NOVEMBER 23, 2019 - The National Herald€¦ · 4NOVEMBER 23, 2019 Gree k FOOD & WINE 2019 THE NATIONAL HERALD By Christos Sourligas am nothing without my Greek mother. It’s the

The National Heraldwww.thenationalherald.com

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NATIONAL HERA

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NOVEMBER 23, 2019

FOOD& WINE

Greek

2019

Greek FOOD & WINE 20192 NOVEMBER 23, 2019 THE NATIONAL HERALD

By Eleni Sakellis

elcome to The National Herald’sannual Greek Food & Wine specialissue! As another holiday seasonis getting underway, we look for-

ward each year to bringing you this particular issuebecause food connects us in a powerful way to ourfamily and friends, to our traditions and culture,and we share it with everyone in a spirit of loveand fellowship that we hope will continue not onlythroughout the holiday season, but all through theyear.

While the passion for food is something thattranscends culture, Greeks take that passion toanother level thanks to our traditions and values:our world-renowned hospitality, philoxenia, andphilotimo. With so many Greeks in the restaurantbusiness and the food industry, we must be doingsomething right.

A new generation is continuing the traditionwhile finding ways to adapt, expand, and makeGreek cuisine even more accessible and well-known than it already is. The Greek diet with itsemphasis on greens, extra virgin olive oil, fish, po-ultry, beans, and grains reduces inflammation andthe risk of certain diseases, and helps with main-taining a healthy weight. The traditional way of ea-ting, avoiding processed foods, cutting back onred meat, and having sweets only on special oc-casions, is a recipe for health that is relatively easyto follow. If your great-grandmother wouldn’t re-cognize it as food, you probably shouldn’t eat it.

The chefs, restauranteurs, and leaders in the

food industry who appear in the pages of TNH areall a part of this great tradition of Greek cuisinethat we share with the world. It is something wetake very seriously because it is rooted in our ho-meland, in the land itself and the sea that surro-unds it with all the amazing natural resources andproducts of Greece we all know and love. A simplesalad is a transcendent experience with the rightingredients, the fresh, seasonal fruits and vegeta-bles, the highest quality extra virgin olive oil. Ameal becomes a symphony of taste and sharing itwith family and friends makes it even better.

As we invite our loved ones to celebrate the

holidays with us, it can be easy to get stressedout and lose sight of what is truly important. If weslow things down, take it easy, we might even en-joy the holidays a bit more, in the old-fashionedway, actually spending time with family and friendsin real life, switching off phones and other devices,giving back to the less fortunate, and being presentin the moment.

Gratitude for all the blessings in our lives shouldnot only occur to us as we go around the Thanks-giving table saying what we’re thankful for, butshould be a part of our daily lives. Thankfulness,every day can make a difference in the way wesee ourselves and the world around us.

In the spirit of the season, take a moment tosay thank you to those who mean the most to youas we say thank you to our readers for their conti-nuing support.

Best wishes for the upcoming holidays! Happy Thanksgiving!

W

The Season of Giving, the Season of Hope Celebrating Our Cuisine and Tradition: TNH's Greek Food & Wine Special Issue

Food

connects us

to friends

and family,

traditions

and culture

Greek FOOD & WINE 2019 3NOVEMBER 23, 2019THE NATIONAL HERALD


By Christos Sourligas

am nothing without my Greek mother. It’s the reason why Icreated a cookbook based on all my mama’s Greek food re-cipes. My Big Fat Greek Cookbook is my love letter to herfor the sacrifices she made to give us siblings the life she

never had.“I love you, my son,” never rolled off my mother’s tongue be-

cause she just wasn’t brought up to express herself that way.But her succulent comfort food, prepared with such unwaveringfocus, speaks volumes. The cookbook is a testament to thememe of food as love: feeding her family – my father, my threesiblings, and me, the youngest – is the most meaningful wayfor mama to convey her devotion to us.

So for one year I braved a series of intense hands-on cookingdemos with her, my baba and my sister, to capture an oral historyof her gastronomical treasure trove, and I took some abusealong the way: “Teaspoon? What teaspoon? I go with my gut!Back off and just watch me, kiddo!”

Despite growing up in abject poverty, mama developed a wic-kedly beautiful and unusual connection to food. During the Nazioccupation of Greece from 1941 to 1944, she and her birth fa-mily assisted the local Greek resistance fighters by deliveringhome-cooked meals to their mountain hideouts. And after thewar, she and her younger sister Dina travelled the country toilingon factory farms, sending all their measly earnings back hometo feed her destitute family. My mother grew up fast into a boldand sly woman, dubbed “the Spitfire” by friends and family alike.

My father on the other hand, being the loveable conservative

man that he is, always tried to burst my mama’s bubble by quic-kly sending their dinner guests on their way well before dessertwas even served. Unlike her, who always thrives on entertaining,my baba just doesn’t like investing the effort to cook for others,nor the noise and laughter that goes with it. Probably becausehe owned a couple of restaurants himself, so that really zappedany real love for cooking he ever had. And I can’t blame him.They simply couldn’t be a more mismatched couple. But it wor-

ked. She was always a funny bird, my mama. One of a kind.Matter of fact, my siblings and I learned our mischievous

ways from my Greek mama. Like the time on Devil’s Night (Mon-treal, October 30, 1982) when she bought us dozens of fresheggs from the local grocer so we can toss them on our neigh-bor’s (house) that she despised so much. A liberal at heart, she’sextremely open-minded, which completely contrasts her GreekOrthodox religious fervor. So no matter what color, creed, or se-

I My Big Fat Greek CookbookIt forces you to connect with the bounty that is... life

The cookbook is a love

letter to my mother for

her sacrifices she made to give

us the life she never had


Much like the kolokythokeftedes (pumpkinfritters)from the appetizers section, my mom chooses to bakekolokythopita with pumpkin and not zucchini, as is thenorm for both recipes. My guess is she Americanizedthis meal to integrate into her new homeland, perhapsduring Thanksgiving season. Whatever the case – be itfamily or non-Greek friends – whoever eats at her placegobbles up the kolokythopita like there’s no tomorrow!The raisins are the pièce de résistance, adding a sweet,chewy aftertaste.

Directions 1. In a large mixing bowl, mix by hand the all-vegetable

shortening, flour, salt, and warm water; start with 11/2 cups water, adding additional increments of 1/4cup at a time, if required. Continue kneading the piedough by hand (about 10 minutes). Then, cover thedough with wrap so it doesn’t dry up. Allow it to standfor 30 minutes; this will allow it to slightly rise andthicken.

2. Combine all the filling ingredients into a mixing bowl.Mix by hand.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C).4. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin; use flour to avoid

sticking. Shape out two (2) crusts: one to line the ba-king dish, and one for the top-crust. Grease a round15-inch baking dish, and carefully position in the bot-tom crust. Drizzle some olive and vegetable oils ontothe bottom crust, spreading out evenly. Add in the fil-ling and lay out equally. Fold over the overlappingcrust ends, then cover the pie with the top-crust. La-ther a touch of both oils on top. Pre-cut the pie, takingcare not to reach the bottom; this will allow the pie tobreathe and bake evenly. Finally, drizzle water on topso the pie crust softens.

5. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown. Allow the pieto completely cool before serving.

IngredientsFor the pie crust:• 1/4 kg (1/2 lb) softened Crisco (all-vegetable sh-

ortening)• 5 cups all-purpose flour• 1/2 tablespoon salt• 1 1/2 cups warm water

For the filling:• 13 cups freshly shredded pumpkin• 1 cup freshly chopped onion (1/4-inch bits)• 1 cup raisins• 1 cup Italian-style rice• 1/4 cup ground dry spearmint• 1/4 cup olive oil• 1/4 cup vegetable oil• 1 tablespoon salt

Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes • Bake: 1 hourReady in: 2 hours 20 minutes • Serves: 10

PUMPKIN PIE (kolokythopita) Giouvetsi epitomizes the simplicity of Greek peasant cui-

sine. Made up of just a few ingredients with a slow cookingand baking time, it’s hands-down my favorite Greek meat dish.Nothing beats giouvetsi on a cold winter night. It’s hearty, no-urishing, soul-feeding, and I can’t have just one serving. ILOVE coating it with a massive amount of shredded cheese,as if a snowy, wintry blast just hit a bowl of meat....Yum!

