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Letter to the editor

An exotic menu for 5,000 guests

For a taste of the Mediterranean, head to the St. Nicholas Greek Festival this weekend.

By TERRI BRYCE REEVES, Times Correspondent
Published October 26, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS - Next time you feel stressed about throwing a dinner party, think about Niki Sisois and her team of volunteers.

This week, they're expecting 5,000 guests. They've stocked up on 800 pounds of chicken, lamb and ground beef. Everything on the menu - from the Greek salad to the honey-laden pastries - is home-cooked.

It's enough to give most a big, fat Greek headache.

But there's a secret to getting through it. The head chef says they've been smiling the whole time.

"It's a big job and requires lots of energy, but it's fun," Sisois said. "We work hard and laugh a lot."

The women, members of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, have spent countless hours preparing for the annual Greek festival that runs today through Sunday. The Mediterranean-style celebration takes place at the St. Nicholas Community Center at 348 N Pinellas Ave., just a couple of blocks north of the cathedral.

Most people come for the food, including Greek pastries, but they stay for the music and dancing, door prizes and children's activities.

There will be live entertainment by Peter Lambropoulos and his band, along with the Levendia Dancers of the St. Nicholas Cathedral. The dance group, made up of children and adults, will dance in native costumes representing a variety of Greek subcultures.

Church tours, vendors selling Greek goods and inflatables for children are all part of the event. Visions of Greece, picturesque videos of the Greek isles, will be shown.

A silent auction features themed gift baskets. Door prizes include cameras, televisions, DVD players and two travel gift certificates valued at $800. Tickets for the prizes are $5 each or 6 for $25.

The church's chapter of Philoptochos sponsors the event each year. Philoptochos means "friends of the poor," and proceeds from the event will be used to help Tarpon Springs residents with rent, utility bills and other needs. The chapter feeds the homeless every Monday.

Last year's festival raised about $80,000.

Sisois, 58, said she is using old family recipes to create traditional Greek dishes such as pastitsio (Greek lasagna), moussaka (an eggplant dish) spanakopita (spinach pie), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and loukoumades (fried pastries).

The treats are even better when washed down with Greek iced coffee, beer, wine or ouzo.

By the day's end, you may even catch yourself cheering "opa!"

If you go

Go Greek

What: The annual St. Nicholas Greek Festival features Greek food, music, dance and door prizes.

When: The festival is from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Church tours will be given from 1 to 5 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Where: St. Nicholas Community Center, 348 N Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs.

Admission: $2; children 12 and under free; food and beverages extra.

For more information: Call Costas Sisois at (727) 858-2630.

[Last modified October 25, 2007, 22:14:39]