Event Is Church's Major Fundraiser; Proceeds Benefit Local Charities

Georget Photos prepares dolmathes, one of the Greek dishes that will be featured at the upcoming Greek Festival at St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church in Winter Haven. Pictured below is the filling for dolmathes.

PAUL CRATE | LEDGER MEDIA GROUP

Published: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 12:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 4:44 a.m.

WINTER HAVEN | There's more than one way to stuff a grape leaf to make dolmathes, one of the Greek delicacies available next weekend at the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church of Polk County.

Georget Photos, wife of the church's priest, the Rev. Dean Photos, will be showing how to stuff grape leaves and other cooking techniques at the church's annual Greek Festival, offering everything Greek for the thousands who show up for the event Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There will be live Greek music and dancing, Greek dancing lessons, cooking demonstrations, church tours, authentic Greek food and pastry, youth entertainment, antiques vendors and a Greek grocery store and boutique. Ouzo, Greek and American beer and wine will also be available.

A $2 admission charge is good for all three days and children under 12 are free.

The Photoses and many volunteers have been busy for weeks preparing the quantity of food required to serve their guests. Today is the day when volunteers are coming to the church hall to help stuff the more than 5,000 grape leaves needed for the festival.

John Balasis, festival chairman, said there will be food served in the church hall and in a tent outside and he hopes everyone will come.

"This is our church's major fundraiser," he said. "We use the proceeds to operate the church and to contribute to local charities, as well as national and international Eastern Orthodox church charities.

Athenian fish, Greek meatballs, Mediterranean baked chicken, lamb shanks, souvlaki (a pork tenderloin shishkabob), spankopites (Spinach pie) and Tiropites (cheese pie), and the grape leaves will be served in a combination plate or a la carte in the church hall. An appetizer plate with marinated octopus, kalamari, saganaki served with tomatoes, olives, onions and pita will also be available.

In the tent, Balasis will be carving the meat for gyros and serving Greek fries, a souvlaki sandwich, grilled octopus, saganaki (flaming cheese) Grecian kalamari (squid).

There also will be a children's menu that includes the Greek meatballs, pork tenderloin and chicken.

Phyllo pastries, including baklava and a shredded phyllo pastry with custard and whipped cream, are also available. The Greek cookies will include powdered sugar shortbread, Greek butter cookie twists and Greek anisette biscotti.

Georget Photos is a Greek cooking expert, having just finished a Greek cookbook now on its way to the printer. She also offers Greek cooking classes. She recently prepared some of the recipes that will be served at the festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, 1030 Brad- bury Road, off Recker Highway.

Stuffed grape leaves are a Greek staple. Even though her recipe uses beef, she said the grape leaves also can be stuffed with fruit and nuts and served with a Greek yogurt sauce or a cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Balasis said his mother skipped the grape leaves, using zucchini or yellow squash blossoms instead.

The secret to a wonderful Baklava, the normally honey-filled phyllo delight, is using a honey-sugar syrup instead of pure honey if the baklava isn't going to be served within 24 hours of making it. Georget Photos make a chocolate version.

The recipes below are from her soon-to-be-published cookbook, tentatively titled "The Joyful Cook's Heavenly Guide to Greek Cuisine."

Source: http://www.theledger.com/article/20130216/news/130219470

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