Directions 1. Cut the veal into 2-inch cubes; do not debone. In a large

stockpot, pour in sufficient water to cover the meat. Tossin 2-3 dashes of salt, and drizzle in a touch of vinegar. Boilfor 10 minutes. Skim the froth with a slotted spoon, thenremove the meat and place into a bowl. Rinse out the pot.

2. Pour the olive and vegetable oils into the stockpot. Chopthe onions into 1/2-inch cubes, toss in, and sauté over me-dium-high heat. Add in the veal cubes, and cover the meatwith hot water from a boiling kettle. Partially cover the pot,and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to medium-highheat. Feed the pot with boiling water, if needed. Continuecooking for 45 minutes, then mix in the tomato juice, saltand pepper. Stir, partially covering the pot, and cook foranother 10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 395 °F (200 °C).4. Add the kritharaki into a large baking dish (ideally, a round

clay baking dish) spreading the pasta around with your fin-gers. Mix in 4 cups of hot water from a boiling kettle, andbake. Stir occasionally, making sure the kritharaki doesn’tstick to the dish, while allowing the pasta and water toreach a boil (about 15 minutes). Then, mix in the tomatojuice, and combine the veal and its broth. Bake for 10 mi-nutes. Turn off the heat, and let the giouvetsi stand in theoven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the pasta thic-kens.

5. Remove from oven. Let cool, then top with grated Romanocheese. Serve with bread and red wine.

IngredientsFor the meat:• 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) front shank veal (or chicken or lamb)• salt (pinch)• white vinegar (sprinkle)• 2 medium onions• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil• 1/2 cup tomato juice• 1/2 tablespoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the pasta:• 2 cups kritharaki (orzo pasta) – or hilopites or spaghetti• 1/2 cup tomato juice• Romano cheese

Prep: 10 minutesCook and bake: 2 hours 20 minutesReady in: 2 hours 30 minutes • Serves: 6

GIOUVETSI (giouvetsi)

THESE RECIPES ARE FROM MY BIG FAT GREEK COOKBOOK

xual orientation, she welcomed strangers into her home fromall walks of life, and more importantly, she never judged anyone.Why? She simply lived for kitchen-table visits from hungry guestsjust for the pleasure of seeing them stuff their bellies with herexceptional fare until they couldn’t eat any more.

Now, My Big Fat Greek Cookbook is the antithesis of thosetrendy Mediterranean diets, because most Greeks simply don’teat that way. And certainly not the Greeks of the diaspora, whichnumbers more than six million people.

We were brought up eating meat, stewed veggies, potatoes– big, hearty, simple meals from ingredients that my mama grewor raised herself. Freshness and intense flavor are key in thisbook. Those qualities mama knew well and loved, so they’rethe basis of what she prepared for us as a family, wanting herkids to grow up “healthy and strong” as she had.

Her recipes are what I call “legit rustic mountain village pea-sant food.” My family is from Arcadia, Greece and that’s whatI’m highlighting here: the life of the simple shepherd. It’s thelife idealized by Romantic poets like Lord Byron, Shelley, Keats.Nature. Pasture. Utopia.

Where the wilderness is unspoiled and the mountainous land-scape so vast, it forces you to connect with the bounty that is...life. Not a single resident of my baba’s town has ever died ofcancer, nor of heart disease.

If you walk through the town’s cemetery, the average age ofdeath is 95. It’s isolated as hell. The mountain roads are treach-erous. Cell service is difficult, Wi-Fi non-existent. And the friendswho I bring along for my yearly summer visits never want to le-ave. This is exactly the feeling and emotion my family and I havecaptured in this book.

My Big Fat Greek Cookbook is bigger than my mama andme. It’s our family’s gift to the world. So pull up a dining chairand join me on my journey sharing all of my mama’s deliciousrecipes, while bringing to light the real food history of the Greekworking class recipes.

Kali Orexi!

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TNH Staff

A recent article in the New York Post featured theBest NYC Restaurants, according to International Am-bassadors. Restaurants serving cuisine from Belgium,Israel, Italy, Japan, Thailand, the UK, and of course,Greece were showcased in the article.

In the Greek section, Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, Vi-car General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese ofAmerica, recommended his favorites, including Kyma.

“For authentic Greek food, I love to go to Kymaand have the great Greek salad [$18 to $22] and theyouvetsi [$36],” Fr. Karloutsos told the Post whichdescribed youvetsi as “a hearty meat stew that theFlatiron restaurant makes with tomato-and-red-wine-braised short rib, orzo, and kefalograviera cheese.”“It’s perfectly done,” Fr. Karloutsos told the Post, ad-ding that he “also loves the fish at Manhattan seafoodtemples Milos and Avra, and at Astoria’s Stamatis.”

Kyma is located at 15 West 18th Street, KymaRe-staurants.com; Estiatorio Milos at 125 West 55thStreet, EstiatorioMilos.com; Avra Estiatorio at 141

East 48th Street, Avra Madison, 14 East 60th Street, AvraNY.com, all in Manhattan, and Stamatis Re-staurant is at 29-09 23rd Avenue in Astoria.

By Eleni Sakellis

mylos Taverna, 33-19 Broadway in Astoria, offers great Greek cuisine and an elegant yet ap-proachable atmosphere in the heart of one of the largest Greek diaspora communities in theworld. The traditional and modern Greek restaurant is owned and operated by the Arvanitisfamily. The family’s patriarch, John Arvanitis an immigrant from Greece, opened the now iconic

Omonia Café in the 1970s. The family also owns Omonia Next Door, and Omonia in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.A restaurant seemed a logical step for the family, with the next generation, son John, daughter Anna Ch-ristina, and son-in-law Fedon taking the lead at Amylos.

The concept for the restaurant with its focus on great food with an updated sensibility, presentingplayful modern and traditional Greek fare in a comfortable and warm setting is just what the area needed.Amylos definitely succeeds in its mission is to bring food, fun, and Greek hospitality to the table.

The attention to detail is what sets Amylos apart from many other Greek restaurants. The art, archi-tecture, and the menu are well-thought out and help create an elegant atmosphere as the bar/loungeevokes the chic style of Athens.

Greeted warmly by the staff, guests can enjoy their meal with a view of the bustling corner of 34thStreet and Broadway, if preferred or at one of the cozier tables for an intimate date night dinner for two.Amylos also serves brunch and lunch with a Greek slant.

The cocktail menu features Greek flavors in a variety of refreshing and delicious options, includingAmylos signature cocktails with Greek names like Logos made with Psychis Mastiha liqueur and Odemade with Idoniko tsipouro. The Dirty Greek, a new twist on a dirty martini replaces traditional oliveswith kalamata olives in the olive juice and the garnish. The drink is pink due to the kalamata influenceand features a feta cheese stuffed trio of olives to adorn the rim.

The options for meze include a delicious grilled sushi-grade octopus served with fava puree andpickled onions, atherina, kolokithokeftedes, saganaki, and fried kalamari alongside octopus croquettes,crab cakes, salmon tartare, and butternut squash purses.

Entrees include wild Scottish salmon, halibut, moussaka, lobster moussaka, roasted chicken, lambchops, and a prime New York sirloin. The Dark Ale Lamb Shank is a great option and so tender, it justfalls off the bone, with the molasses in the sauce adding a touch of sweetness to the depth of flavorsfrom the dark ale and lamb.

For those looking for more traditional dishes, the Kontosouvli Mix Grill for two includes chicken, pork,and lamb, while the Slow Roasted Lamb served with tasty lemon potatoes is on the menu as a weekendspecial. Fresh whole fish, including lavraki, tsipoura, barbounia, and black sea bass, is also sold by thepound for seafood lovers.

Among the options for dessert, the cheesecake baklava offers layers of phyllo and roasted crushednuts infused in honey syrup with rich cheesecake in between the layers. Karydopita, the traditionalwalnut cake with Greek honey infused syrup, is served with fig ice cream. For those looking for a refre-shingly light dessert, the Yogurt Masticha Panacotta with Strawberry Thyme sauce is a great choice.

More information about Amylos Taverna is available by phone: 718-215-0228and online: http://amylos.com/.

Delivery is also available 12-11 PM daily, call the restaurant for details.Amylos Taverna; 33-19 Broadway in Astoria.

Hours of Operation: Lunch, Monday-Friday 12-4 PM;Dinner, Sunday-Thursday 5-11 PM and Friday-Saturday 5-11:30 PM; Brunch, Saturday-Sunday 12-4 PM.

