Here are a few facts to impress the people around you:
Did you know?
Greek food and cuisine have been traced back to 350 B.C.
According to thespruceeats.com, “Dishes with names like tzatziki (from the Turkish “cacik”), hummus (the Arabic word for chickpea) and dolmades (from the Turkish “dolma”), that can be found in kitchens from Armenia to Egypt, have also found a home in Greek cooking, and been adapted over hundreds of years to local tastes and traditions just like makaronia me kima (which is Greek-style meat sauces for pasta)”
A history of culinary influences includes:
- In 350 B.C., when Alexander the Great extended the Greek Empire’s reach from Europe to India, certain northern and eastern influences were absorbed into the Greek cuisine.
- In 146 B.C., Greece fell to the Romans, which resulted in a blending of a Roman influence into Greek cooking.
- In 330 A.D., Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, founding the Byzantine Empire, which in turn fell to the Turks in 1453 and remained part of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. During that time, dishes had to be known by Turkish names, names that remain today for many Greek classics.
- More than 20 percent of Greece is made up of islands with no portion of the country any more than 90 miles from the sea. The country has more than 600 wineries and 400 indigenous grape varieties used for wine-making.
That’s probably enough — no one loves a know-it-all.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
How to order
All orders must be made online in advance and paid for in advance. Pickup will be at the church at 500 Belmonte Park North (next to the Dayton Art Institute). Please check the festival website and Facebook page for updates throughout the weekend.
Items available for carryout orders include:
- Traditional gyros ($8)
- Chicken souvlaki gyro ($8)
- Small and large Greek salads ($4, $8) (add chicken to the large salad for $13)
- Frozen pastitsio (half pan) ($50) -- SOLD OUT
- Greek pizzas ($12, $20)
- Personal pan cheese pizza ($6)
- Tiropita (cheese pie, quantity four) ($12)
- Spanakopita (spinach pies, quantity four) ($12)
- Frozen Tiropita or Spanakopita (serves 6) ($18)
- Baklava (quantity 2) ($6)
- Chocolate baklava (quantity 2) ($8)
- Koulouria (shortbread cookie) (quantity 6) ($3)
- Kourambiethes (cookies) ($4)
- Pecan blossoms (quantity 2) ($4)
- Chocolate almond rolls (quantity 2) ($4)
- Pastry variety box
- Tsoureki (sweet bread) ($7)
- Greek salad dressing
Visit www.daytongreekfestival.com to learn more.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Contact this contributing writer at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.
HOW TO ORDER
What: The Dayton Greek Festival drive-thru event Greek Fest Express
Where: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park N., Dayton
When: Advance online orders only. Pickup times scheduled from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13
More information: www.daytongreekfestival.com
About the Author