell to people
and its market, because it is the largest market in         from Florida, South Dakota, Arkansas, Texas, and
the world. When we came here, we chose Provi-               California.”
dence in Rhode Island because it is surrounded by               Entering Yolenis you see Greece everywhere.
very good universities with students from all over          The aromas of spices from the cuisine, Greek
the world, such as Johnson Wells, Brown, and the            yogurt, fresh sweets, Greek coffee. The menu was
Rhode Island School of Design. We believed it was           chosen by the chefs who have come from Greece.
the best choice with its rich cultural life, but without    You eat food prepared from authentic recipes like
the high rents of New York and Boston. There is a           your grandmother’s. There are homemade soups            sauce with mushroom, vanilla, and almond. It’s         organic. A fragrance with herbs, gathered over
renaissance here at this time with great growth,            every day – cream soup, bean soup. "The Americans       very special and the chefs use it as a secret ingre-   155 days, is a bestseller and is already sold out. All
as big well-known companies have headquarters               who eat here are crazy about the food and they          dient. Another one is apple sauce with tomato. We      are free of chemicals and are ideal for those who
here. Besides, Providence is the number ten des-            say it reminds them of Greek authentic food. Ev-        put it together with cheese or meat and cook it        have allergies.
tination all over America as a university center. "         eryone has traveled to Greece, and they come and        again as a secret ingredient. Our other best sellers       This new Greek spot also hosts Greek nights at
    So they started looking for the space that would        say ‘thank you, it's like being on a Greek island.’     are the nuts and fruits that come from Greece          least once a week. "We want the world to learn,
host the shop with the Greek products and a                 This is what they feel when they are here. Plate        fresh off the plane. Strawberries, apricots, plums,    not only Greek-Americans, to help Greece and
restaurant.                                                 fish, yiouvetsi, octopus, souzoukakia. Even the         figs. Our yogurts are authentic, we don’t put in       small producers there. Our online shop www.yole-
    "We started researching where people would              water we serve comesfrom Greece. We also make           sugar, only honey, and we make different flavors.      nis.com is now enriched with hundreds of authentic
go for lunch. We sat in many shops for many                 fresh juices with fruits and vegetables.”               The tea we bring with Kozani egg yolk is very          Greek products and delivers at competitive prices
hours. We observed what they were eating, how                   In the background is the grocery store, and         special while we have organic tea for good mood        all over America and Canada. Our aim is to find the
long they stayed, etc. The place we chose is a              even the wooden shelves come from Greece,               and balance. We also bring frozen non-GMO pizza        way to make more shops like ours and to bring
focal point – on a main road, a corner, and in a            along with the containers. In the middle there is an    with cheese. We don’t put sausage on top as they       Greek products into the choices of Americans. We
historic building. It took us a year-and-a-half to          olive tree, a symbol that everyone recognizes as a      do not allow us to bring meat from Greece," says       moved from our country and we miss it. Greece is
renovate this building, which is protected and is of        key ingredient of the Mediterranean diet.               Philippides.                                           far away, but in our hearts, it is always in first
historic importance.”                                           "The most odd product we have is a sweet                Yolenis also brings cosmetics, natural and         place.”

        The Word on the Greek Street:
                                Street Food!
                                                                                                                                                                                      Focus on
                                                                      THE GRECO’S PROJECT