A

Amylos Taverna in AstoriaGreat Food and Elegant Atmosphere

ION Chocolate: Nearing 90 Years of Sweet Success

NY Post Features Kyma among the Best NYC Restaurants

For almost 90 years ION is the company that comes to mind when it comes to chocolate in Greece– indeed it was become the generic name for chocolate in the country due to the company’s devotionto quality, innovation, and the special taste of its products.

ION S.A. was founded on September 23, 1930 in Neo Faliro and since great taste knows no boun-daries, in 1998, ION decided to expand its business activities abroad and become a Greek chocolatemanufacturer with international status.

Today, ION keeps growing and evolving as a 100% Greek enterprise, without losing its respect fortraditional values and without missing new opportunities. ION is a living example that entrepreneurshiphas more than just a history in Greece, but it also has a future.

With three ultramodern pro-duction plants in Greece, 1000employees, and a turnover ofmore than 110 million euros onan annual basis, ION is amongthe 60 largest industrial compa-nies in Greece. Having faith inits values, ION makes sure thatevery single innovation will bedeveloped through respect forits products and their followingand through its responsiblestance towards the environment, the workers, and the wider society. Currently, ION S.A. exports tomore than 30 countries worldwide.

The company’s current size and importance as the leading chocolate brand in Greece came to beafter 1950. Gradually, the company expanded into other snack and confectionery segments such aschocolate bars, chocolate pralines, chocolate coating (covertures), cocoa powder, hazelnut andchocolate spreads and a wide range of wafers.

This expansion was marked with considerable investments: Wafer line production in the city ofArta in 1975 and Spread Cream production line in Kostinbrod-Sofia Bulgaria in 2001, and importantacquisitions: INTERIA S.A. Manufacturers of Hazelnut Spread cream products in 1991, MABEL S.A.,manufacturers of chocolate pralines and seasonal chocolate products in 1999.

ION products are distributed through a wide and efficient distribution network. With fully owneddistribution centers, the company is able to reach the whole Greek market.

ION has a fully equipped R&D department with a wide range of activities. The department operatesa Pilot-Plant system (small-scale laboratory production) able to undertake all necessary testing.

Especially in the last 40 years ION has introduced several innovations in different fields such asnew products, systems, and processes, in the areas of communication and public relations. It is dedi-cated to quality products and consumer satisfaction, while also making contributions to the localcommunity. This philosophy has established ION a leader in chocolates and related products in theGreek market.


By Vasilis Voultsos

ugar Monk Lounge, 2292 Frederick Do-uglass Boulevard in Manhattan, is oneof those things that make life in NewYork worth living. It is a speakeasy bar

inspired entirely by the Harlem Renaissance era, aplace that adores art and where the alchemy ofdrinks is triumphant.

The existence of Sugar Monk is by no means ac-cidental. It is a result of a thoughtful move by itsGreek creators, Ektoras Binikos, a visual artist andmixologist, and Simon Jutras, a photographer andinterior designer with two decades of internationalexperience who now call Harlem home.

As I enter, Binikos and Jutras greet me and atthe same time I realize both how cozy the space isand how much attention has been paid to detail."Everyone is welcomed and accepted but you willnot see people standing. We only accept as manyas can sit in the lounge or at the bar and enjoy theirdrinks. The nature of our program is that cocktailmixology is complicated. It takes about two to threeminutes for a cocktail and the bartender needs toconcentrate,” Binikos said.

The windows at the speakeasy face west andthe space is quickly flooded with the last sunlight ofthe day while a patron is served a drink that fills theroom with the aroma of rosemary.

Binikos said of his background, "I come from Ika-ria and came to New York to study at age 21. Myparents back in Ikaria made homemade liqueurs,

wine, and grappa. The distillery and winery were inmy blood and while I started as a busboy, I quicklyended up working behind the bar."

One thing led to another and soon Binikos foundhimself working behind the bar of a restaurant onthe Upper East Side where he could put all his ima-gination and creativity into practice. So when one ofthe best restaurant-bars in town offered him a job,it was only a natural consequence, and it was theabundance of new ingredients he found there andhis experiments that made him a mixologist.

Other notable moments in his career include run-

ning the bar at the Livanos family’s Oceana and a"hidden" bar on the Lower East Side, where he wasa partner and manager. Reasonably, after so manyyears of experience, he realized that the time hadcome to take the leap and open his own business.New York's newfound interest in the Harlem areaconvinced him that it was the right place for his bu-siness. "The community here is thrilled with SugarMonk and proud of its uniqueness and its being anopen, warm, and hospitable place," said Binikos.

In Sugar Monk's illustrated menu all cocktails areseparated according to their theme and divided into

eight different chapters. What can someone sayabout a menu with literary, musical, and artistic titlessuch as Thelonious, Monk's Dream, Ugly Beauty,Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Wil-liam Blake?

While chatting with Binikos and Jutras, I have aBlue Moon ($13) whose creamy texture includesthe freshness of lime and tones of Arabian jasmine.Also on the table are trays with traditional cheesesand baked baguette ($16) and organic pate with mu-shrooms and pomegranate jam ($14).

"We named it Sugar Monk as a tribute to jazzpianist Thelonius Monk but also to the monks andthe history of distillation," Binikos explained. "Weare also working together on a book whose inspira-tion comes from artists whose work is importantand essential to our lives. Our goal is to 'translate'an artist's vision into a cocktail and photograph itwithout copying the original work of the artist butexpressing our own vision of how we perceive theseworks of art,” Simon Jutras explained.

When asked which cocktail is their favorite andwhich they would offer to a guest they would like toimpress, Jutras answered, “Potter's Field,” most no-tably because it is visually perfect, served with areal rose encased in the ice cube in the glass.

After finishing with a second cocktail (Nutty, $15),I decide it's time to head home. I have concludedthat places like Sugar Monk are here to refresh andstimulate our faith and interest in New York. If youare looking for the same, Harlem and Sugar Monkis where you should go.

S

Sugar Monk Enchants with Cocktails and StyleEven the ice is beautiful at Sugar Monk

TNH Staff

ΜANHASSET – Herb & Olive Marketa has openedin Manhasset at 172 Plandome Road, offering topquality Greek products in a charming market-café setting, Newsday reported. Julia Petropo-ulos and her business partner, George Vatakis,have created a foodie’s dream of Greek cui-sine with imported extra virgin olive oils,preserves, and baked goods among themany items available, and a casual café inthe back featuring a mostly Greek menuwith options from other Mediterranean co-untries as well.

“Petropoulos, who grew up in the restau-rant business in Philadelphia, was passionateabout food from a young age,” Newsday reported,adding that “during a five-year-stint in Greece whereher husband had a job, she began the process of con-ception and, when the couple moved to Manhasset, shestarted building her dream.”

The market at the front of the shop offers groceries and ready-made foods, including sandwichesand salads to-go, as well as meats and cheeses “sliced to order,” Newsday reported, while the café atthe back features a rustic look where patrons can enjoy the dishes created by Chef Michael Giannakisin the Herb & Olive kitchen.

Giannakis was the opening chef for Syosset’s Platia in 2016, and previously held posts as executivechef for the New York Islanders-Barclay Center’s 40/40 Club, Citi Field, and New York University,Newsday reported adding that he also worked at Manhattan’s Avra and Rao’s.

Breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner are on the menu at Herb & Olive with classic Greek favorites,including horiatiki, spanakopita, tyropita, favas, loukanika, lamb chops, and octopus.

The wines available are from Greece, Italy, France, and Spain.Herb & Olive Marketa is located at 172 Plandome Road in Manhasset and open at 7 AM daily, until

9 PM Sunday-Wednesday, 10 PM Thursday, and 11 PM Friday and Saturday.

More information is available by phone: 516-439-5421.

Herb & Olive Marketa Now Open in Manhasset

Top

quality

Greek products

in a charming

market-café setting

In the illustrated menu

all cocktails

are separated according

to their theme and

divided into eight

different chapters


TNH Staff

oux, the largest 100% Greek soft drinksand juice company, is redefining theprospects of the Greek soft drink on acontinuous path of growth despite the

crisis and market downturn.During the recent years of the Greek economic

recession, the company doubled its turnover, whichin 2018 amounted to 34.5 million euros with a3.76% increase over the previous year, as well asmaintaining the long-term high in its profitability.

