| Greek festival brings out new set of novices
Food Editor Last update: 06 November 2003 |
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One
of the most popular and long-lived features of the upcoming Daytona Greek
Festival at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church is called Yia Yia's
Kitchen.
It's understandable when you know the translation for yia yia
(pronounced "ya-ya") is a form of grandmother. Something familiar and
loving like granny, grams or nana. What could be better, in any language,
than some of grandma's cooking?
It's what the festival is about, aside from its role as a church
fund-raiser. The 26-year-old Daytona Beach event is wrapped in much older
traditions of food, dance and music.
"They've had these recipes since the beginning of the festival," said
volunteer cook Maria Kostidakis. "They are recipes that have been carried
down throughout the years."
She and the other younger women of the church, committed to continuing
this effort and passing it along to their children, made a special effort
this year to participate in cooking sessions in St. Demetrios' community
center. "We tried a lot harder this year," Kostidakis said. "The more
experienced cooks said they could teach us how to do it and what their
routine was."
Whenever possible, Kostidakis' daughter Katie, 11, and her son, Perry,
9, joined in the cooking sessions. Another daughter, who is only 4, is
still a bit young to help.
Recently, the volunteer crew worked on one of the most emblematic of
all grandmotherly foods, meatballs. Warm and substantial, these are pure
love. In the Greek tradition, the
meatballs are called Souzoukakia, and their shape is somewhat
elongated.
"Perry was washing dishes that day in the kitchen, and there were three
other boys who were helping, either with meatballs or with the dishes,"
Kostidakis said. "It's a community bonding experience."
Another of St. Demetrios' young mothers, Elena Hanna, has children who
are too young right now to appreciate many of the foods or their cultural
implications. A daughter is 3, and a son is 1, but Hanna is looking ahead.
"I plan on teaching my children to speak Greek," she said. The festival
is important, she and Kostidakis agree, for reinforcing community and
family togetherness. Hanna's parents live nearby, and her mother is a
frequent visitor, helping with her grandchildren and with the household.
"She lives a mile away from me," Hanna said. "My neighbors think she
lives with me. I plan on doing the same thing, when my children need me."
There are few limits to the closeness of a traditional Greek family. "
'Big Fat Greek Wedding' -- way understated," Hanna joked.
Hanna visited her grandparents in Greece often, but since they died,
"I've gone less and less." Tangible reminders of earlier generations
remain in the cooking Hanna's mother does. "My mom has managed to keep
everything that her mother and grandmother taught her," she said.
Kostidakis thinks this year's experience has helped a lot of people to
pick up the pieces of culinary knowledge they may be missing. "I've gone
and helped over the years, but not as much as I did this year," she said.
"We really got to know each other.
"There were some Greek girls there who had never made any of this
stuff."
cathy.klasne@news-jrnl.com27th
Annual Daytona Greek Festival
THEME: "Celebrating the Olympic Tradition, a Gold Medal Weekend of
Food, Fun and Dancing." An expanded bazaar will include a booth offering
officially licensed 2004 Athens Olympic merchandise.
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 13, 14 and 15; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 16
WHERE: Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 129 N. Halifax
Drive, Daytona Beach.
ADMISSION: $1. Free admission Nov. 13 and 14 from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m. DETAILS: www.saintdemetriosdaytona.org
or (386) 252-6012.
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