Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 9/27/2017
EAST LONGMEADOW – The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Luke has been slicing, dicing and prepping for their festival, The Taste of Greece. This year is the 15th annual event, and the parishioners are prepared for hundreds of hungry Western Massachusetts residents to come through their doors.
Parishioners have been working for hours on end throughout the summer to organize the event. Annually, the group will cook in the church kitchen over the summer to prep dough for bread and cookies, prepare homemade sauces and syrups and pick grape leaves. More than 100 parishioners will assist in preparation, and during the event, more than 150 individuals are involved, Event Chairwoman Angie Gouzounis said.
“As far as Greek festivals go, this one is special because all of the food is prepared by the parishioners using recipes passed down from generations,” Gouzounis added. “All of our ingredients are fresh and of top quality and year after year our guests look forward to eating their favorite Greek dishes.”
Gouzounis explained that it takes 12 separate workshops to make enough spanakopita to serve at the event.
“Spanakopita is one of the favorite menu items and we have to have at least 65 large trays to serve during the weekend of the event, but we also make small take-home trays frozen for sale. People love having these on hand for holiday entertaining,” she said.
Over the years, the event has grown. What started as a small fundraiser has expanded to a highly anticipated event. Last year alone nearly 3,500 people attended the festival.
“Fifteen years ago, the Taste of Greece started as a small tribute to the early St. Luke Festivals which were the original fundraisers to build this church more than 35 years ago. Today, the Taste of Greece brings in thousands of patrons over the three-day event,” Meg Dasco said.
This years menu includes Greek favorites such as spanakopita, commonly known as spinach pie, moussakka, which is eggplant, pastitisou, their Greek lasagna, souzoukakia, which are greek meatballs, a lamb shank dinner, plaki, which is a baked fish and souvlaki, which are pork kebabs. Additionally, desserts will be served including baklava, rice pudding, sweet cookies and breads.
The Taste of Greece isn’t limited to just food, this year there will be a gift shop, tours of the church and icons, entertainment and live music as well as dance performers from the St. Luke Greek Dancers.
The Taste of Greece will be held in the St. Luke’s Fellowship Hall at 400 Prospect St., and will run on Oct. 13 and 14 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking and admission is free, and meals are priced between $7 and $17. Cash and checks are accepted, and there will be an ATM available on site.