Since 1950, Loux has won the market with acomprehensive range of soft drinks and juices dis-tinguished for their quality and authentic recipes.The company’s priority since the beginning has beenutilizing high quality raw materials, Greek production,which is reflected in the unique taste of luxury prod-ucts. Developing a product representative of thefruits of Greece and using Greek human resourcesand talent, the company envisioned and achievedthe ideal combination of tradition and innovation. Itis worth noting that the company owns three ultra-modern facilities in the Peloponnese for the produc-tion and distribution of its products (Kefalovryso,Saravali, Patras) and the vertically integrated pro-duction of P.E.T. (Aigio). In 2008, it established specialexclusive partnerships with logistics centers in Atticaand since 2016 in Thessaloniki, with the aim ofmeeting the ever-increasing needs to reduce ship-ping costs and product delivery times.

Loux has a staff of 130 employees in Achaia,Athens, and Thessaloniki, complemented by an ex-

tensive network of up to 75,000 points of sale andsupported by more than 500 agents. Loux, rankinghuman resources and partners as valuable assets,has not only maintained its jobs over the pastdecade, but also increased them by 102%.

Today, the company's exports exceed 5% of itssales volume with notable sales in 27 countries. Atthe same time, it has focused its interest on themarket in the wider region of the Middle East, aswell as in northern and central Europe, and is re-viewing the implementation of a new action plan toexpand its reach in the near future.

In the last decade, it has invested €20 million in

equipment and facilities, using exclusively its ownfunds, with a recent investment of €6 million tocreate a new line. At the same time, the companyis already implementing an investment plan of €2million in mechanical equipment for the period2018-2019.

Loux has won the market with its establishedbrands offering a comprehensive range of softdrinks, which it enriched in 2008 with juices. InJune 2016 it released the pioneering line of bever-ages deluxe plus' n light, with 0% sugar, 100% nat-ural sweeteners, high vitamin C content in orangejuice and lemonade and 60% less calories.

At the same time, the company dynamically en-tered the iced tea market, launching the luxury plus'n light tea line, which follows the same philosophyas the plus 'n light formula.

Loux has won several awards, starting in 2008with the Diamonds of the Greek Economy award,distinguished for its exemplary business perform-ance. Its soft drinks and deluxe juices were featuredat the Creative Greece Awards 2018 with businessexcellence honors while shining for another year atthe Diamonds 2018 Awards in the list of healthiestgrowing companies in Greece. Loux continues as atop corporate brand in Greece at the historic Su-perbrands Corporate Greece 2018-2019 competi-tion and received a Certificate from Diamonds ofthe Greek Economy 2019. The innovative deluxeplus 'n light and deluxe plus 'n light tea series wonsilver at the Healthy Diet Awards 2020 in the LightProduct of the Year section and the Light BeverageProducts category.

The company is a founding Member of Ella-DikaMas initiative, and supports efforts promoting sport,culture, education, health, and opportunities for thenext generation. Loux also contributed to the mis-sion of Apostoli, the humanitarian arm of the Arch-diocese of Athens, by offering 50,000 meals to peo-ple in need, as well as working with numerouscharities, such as Smile of a Child, the National As-sociation for the Fight Against Juvenile Diabetes,the Breast Cancer Association Alma Zois, andELEPAP, among many others.

With innovation and high quality at the heart ofits business, Loux continues to thrive.

l

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Mina’s Now Openat MoMA P.S. 1 in Long Island City

Chef and cookbook author Eleni Saltas shared her recipe formelomakarona with The National Herald for this year’s Greek Food& Wine issue. She describes them as “aromatic cookies spiced withorange and cinnamon and spiked with whiskey, melomakarona (ormelos for short), really shine around the holidays.”

All You Can Greek by Eleni Saltas is available on Amazon.

Directions Begin with the syrup. In a pot, add the sugar and water and bring

to a boil for about 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in thehoney. Keep the syrup on low heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil and vegetable shortening

and beat together with a hand mixer until smooth. This should takeabout 10 minutes to get a smooth consistency. Then, while still mi-xing, add the sugar, orange juice, whiskey, cinnamon, honey, bakingpowder, baking soda, vanilla and eggs and mix until well combined.

Gradually fold in as much flour as needed until the dough is softbut not sticky.

Mold cookie dough into small rounds or ovals. Place each on co-okie sheet and repeat, keeping the same consistency of the shapesize for each one.

Place the first cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 17-20 minu-tes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Let the cookies coolon parchment paper or a cooling rack for 5 minutes.

Once your first batch of cookies has cooled, place the cookies(using a slotted spoon) in the syrup and soak them for about 10-20seconds. Be sure to do these in batches. Remove the cookies andplace them back on the parchment paper or cooling rack and sprinklewith chopped walnuts immediately while the cookies are still warmand sticky with syrup.

Repeat this process until all cookies have been baked, soaked inthe honey syrup, and dipped in walnuts.

Allow all the cookies to cool completely before serving. Note: The cookies can also be stored in airtight containers for up

to two weeks if kept in a cool place. You can also freeze the cookiesand serve later.

Eleni Saltas’ MelomakaronaIngredients

For the syrup: • 2 cups sugar• 1 cup water• 1 cup honey• 1/4 cup corn syrup

For the dough: • 1 cup vegetable oil• 1 cup vegetable shortening• 1 1/2 cups sugar• 1 1/2 cups orange juice• 2 shots of whiskey• 2 teaspoons cinnamon• 2 teaspoons honey• 2 teaspoons baking powder• 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons vanilla• 2 eggs, beaten• 7 to 8 cups flour h Yeoman

For the topping: • 2 cups walnuts, finely ground

Eleni Saltas’ Melomakarona Recipe

TNH Staff

BOSTON – Besides her work as a news anchor on WCVB-TVBoston’s NewsCenter 5, the area’s ABC affiliate, Maria Stephanosalso cooks authentic Greek food. On October 21, she interviewedNew England Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy before the teamtook on the New York Jets and served him some classic Greekfavorites including tyropita (cheese pie) and baklava for dessert,WCVB reported.

Stephanos told Van Noy, “you know what I did last night afterI was on the news at 11:30?… I cooked Greek food. Do you likeGreek food?”

Van Noy replied “I like anything.”After tasting the tyropita, he said, “this is really good,” and

then after answering a few questions from viewers, enjoyed thebaklava as well.

“The honey on this is amazing,” Van Noy said of the baklava.Stephanos noted, “and there’s a little hint of lemon, can you

taste it?” Van Noys said that he could indeed taste the tiny hint oflemon.

The Patriots went on to beat the Jets 33-0, so perhaps Greekfood will become Van Noys’ pregame ritual since he told Stepha-nos that he doesn’t really have any except “listening to slow jamsbefore a game,” WCVB reported.

News Anchor Maria StephanosShares Greek Food with Patriots Football Player

TNH Staff

ONG ISLAND CITY – Mina’s isnow open at the Museum of Mo-dern Art (MoMA) P.S. 1 located at22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Ave-

nue in Long Island City. Chef-partner MinaStone, half-Greek and half-Jewish, will be fe-eding artists, museum-goers, and staff, withcuisine influenced mostly by her Greekgrandmother as well as her father’s side ofthe family, Jewish from Cleveland, as NewYork Magazine’s Grub Street reported.

Stone began her culinary career as a pri-vate chef following fashion school, eventuallygiving up on dress design and working onfood full time, Grub Street reported, addingthat she established “a niche in the art worldby catering gallery dinners and as Urs Fisch-er’s in-studio cook” which led to her bookCooking for Artists and now her new role atMoMa P.S. 1.

“Her husband, artist Alex Eagleton, hasredesigned the space that previously housedM. Wells Dinette, replacing the school-desk-style communal tables with Corian-clad two-tops (‘I hate communal dining,’ says Stone)and enclosing the once-open kitchen (‘soit’s not noisy’),” Grub Street reported.

Eagleton “mixed sand into the white andpale-green paints to give the walls a vaguelystuccoed effect, a reference to both his andStone’s half-Greek heritage and to Stone’sculinary inspiration,” Grub Street reported.

The menu includes “the simple, seasonalhome-cooking that she learned from herGreek grandmother and that she deems lac-king in New York’s Greek-restaurant land-scape of diners on the low end and fancyfish joints at the other extreme,”Grub Street reported.

