From the Vault: Greek Food

Another holiday weekend is upon us: Passover has begun, and Easter occurs this weekend.  Easter is very important in Astoria, which is home to one of the largest Greek populations outside of Greece itself.  This year, the Orthodox and Anglican Easters coincide, which will make the neighborhood especially festive this weekend.  Kids in new clothes will hop with baskets across lawns, seeking eggs in pastel shades from Anglican households or deepest red from Orthodox households.  Stores are selling out of every kind of candy from chocolate bunnies to jelly beans.  New hats and pastel pinstripes will walk side-by-side with flowing black robes, as Saints are accompanied with due solemnity down streets.

In honor of Greek culture -- especially its vibrant cuisine -- here are two pieces I wrote last year for Slashfood: one about Greek Easter Bread, and one about Greek groceries.  Enjoy them with a frothy frappe, a glass of woodsy retsina or an icy shot of ouzo -- and  Opa!