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My big fat Greek Easter!
When the lamb has finished roasting a crowd often gathers around the guys who are doing the butchering. The spoils are the crispy pieces of outer skin which have been basted with the oil, lemon and herb marinade for the past 5 hours and the moist, delicious pieces of lamb that fall from the bones as the lamb is being cut up for dinner. So many fond childhood memories flood me during this time as my cousin wields my grandfather’s original cleaver. We will always remember and cherish the things you taught us Papou!
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My big fat Greek Easter
Although the roast lamb is the main attraction, for many of us the side dishes are just as important. When they are homemade, all the better! This year we are enjoying a typical Greek salad with all the trimmings, Yiayia’s recipe for green beans, roasted potatoes, spanakotyropita (spinach and cheese pie), tyropita (cheese pie), and of course tsoureki (Greek sweet bread). My mother’s recipe for tsoureki is quite unique, as she does not use the traditional mahlepi for its seasoning, but rather anise. It is an all day process which requires lots of kneading, two risings (proofing) of the dough, and braiding the dough before baking. The result is an airy, sweetness that is greatly anticipated and hugely appreciated.
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My big fat Greek Easter!
While the lamb is roasting, we enjoy some mezze ( hors d’ oeuvres). This is a power eating day and not for the faint of stomach! Today we have tabouli, skordalia (garlic spread), olives, taramasalata, pita bread, feta cheese, and other delicacies. The taramasalata is homemade this year. Fish roe, grated onions, lemon juice, bread, water and lots of oil. It is a labor of love but so worth the extra work.
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My big fat Greek Easter!
The day begins early for the men of the family who rise at eight am to prepare the whole spring lamb to be barbecued al fresco on a spit. Our family has been celebrating Easter this old country way for as far back as I can remember. When my grandfather did it the lamb was skewered on a long wooden pole over a pit in the yard filled with charcoal and wood. First the lamb is spiked with pieces of garlic all over its body and sprinkled inside and out with salt and pepper. Several halved lemons are trussed into the interior of the belly and the lamb is attached to the spit. The lamb was then tended to and turned by hand for 5-6 hours while being basted with a mixture of lemon, olive oil, herbs and spices. Nowadays we use a commercial grade barbecue pit, with a motorized engine that turns the spit for us! Modern convenience does not change the process of preparation though.
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My big fat Greek Easter!
Today I will post my family’s celebration of Easter with all the trimmings. Enjoy!

Above, the Easter eggs which are always dyed red to symbolize the blood that Christ shed for humanity. Before our Easter dinner the eggs are cracked between each two persons while saying ” Xristos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!” This literally translates to “Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!” The cracking of the eggs symbolizes Christ’s breaking forth from the tomb. The reason we celebrate Easter!
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Cherry Blossom Time in Washington, D.C.
Spring has sprung all over the country, but nowhere more beautifully than in my new hometown of Washington, DC! We took the ten minute drive into the district today to view the fantastic blossoms that were the gift of the Japanese people to the U.S. 100 years ago. Their beauty is fleeting in this unseasonably warm weather, so come see them ASAP. You will not be disappointed!
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Great Food in Old Town Alexandria
Let me preface this review of Taverna Cretekou on King Street in Old Town, Alexandria by saying that I am of Greek descent, so it is pretty near impossible for a Greek restaurant not on the Mediterranean to please me. The ones that have like Molyvos in NYC, and Kellari in DC, and the now closed, George’s in Bethesda, are either totally authentic or upscale with a certain chef’s license on their authenticity. I want to like Taverna Cretekou because the owners are nice people and it is a taste of my childhood and very nearby. I do like the decor, and the fact that they bring in live entertainment on certain nights. On a recent visit, the lamb shank special was the largest I’ve ever seen in a restaurant; tender, falling off the bone and swathed in a very delicious avgolemono sauce. Yasou! Likewise, the combination platter ( moussaka, pastitsio, dolmathes, and spanikopita)was very well prepared and sported some of the same egg-lemon sauce. Yasou! The appetizer Imam Biyaldi was correctly prepared and delicious. Yasou! Taverna Cretekou could impress more if they would not dumb down the rest of their dishes for western tastes, especially the classics like tadziki, taramosalata, the pites, the calamari and others. At least they haven’t fallen into the tomato sauce trap, though. Sigh…..where’s my yiayia when I need her!

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Great food in Old Town Alexandria
Vermillion is red, but not red hot. This quaint little Old Town spot has a lot going for it. Its popularity cannot be questioned, even POTUS dines here on special occasions. Chef Chittum does an exceptional job with several of the more complex dishes like the rockfish, the lobster tortellini, the jerusalem artichoke soup. He clearly understands flavors. Where he fell short on my recent visit was with the simplest seasoning…..salt. Oysters fried to perfection but lacking the very brine they grow in. Potatoes confit prepared so similarly to the Jaques Pepin Fondantes (minus the rosemary) I am so fond of, also lacking seasoning. And the triggerfish special, aka fluke, overly salted on my slightly burnt panko crust. What’s up with that?

Vermillion is noisy..no way around that with the bar in such close proximity to the dining room; I don’t mind that. I found the booths to be somewhat uncomfortable and very isolating; I do mind that. If a restaurant is noisy I love to be in on it. If you are trying to sell me on Valentine’s Day intimacy, keep the decibels down….
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Great food in Old Town Alexandria
When you visit Columbia Firehouse on St. Asaph Street in wonderful Old Town do expect to have fun. Have fun with the chef’s playful bar menu offerings. Have fun with the mixologists interesting cocktails. Have fun with the people at the next table…..oops… Is that supposed to be fun? Yes, dear foodie, it is a good thing when fellow diners tell you about what they are enjoying. It is a good thing when a place makes you feel so relaxed that you feel ok commenting on your neighbor table’s conversation. It is a good thing when you visit a restaurant four times and don’t get turned away at the door (all on Friday and Saturday by the way) because the host staff tries hard to find a place for you. And it is a GREAT thing when you cannot find a bad dish on the menu! That being said, here are my standouts: house made corn dogs, steak tartare tacos and steak tartare, Reuben egg roll, Bison short ribs, cookies and confections (the dessert a la hostess) wink, wink 😉
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Good food in Old Town Alexandria
Well, I couch this under great food because it could be great…with some work…what do you get when you cross a chef who knows how to cook meat with a great beer list and a restaurant with a games area….a gastropub… That is what Light Horse restaurant could be…but isn’t. Because the owners haven’t recognized their chef’s gift…..understanding proteins, flavor profiles, and guilty pleasures. The good: fried Brussels sprouts, bistro filet, pulled pork, hot chocolate and cookies…the bad: braised (not) fennel and camembert sauce appetizer, steak tartare with the purple potato fries…the ugly: the sauce on the filet, the cabbage and mole ( too much), the missing bread basket, decor. Little work…lotsa potential!
Update on the Light Horse in Old Town……
We recently returned again (it has been several actually) to this Old Town favorite of ours. The menu has been revamped showcasing only the chefs strong suits! We loved the smoked and sauced chicken wings, brussels sprouts, hamburgers and hand cut fries. Our deviled egg app was a topic of conversation for hours as we tried to ply the recipe from our waitress! Hard boiled eggs are peeled and soaked in soy until they color slightly. The yolk is mixed with a miso paste and they are topped with a thin slice of pepper and siracha. Delicious!
Our waitress was knowledgable about the food and alcohol..she helped me find a new beer I loved!
There will be many happy and hungry returns!
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