Peinirli, a type ofGreek cheese andegg bread, with itsboat-like shapeoften describedas a pizza boat,is one of theGreek-inspireditems onMina’s menu toenjoy. The Gre-eks of Pontosbrought the re-cipe with them toGreece in the forcedpopulation exchangefollowing the Treaty of La-

usanne. Many variations exist in terms oftoppings and Mina’s version is top-

ped with an egg, a greatoption for breakfast or

anytime as the menusays. Strapasada,

eggs scrambledwith tomatoesand Arahovafeta, served ontoast, is also onthe menu, asare a choice offour spreads

served withbread for a clas-

sic, yet modern,Greek meze. The len-

til soup is flavored withturmeric and lime, probably

not how Yiayia served fakes, while the brai-sed chicken with cinnamon and cloves re-calls Greek recipes which feature a touch ofthose spices in the sauce.

Portokalopita and olive oil cake are alsoon the menu for dessert.

“She’s sourcing a barrel-brined sheep’s-milk feta that she swears can ‘convert a fetahater’ and baking a tahini babka that nodsto her father’s side of the family, Jewish fromCleveland, but, she says, ‘feels very Greekto me,’” Grub Street reported, adding that“to drink, there’s everything from ouzo andthe iconic frappé iced coffee to turmeric lat-tes, kombucha, and natural wine.”

More information about Mina’s at MoMAP.S. 1 is available by phone: 718-440-4616

and online: http://www.minas.nyc/.For catering inquiries email:

[email protected].

l

New England Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noys enjoyedauthentic Greek food prepared by TV news anchor MariaStephanos.

Peinirli, a type of

Greek cheese and

egg bread, are among

the Greek-inspired

items on Mina’s menu

to enjoy

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By Eleni Sakellis and Matina Demelis

EW YORK – Seven celebrity chefsparticipated in the Loukoumi Founda-tion’s Mediterranean Tasting event atthe New York Athletic Club in Manhat-

tan on October 28. The event capped off a week ofevents celebrating the release of Inspiring StoriesThat Make A Difference by 75 young authors, thelatest book in the Loukoumi series by Nick Katsoris,founder and President of the Loukoumi Make A Dif-ference Foundation.

Proceeds from the event benefit the new pro-gram Loukoumi Feeds The Hungry in which Cele-brity Chef Maria Loi will cook with a different sch-ool each quarter, and then together they will bringthe food they cook to a local homeless shelter.

At the tasting event, the “Dream Team of Ch-efs” cooked up Mediterranean specialties atten-dees enjoyed buffet-style. From cold appetizersto Greek and Cypriot favorites including octopus,spanakopitakia, halloumi, Greek yogurt with honeyand koulourakia for dessert, attendees had a won-derful time, all for a good cause.

Katsoris gave the welcoming remarks notingthe events celebrating the release of InspiringStories during Make a Difference With LoukoumiWeek included the Loukoumi Good Deed Bus Tourof Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, the town wh-ich on September 11, 2001 took in the passengersof the diverted planes on that fateful day and in-spired the musical Come From Away. On October19, students from Gander Elementary School fol-

lowed in the footsteps of their parents and grand-parents, visiting many of the local locations fea-tured in Come From Away, doing good deeds ateach.

On October 21, the Loukoumi Foundation la-unched the new Loukoumi Make A Difference Fo-undation Treatment Room at St. Jude Children’sResearch Hospital. As part of St. Jude’sSTARR program, while patients arereceiving their treatments in theroom, reading instructors willcome in and help the chil-dren with their studiessince they often have toleave their schools formonths at a time toreceive care. The Lo-ukoumi Foundationroom is funded by thedonations of childrenwho make a caringcard for patients andalso donate $1 to fundthis project.

On October 22, the day ofthe release of Inspiring StoriesThat Make a Difference, all the youngauthors of the book and Loukoumi were invi-ted to attend a performance of Come From Awayon Broadway followed by a talkback with the cast.On October 26, the Loukoumi Good Deed Bus to-ured Manhattan with stops including a visit withChef Maria Loi cooking with children at a local

school, and then together bringing the food to alocal homeless shelter. A stop at the 9/11 TributeMuseum followed where bus riders and ComeFrom Away families wrote “Never Forget” cardsand letters to families who lost loved ones on9/11.

Katsoris then introduced the celebrity chefs,including Loi, who came up with the idea

for the tasting event, The Centerfor Discovery’s Department of

Nourishing Arts Chief ChefCesare Casella, Host of

Fresh to Frozen andBack Chef Diane Hen-dericks, Point-HubCEO and President ofthe Hellenic ChefsFederation Chef Mil-tos Karoubas, Execu-tive Chef of The She-

raton NY Times SquareChef Achilles Poliviou,

White House ExecutivePastry Chef and The Per-

fect Pie Chef Bill Yosses, andExecutive Chef of the New York

Athletic Club Chef Anthony Walton. Katsoris also presented the inaugural Pa-

rents of the Year Award to Mike Manatos and La-ura Evans Manatos who brought their three chil-dren, Sienna, Andrea, and Lucas, up to the stageto accept the award.

“When we started ten years ago we had 200

kids participating in one year. This year, we havereached 100,000 children across America parti-cipating in our programs,” Katsoris said of the Lo-ukoumi Foundation’s decade of making a diffe-rence.

He told The National Herald that he was veryproud “of what we have achieved. All this is to te-ach children how to make a difference in thisworld, not just one day but every day to becomethe next generation of philanthropists. These kidsare our future. Every adult should inspire a childto do good deeds. That is how we will change theworld."

Chef Maria Loi said, "when you see this wholeworld around you, what else do you want? Lou-koumi is in my heart. What we do is somethingdifferent. We will continue and the next event willbe even greater."

Chef Poliviou with roots in Cyprus was born inBritain but has lived in America for many years.He told TNH, "it is an honor for me to be a part ofthis event and support such an endeavor. With aname like Achilles, I have to support it."

Chef Karoubas traveled from Greece for theevent, which, he noted, "is of great significanceand so I decided to come. We are promoting Greekflavors and Mediterranean cuisine.”

Guests received a parting gift at the event, acopy of the charming children’s book, LoukoumiSaves a Park.

More information about the Loukoumi Foun-dation and the books in the Loukoumi series isavailable online: www.loukoumifoundation.org.

N

loukoumi Foundation’s MediterraneanTasting Event for a Good Cause

Proceeds

from the event

benefit the

new program

Loukoumi Feeds

The Hungry

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The American Coney Island is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, businesses in the downtown area (and perhaps in the entire city of Detroit) that is family-owned and operated The restaurant has remained at the same location for 102 years

The American Coney Island was founded in 1917 by Constantine "Gust" Keros

No wonder the American Coney Island Hot Doghas been such a tantalizing treat to the palate that's still hard to beat after all these years!

114 West Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226 ❙ (313) 961-7758 ❙ E-mail: [email protected]

www.americanconeyisland.com

Call (586) 219-0995

Send a Taste of Detroit

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One of the reasons for the great popularity of the American's Coney Islands is the high-quality, specially-seasoned, natural casing Hot Dogs that have always been served at the American.

Another reason is the Coney Island chili saucewhich is specially prepared using a secret recipe the Keros' developed decades ago.

And, of course, the topping of fine mustard and fresh, chopped sweet onions adds the final touch to the distinctive overall taste and flavor of the Coney Island Hot Dog which is served in a warm,steamed bun.


By Eleni Sakellis

OS ANGELES – Christina Xenos is a professional chef, co-okbook author, recipe developer, and journalist based in LosAngeles. Her company, Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services,offers full personal chef and

culinary services, cooking clas-ses, and Greek-themed pop-updining experiences, which havebeen featured in Food & Winemagazine among other mediaoutlets. Xenos took time out of herbusy schedule to talk to The Na-tional herald about food, her Greekheritage, and her upcoming pro-jects.

TNH: Did you always have aninterest in food and cooking?Christina Xenos: I’ve always lo-

ved to eat, and like most Greek chil-dren, I first learned how to cook bytrailing my yiayias around the kit-chen. My mom also used to take medown to the church every summerso I could help the women of thecommunity make all the spanakopita,tiropita, dolmathes, koulourakia, kou-rambiedes, and baklava for our annualfestival. I learned so much from them. I also always loved watchingJulia Child and Lidia Bastianich on television, so I was interested inall kinds of cooking from a young age.