                                                                                                                                                                                    Authenti
  By Constantine S. Sirigos

                                                                                                                                                                                            city
                                                                The Greco’s Project is an example of the won-
      ATHENS – There are places on Earth where              derful food venues that have been popping up
  you figuratively get a taste of a city as soon as         around
  you step out of the bus, train or taxi. In Athens,            Athens for years. The first store, near Syntagma,
  the experience depends for its authenticity and           opened in 2015; there is now a second store in
  pleasure on which neighborhood you happen to              Monastiraki Square and a third will open soon on
  encounter, but one thing is almost guaranteed:            Ermou.
  as soon as you hit the street, the options for sat-
  isfying your literal hunger are endless – but if
                                                                Street Food is just one element of its presen-
                                                            tation – there are standard meals and daily                  Homemade
  you are in a rush…                                        specials, but they are thrilled to offer their fine
      “Street Food” has become almost a culinary
  high concept the world over, but in Greece, while
                                                            fare to Greeks on the run, hoping that in calmer
                                                            moments they will stop and enjoy a more pleasant
                                                                                                                         Greek Food
  all purveyors of food take their job seriously in
  the land of philoxenia, there are those who like
                                                            time at the nice tables inside or outside.
                                                                As the name, hints, food has been a National             in a Lively Atmosphere
  to keep it simple, fun, fast and convenient.              Project of the Greeks for millennia. Cookery has
      First stop in Athens is often announced by            evolving in Ellada for centuries, often influenced
  the aroma of grilled meat at traditional souvlatzidika.   by visitors both welcome and unwelcome, and it
  Dozens abound in each neighborhood, estab-                will continue to develop, driven by passion,
  lishments ranging from humble to fancy, but it’s          curiosity and technology. The owner of the Greco’s
  nice to know that when you are running late for           Project, Harlilaos Kateris, and the friendly staff
  a meeting in Athens Centre, you can jump off              are very proud of their new Josper Charcoal
  the Metro at Syntagma, race across the square             oven.
  – happy to leave the politicians in the Parliament
  building behind you – and enjoy a delicious gyro                         PINK FLAMINGO
  at Bairaktaris. The smiles of the employees and               Also near Syntagma, the name will catch
  the Facebook page introduction say it all: “Since         your eye but the aroma will pull you in to the
  1879 the family Bairaktari opened the first tavern            little shop called the Pink Flamingo. Vassilis
  offers its guests traditional Greek hospitality. For      Kallidis embraced the Street Food wave after
  six generations, our restaurants serve the finest         owning a restaurant in Marousi that offered
  dishes of Greek cuisine, made with the best ma-           fine Greek dining which he opened in 2004. As
  terials, low prices and friendly environment.” The        the economic crisis shifted customers to more
  brothers Spiros and Giorgos, their family, and            modest establishments, he trusted his imagi-
  staff welcome you all day and all night long.             nation and decided to move to Athens Centre
                                                            and present to his fellow Athenians Street Food
               DOGS AND ROCKETS
                                                                                                                    ab

                                                            from all over the world.
      Johnny Rockets has shot up on the Street                  His first store was Uberness, in a unique
  Food scene from the original established by               space in Rentis, the former wholesale vegetable
  Yannis Aktipis on Syngrou Boulevard in 2009 to            market.
  its current five locations in Athens.                         “I bought an old factory and turned it into a
      Sleek, clean and welcoming, American expats           restaurant with food from Thailand, Mexico,
  encountering it stop short to receive a blast from        Vietnam, America – everything you could imagine,
  their past – and Greeks seem to love it too.              from Dakos to burgers.”
      Yannis had no personal connection to America’s            Outside there is a genuine food truck – but
  favorite Street Food prior to his commercial en-          it’s used only for special events.
  deavor, which he began after years working the
  lounge and club scene in the capital, but he
                                                                Because he loves Asian food so much, he
                                                            opened Pink Flamingo near Syntagma, which                    OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
  looks forward to experiencing New York hotdogs            serves only Bao buns and Dim Sum.
  during his hoped-for first visit to Gotham.
      His parents are from Zakynthos – where he
                                                                His perfect English suggests his having lived
                                                            in London or New York, but that’s not the case.
                                                                                                                         11AM-9PM
  opened a cantina in 1983 – but without hotdogs.           “I’m a world traveler and I work hard on my En-
  He discovered those in Athens, where is proud             glish.” He is also proud of his Pontian and Mace-
  to bring “the best of the standard relishes,              donian roots.                                                378 Highland Avenue
  mustards and sauces” from four different countries.           As you visit Athens this year, keep an eye               Somerville, MA 02144
  He himself likes the fried crispy onions. He is           out for the new places vying to feed your belies
  readying to launch a new street food entry –
  “something that does not exist in Athens today.”
                                                            and imaginations. Greek entrepreneurship is
                                                            alive and well – and it tastes delicious.
                                                                                                                         Tel: 617-718-2900
You can also read