TNH: Tell us a bit about your background, where in Greece isthe family from?CX: My family roots are from Crete, Milos, and Sparti. My grand-

parents ended up in Chicago after they immigrated to the UnitedStates. My parents met there, and I grew up in Dayton, Ohio. I gra-duated with a degree in journalism from Ohio University’s ScrippsSchool of Journalism and worked in publishing both as a book editorand as an online editor for a magazine for 15 years before I was ableto finally go to culinary school, and launch my personal chef business.I love that I have the background in journalism and publishing becauseit really helped when my writing partner and I started to plan andwrite Opa! The Healthy Greek Cookbook.

TNH: How long did it take to put together Sweet Greek Per-sonal Chef Services and what were some of the challengesyou faced?CX: When I was in culinary school one of my friends told me to

check out EatWith.com. It’s a website that offers culinary experiencesall over the world. I soon signed on as a chef with them and startedthrowing Greek-themed pop-up dinners for anyone who wanted tobuy a ticket. After hosting for a year, I decided that I really enjoyedcooking for people, so I started my business: Sweet Greek PersonalChef Services. I cook all types of cuisine for my regular clients on aweekly basis. I also cook for private parties and offer cooking classesboth in my clients’ homes and in larger spaces for bigger groups. It’s

really important for me that people eat well, which is why I like tocook for them. I also think it’s important that people know how andhave the confidence to cook for themselves, which is why I teachcooking classes both in Greek food and other types of cuisine. I still

enjoy my pop-ups the most, as they allow me tocook dishes from Greece that are delicious andseldom found in the United States.

As far as challenges, as with any business,dealing with a market that is constantly changingkeeps me on my toes. I work very closely withmy clients offering them a completely bespokeservice. I tailor everything I make for them to th-eir taste preferences and dietary needs. I’m con-stantly testing recipes to conform to their spe-cific nutritional requirements. Sometimespotential clients ask me for meal delivery. I findthat model of mass production very impersonal,as I would be making the same menu for manydifferent people with that model. That’s notthe type of service I want to offer and not whyI got into the business. So I really like to keepit personal and honor why I’m in this busi-ness.

TNH: Your Greek heritage clearly influen-ces your work, what are some of your fa-vorite family and food memories?

CX: Like all Greek families, all of our ce-lebrations revolved around food, massive spreads of it filling tablesfor everyone to eat. Outside of that, I think some of my favorite foodmemories are during the time I spent visiting my yiayia in Greece.We would always have meze and raki out for our family and friends

who would stop by early in the evening, and then more people wouldstop by and more food would appear and the whole parea wouldlaugh and talk into the night.

A much earlier memory was when I was really young and my pa-rents were having a big dinner party. My mom’s friend brought overa bowl of taramosalata. I had never tasted it before, and almost atethe whole bowl before my mother told me what it was made of.Knowing I was eating fish eggs really grossed me out at the time,but I kept eating it, and it’s still one of my favorite dishes to makeand eat today.

TNH: What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?CX: I love sharing traditional and contemporary Greek flavors and

dishes with people. In Los Angeles, we have a fraction of the Greekrestaurants that New York and Chicago have. So I love being a voicefor Greek food in the city. I was also invited as a member of Les Da-mes d’Escoffier to cook at the James Beard House with Chef ArgiroBarbarigou for a dinner featuring cuisine from the southern AegeanIslands. It was such an honor to work with her.

Overall, I find it extremely rewarding to work with my clients on apersonal basis. Whether they don’t have time to cook yet want toeat well, or have just had a baby and need hearty meals to sustain

l

Christina Xenos Talks to TNH about Food and Her Greek Heritage

Chef Christina Xenos graciously shared her spanakopita re-cipe with The National Herald. The recipe includes fresh herbsand real Greek feta cheese as well as tips to ensure your spa-

nakopita is not soggy. The recipe is also available online:https://mysweetgreek.com/recipes/spanakopita-greek-spinach-pie/.

Instructions1. Make the filling: 2. For fresh spinach: In a large pan, wilt the spinach – you will

likely have to work in batches – for about 4 minutes. Pour intoa colander or, better yet, a salad spinner to drain any excesswater. Roughly chop. If using frozen spinach, defrost spinachand squeeze out all excess moisture. Using a kitchen cloth ora cheese cloth helps.

3. Chop the scallions. In a large pan, saute them in 2 tbs. Kalamataolive oil for about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and combine.Cooking the scallions is optional. It will mellow out the flavor,so if you like a more sharp scallion flavor, omit this step andjust put the chopped scallions in a bowl. If you substitute onionsor leeks for scallions, you must cook them.

4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add the cheese, herbs,black pepper, 2 beaten eggs, and Cream of Wheat (optional).Mix well (I like to use my hands). The mix should be stableat this point. If it's watery add some more Cream of Wheat,and/or cheese. Set aside the filling.

1. Phyllo crust/assembling the pie: 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.3. Melt 1 stick of butter in a pan or in the microwave. If using

olive oil, pour out 1 /1/2 cup in a bowl.4. Make sure the box of phyllo is at room temperature. When

you're ready to use it, unwrap it so it is in one rectangular pile.5. Dip your pastry brush in the melted butter or extra virgin and

brush a 9 x 12-inch baking pan with butter or olive oil. Pick up

one leaf of phyllo and lay it in the pan. Brush phyllo with butter.Repeat layering the phyllo buttering each individual leaf. Layerabout 10-12 leaves on the bottom.

6. Add the filling on top of the phyllo leaves. Evenly distribute itacross the pan. Then start making your top crust by adding aleaf of phyllo, buttering it and adding another on top. Repeatthe process for about 15 leaves.

7. Make sure to butter your top piece of phyllo. Score the piewith your knife you should be able to divide the pie evenly into12 square pieces.

8. After you've scored it, beat the egg yolk with 1/2 tbs. water.Brush it over the top of the pie.

9. Bake pie until top is brown, about 45 minutes, to an hour.

NotesThe trick for good spanakopita is to make sure the filling is not

too soggy. Make sure you thoroughly drain your spinach. Scoringyour spanakopita after you've assembled it (prior to baking it)vents the pie, which also helps it from getting soggy.

You can use olive oil instead of butter (or a mix) to brush on thephyllo. Make a few spanakopitas at a time and freeze them toeasily bake off at a later time. All you have to do is make the pieup until you finish assembling it. Then wrap it in plastic wrap andfreeze it. Once you are ready to bake it, take it out of the freezer,apply the egg wash on the top, and pop it into the oven and bakedirectly from frozen. You don't need to defrost it or anything, youjust have to cook it for a bit longer.

Christina XenosShares Her Spanakopita Recipe with TNH

Spanakopita, Greek Spinach Pie with Feta• 2 pounds fresh or frozen spinach• 3 bunches scallions• 3/4 pound (12 oz.) feta cheese• 8 oz. cream cheese (optional)• 1-2 cups shredded fefalotiri, or another shredded hard

salty cheese like pecorino romano• Assorted chopped fresh herbs (1/3 cup each of chopped

dill, mint and flat leaf parsley)• 2 tablespoons Cream of Wheat or Farina (optional)• 2 eggs beaten, plus 1 egg yolk for egg wash• 1 box phyllo dough (1 pound)• 1 to 1-1/2 sticks butter, or 1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

for brushing phyllo• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil• black pepper (a few shakes)

I love sharing traditional

and contemporary Greek flavors

and dishes with people.

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WE OFFER AN EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS AT COMPETITIVE PRICES

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them during the first few months after, or have autoimmune disordersor cancer, it’s really humbling to provide people with this service.

TNH: What are some of your favorite recipes to cook at homeand/or for your clients?CX: I’m very simple when I’m cooking for myself, which is essen-

tially how Greek cuisine is. My husband and I walk down to our localfarmers market in Hollywood every Sunday to shop all the fresh pro-duce. I always pick up a few varieties of vegetables, and then pick upsome fish from our fishmonger. We always have a nice dinner togetheron Sundays. Then the rest of the week I’m usually recipe developingand testing, so I’m always making something different. However,some of my favorite dishes to make both for us and my clients arekolokithokeftedes, chicken kapama, spanakopita, keftedes, youvetsi,and avgolemono soup, which is probably why all those recipes are inthe cookbook. When I’m having people over, I also love marinatinglamb and chicken and cooking it on our rotisserie.

TNH: Your cookbook was published in 2017, what was theexperience like working on it from idea to publication?CX: When my co-author Theo Stephan and I started working on

Opa! The Healthy Greek Cookbook, we knew we wanted to write acookbook that reflected how people approach Greek food today,which has evolved over the years. We wanted to write a book thathonored, but was a little different than all the traditional Greek cook-books we have in our library. So while there are some very traditionalrecipes for pastitsio, spanakopita, and roasted leg of lamb, we alsooffer new approaches to dishes with recipes for avocado skordalia,feta crab cakes, and swordfish souvlaki that embody the spirit ofGreek cooking and ingredients with a contemporary taste.

TNH: Are there any upcoming projects you are working onthat you would like to share with TNH's readers?CX: I’m working on taking my cooking classes and pop-up dinners

on the road. I’m from Ohio and my husband is from New York, soI’m hoping to have an event or two when we’re visiting over the ho-lidays this year. Other than that, I’m working on filming more cookingvideos for my Instagram TV (IGTV) and YouTube channels, and reallyworking on giving people the confidence and knowledge to cookGreek food.

TNH: Is there another cookbook in the works? CX: I’ve been fortunate enough to travel back to Greece for large

blocks of time for the last few years and I’m constantly researchingand logging recipes. This year, we were able to travel to Thessaloniki,Milos, and Sifnos. I collected inspiration and recipes from everywhereand keep adding the recipes to my arsenal. So, yes, I have a newbook outlined, and am working on finding the right publisher for it.

I was also fortunate enough to visit the saffron cooperative in Ko-zani this year to talk with the team there for a small independent co-okbook project and magazine feature that I’m working on with myfriend Emily Sandor. Greece is the third largest producer of saffronin the world, and the quality and integrity of the saffron from Greeceis much better (in most cases) than what you can source outside ofit. We’re hoping that will be ready to go by early next year.

More information about Christina Xenos is available online:http://xtinax.com/ and about My Sweet Greek: https://mysweet-

greek.com/.

Introducing Yanni’s Olive Grove and its Innovative Olive Food Products

By Sofia Prodromou

Yanni’s Olive Grove is a family company located in Nea Te-nedos, Chalkidiki, Greece, producing early harvest Extra VirginOlive Oil and olive food products from Chalkidiki olive tree va-rieties.

The company is on the list of the Top 100 (olive oil producing)Societies of the world and has garnered over 46 top internationalquality and high polyphenol awards.

HARVEST AND PROCESSING:According to the instructions of the International Olive Oil

Council (IOOC), the harvest is performed only by hand and thefruits are transported within a few hours of picking in ventilatedplastic crates to the separator. They are then sorted and imme-diately transported either to the oil mill or to the processing lo-cation if they are to be olive snacks.

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil extraction process takes place at alow temperature and the storage is in zero oxygen and controlledtemperature conditions. The bottling is done with nitrogen, en-suring maximum quality.

Yanni’s Olive Grove produces a series of innovative olivesnack which consists of Greek olives mixed with dried fruits.These products were recently launched in the North Americamarket and are distinguished by a natural sweet taste combinedwith the ultimate healthiness because of the absence of sugar,preservatives, and salt. It is also liquid free and with its highenergy value but low calorie count from fat, it has a shelf-life of12 months. It is ideal for diabetics, vegans, and people withheart disease.

PRACTICES AND BELIEFS:The fundamental belief of Yanni’s Olive Grove is their dedi-

cation to the creation of the highest quality olive food products,which is ensured by the continuous improvement of the pro-duction process, which is under the care of the renowned Ame-rican Farm School.

Yanni’s produces the Protected Designation of Origin Chal-kidiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is the only Greek Extra VirginOlive Oil certified as early harvest.

Production entails a green integrated management system,a unique high-tech cultivation system named Gaia Sense whichwas applied for the first time in Europe to Yanni’s olive grovesas a pilot olive tree cultivator and with a unique QR Code trace-ability system.

The company achieves maximum environmental protectionthrough packaging, recycling, and waste management in com-bination with the production of products of the highest productquality.

Yanni’s Olive Grove supports pioneering scientific researchon the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive on humans. The scientistsevaluate the effects of different kinds of Extra Virgin Olive Oilon amnesic patients diagnosed with MCI, which leads to Alzh-eimer’s disease, in collaboration with Prof. M. Tsolaki (AlzheimerHellas Association and the 1st Department of Neurology, AHEPAGeneral Hospital Medical School, Aristotle University), Prof. A.Pantazaki and E. Tzekaki M.Sc. (Laboratory of Biochemistry,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Prof. P. Magiatis (De-partment of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistryof National and Kapodistrian University of Athens).

The final Extra Virgin Olive Oil product based on this study’sresults is named YANNI’S MIC-OIL and will be launched in Ja-nuary 2020.

For more information visit www.yannisolivegrove.gr.Sofia Prodromou, BS in Food Chemistry and Oenology

at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, represents the Prodromou Family,

owner of Yanni’s Olive Grove Company

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ntrepreneurship is avariety of human cre-ativity, as much en-gendered by imagina-

tion as is art and music. That iswhy it is not surprising that twoof the three principals of GreekWine Asia, Go Nagano and hiswife Christina Travlopoulou, aredistinguished classical guitarists.Along with Maria Tzanidi, who joi-ned them after a career in ban-king, all three know the importan-ce of timing – the tremendousprogress made by Greek winemakers told them the time hadcome to acquaint Asian winemarkets with the finest and mostunique Greek wines.

To the company mix Tzanidibrings her passion for wines andprior knowledge of the industryand Nagano, a sake sommelierwho has become a Greek wineexpert, contributes his expe-rience as an acclaimed sushichef and restaurateur. Travlopo-ulou’s role is more spiritual andartistic than technical, and thecompany’s launch has been ser-ved well by her energy and intui-tion.

Greek Wi-nes Asia emer-ged from di-scussions thatled to an idea:Greek pro-ducts haveonly a smallpresence inJapan but theright peoplecould pave apath for Greekmerchants andalso streng-then culturalties betweenthe two coun-tries. Nagano,as a nativewho fell in lovewith Greecewas the idealperson toknock on Ja-pan’s door.

“That wasthe theoreticalpart of theplan,” said Tza-nidi. Travlopou-lou added that“the progress Greek winemakershave made in the technical andcommercial contexts” – the threeespecially admire the new gene-ration of wine makers – “have re-ached such a high level of qualitythat we cannot allow their effortsto be in vain when there are co-untries like Japan that have sucha great appreciation and thirst forwine for places like France, Italy,Australia. Greek wine has rea-ched a level of quality and quan-tity that it can satisfy this de-mand. We must introduce ourwine to them.”

Efforts begun decades agoare bearing fruit, literally and fi-guratively, in excellent varietiesthat have been developed andcultivated.

Until recently they were notwell known – but Greek produ-cers made breakthroughs in theWest, and Greek Wine Asia be-lieves that in the East interest inGreek wines can be intertwinedwith the fascination with HellenicCivilization that exists in Asia,especially in Japan and China.

“We have both wines to shareand stories to tell,” said Travlo-poulou. “We believe that oncethey taste our wines – we alsowill tell them the fascinating storyof ancient and modern Greeceand its four-thousand year historyof wine cultivation – they will bewon over. They love the videoswe bring them about the indivi-dual wineries.”

With frequent travels, the theyare now focused on both puttingdown roots in Japan and expan-ding their relationships withGreek wine makers – who arevery excited about the idea – andNagano has been meeting Japa-nese importers who are intriguedabout opening up to a new por-tion of the wine world.

THE WINES

Tzanidi and Travlopoulou saidthey are proceeding steadily byseeking out the ‘best of the best’in Greece, wine from producerswho respect the Earth and thevarieties it brings forth in Greecethat will draw the attention of theJapanese.

Travlopoulou believes theirunique backgrounds and their di-ligence will tell. She emphasizedthat “the Japanese are very se-lective, and they are coming to

know they can trust us to directthem to the best wines in Gre-ece. While they do not have theprestige of products from Franceand Italy, the quality is high andtheir characteristics desirable.They are open to it. They say ‘per-suade us to buy the Greek wines’and that is the challenge and op-portunity for Greek Wines Asia.”

THE PEOPLE

Maria, who has roots in AsiaMinor, was slowly drawn to thewine industry. “I was a universitystudent when some of the indi-viduals and companies were ta-king their first steps, and I atten-ded some wine seminars.”

Attending events, taking clas-ses with the London-based Wineand Spirit Educational Trust, andvisiting many wineries, her en-deavor went beyond a hobby anda passion – she also worked fora company selling wine-relatedaccessories – but she is also mo-tivated by a desire to make a con-tribution to Greece’s economicgrowth.

Nagano’s nostalgia for his co-untry of origin fired his devotionto bringing Japanese gastronomyto his adoptive country, Greece,principally through the successof his restaurant Gaku Sushi nearSyntagma Square.

After becoming a sake som-melier, he also developed a tastefor Greek wines and thought “Ishould also advance my kno-wledge of Greek wines,” whichhe introduced on Gako’s winelist. Being a living bridge betweenthe two countries, he then thou-ght “why don’t we bring Greekwine to Japan” – and beyond.

Nagano and Travlopoulou areliving cultural bridges too. Theymet at the Austin Music Festivalwhen she was in London anddrew closer when both attendedJulliard.

“Ah, but what also brought ustogether was our love of sushiand gastronomy food in general,which we explored together inManhattan – and that continueswith our Greek wines endeavor,”she said. “And just as we studiedand practiced and performed to-gether, so are we now togetherin life” – raising their daughtertoo, in Athens.

Visit their company atwww.greekwinesasia.com.

E


TNH Staff

Having struggled along with most Greeks through a 9 ½-year-long economic and austeritycrisis that saw spending even for essentials such as food slow dramatically at its height, Greece’sprized canned peach producers now have to deal with American tariffs as high as 25 percent.

That could cut deep into their business, they told the news agency Reuters in a feature on theirplight as they, like other agricultural companies and businesses, are caught in a tug-o’-war betweenthe United States and the European Union.

Trump’s tariffs will hit goods ranging from Scotch whiskey to Italian cheeses, French winesand the mouth-watering Greek peach. Greece is the world's biggest exporter of tinned peacheswith about 20 percent of its 250,000-ton annual production sent to the American market whichgobbles it up.

The import levy had been 18 percent but Trump went hard after the EU as part of World TradeOrganization-backed countermeasures to subsidies for the airplane manufacturer Airbus, thecompetitor to the U.S.’ Boeing. The hikes will increase the total import duty to the United Statesto 43%.

"Trump would do well to behave himself and let us get to work so we can have a livelihood,"said peach farmer Tasos Halkidis. "We don't want this tariff business,” he told the news agency.

Much of the peaches come from the plain straddling the regions of Imathia and Pella in centralMacedonia and bloom in the spring, creating a sea of peaches on the land.

Kostas Apostolou, head of the Greek Canners Association, said the dispute is threatening theirlivelihood and will potentially shut them out of their biggest market. "Why are they punishing us?"Apostolou told Reuters.

The increase in tariffs came into effect on Oct. 18, just as Greeks readied to ship 50 million tinsto U.S. markets that includes not just supermarkets but catering companies that supply hospitals,schools, and the military, many of whom have either canceled orders or have said they will not beprepared to pay for any tariff increase, producers said.

"Suddenly there was this (trade) war...We could never imagine that this could affect our jobshere in this small area," Apostolou said, the Greek companies finding themselves with an oversupplythey can’t sell because of what Trump ordered.

The Greek companies have tailored their products, right down to 3-kilogram (6.61 pound) tins,specifically for the United States and they can’t be sold in the EU, the rest of Europe, Asia, or LatinAmerica where the preferred container is a kilo (2.2 pounds.)

The Canners Association and other industry experts say the income that will be lost from theU.S. market is about $50 million, small on a global scale but a big whack for one of Greece’s oth-erwise poorest regions where unemployment is 20 percent, said the report by Lefteris Papadimasand Vassilis Triantafyllou.

Now they are anxious that the unsold goods will collapse prices and hurt them even more,stuck with canned peaches they can’t unload, and devastate a district where there are millions ofpeach trees on some 50,000 acres housing 10,000 small farms and 10,000 workers.

"It's a shock," says Eleftherios Saitis, especially with Greek agricultural goods coming backfrom EU sanctions on Russia five years ago that took another bite. Trump, they said, could be theone who buries them. "With the tariffs from the United States, it will be a very big hit, it will be acatastrophe," said Halkidis.

Trump’s TariffsNot Peachy for Greek Fruit Producers

Greek Wines Asia A Delicious Cultural Bridge

Go Nagano and Maria Tzanidi


By Eleni Sakellis

o-founders Steven Ioannou and his No-unό (Godfather) John Belesis of Nou-nόs Creamery, the brand known for ha-ving the only FDA approved cheeseclo-

th strained Greek yogurt in the U.S., recently anno-unced a partnership with Loumidis Foods to expandits supply into foodservices such as restaurants andcafes across the Northeast as well as other partsof the United States and Canada through distribu-tors and direct pick up.

Nounόs Creamery will be providing LoumidisFoods’ customers a variety of its small batch, hand-crafted yogurts including a 10LB 10% milk fat plain,a 10LB 5% milk fat plain and its 10LB 5% milkfatvanilla. Each of these offerings are perfectly craftedto be included in delicious entrees, desserts, andsauces. Belesis and Ioannou spoke to The NationalHerald about the company and about their heri-tage.

TNH: Tell us a bit about your background –where in Greece is the family from?JB/SI: We are born and raised New Yorkers. But

we were lucky enough to spend our summers inour families’ village which is located in Laconia cal-led Kremasti, it's a small village that is known forits quality dairy products.

TNH: Were you always interested in foodand/or going into the food industry?JB/SI: Yes, we were. Our families have always

been involved in the food industry but more on theretail side. Growing up in a Greek family our livesrevolved around it.

TNH: What has been the most challengingaspect of founding Nounόs?JB/SI: Making yogurt at home is very different

than making yogurt on an industrial scale, and mo-ving from making 300 cases a week to making10,000 is also very different. So scaling up whilestill having to meet demand was the hardest part.We had to learn on the fly and on our own.

TNH: What has been the most rewardingaspect?JB/SI: When we started it was just the two of

us and today we employ more than 20 people. Westarted with five stores and now you can find ourproducts in over 2000 retailers nationwide. It's veryrewarding to see that growth before our eyes, but

the most rewarding part is seeing how proud ourparents are that we were able to achieve this onour own.

TNH: How did your family react when you de-cided to go into the Greek yogurt business?JB/SI: At first they thought it was a great idea.

But after a few months they became worried beca-use we were working extremely long hours andhad little to show for it. They did not understandwhat it was like to run a company for growth insteadof profit. But they became believers over time!

TNH: How did you decide on where to baseyour company?

JB/SI: We grew up on Long Island and still livedthere when we started, it was the most strategiclocation at the time for us. It was a wise decisionbecause we are minutes away from one of the lar-gest markets in the world.

TNH: How did the partnership with LoumidisFoods come about?JB/SI: We have an amazing foodservice chee-

secloth strained 10% milkfat yogurt which is thefirst of its kind in the U.S. market. Being that it is apremium product, we wanted to team up with a di-stributor that appreciates high quality, and we knewLoumidis was the right partner to do that. They havethe best reputation in the business and we are ex-tremely excited to have partnered with them.

TNH: What are your favorite Nounόs flavors?JB/SI: Nothing better than a plain yogurt, with a

little bit of sugar on top.

TNH: Are there any cherished memories offood and family you would like to share withTNH's readers?JB/SI: When we began producing yogurt our

factory had a small kitchen in the break room foremployees to have lunch, well almost every dayeither my uncle George or my Grandmother wouldrace over to try and claim it for the day, they wouldfight with each other on who got to cook for every-body and it was the funniest thing. We have thesehuge elaborate lunches even to this day.

More information about Nounόs Creameryis available online: nounoscreamery.com.

C

Nounόs’ Co-Founders Talk to TNH about the Company and Their Greek Heritage

The brand known for having the only FDA

approved cheesecloth strained Greek yogurt

in the U.S., recently announced

a partnership with Loumidis Foods

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NOVEMBER 23, 2019 - The National Herald€¦ · 4NOVEMBER 23, 2019 Gree k FOOD & WINE 2019 THE NATIONAL HERALD By Christos Sourligas am nothing without my Greek mother. It’s the