Recipe Club of St Pauls Church - The Complete Book of Greek Cooking: The Recipe Club of St. Pauls Orthodox Cathedral

Thirty years ago, a group of women from Saint Paus Church decided to put together a Greek cookbook to preserve some of the traditional recipes and at the same time raise money for their church. They called themselves the Recipe Club. That first book had all the old family recipes, tested and updated and presented in a very straightforward manner. The book became a bestseller; it was so successful that a second book was written, this one including more modern techniques, such as use of a food processor, as well as carefully tested and updated recipes. That book, too, became a bestseller, proving that Greek cuisine was popular even with non-Greeks. This book presents the best recipes from the previous two, both now unavailable.

Hearty, delicious home-style Greek cooking has wide appeal. It is based on wholesome ingredients, with the emphasis on fresh vegetables, olive oil, and other natural foods. The aim of this book is to present a wide array of Greek foods. Since most of us move at a hectic pace, many recipes are included that can successfully be prepared ahead, frozen, and reheated. Whenever possible, quicker cooking preparations replace some of the more time-consuming techniques. Many of the recipes have been streamlined and simplified, and, in the dessert section in particular, calories have been trimmed.

Through the years, the Recipe Club has actively promoted Greek cooking through many demonstrations and lectures. Club members provide the delicious pastries sold at church festivals. Recently the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral. Nevertheless, the original reason for writing a cookbook has remained the same: to help our beloved parish of Saint Pauls in Hempstead, New York. All the royalties from our books have gone to the church, as will the earnings from this one. We believe that this volume will once again become the definitive book that correctly presents the wonderful recipes of Greece.

With these thoughts in mind, we offer our reader kalli orexi, meaning good appetite! Katherine R. Boulukos T HE R ECIPE C LUB OF S AINT P AUL S G REEK O RTHODOX C ATHEDRAL

Katherine R. Boulukos, Chairperson
Tina Barbatsuly	Mary Mormanis
Lydia S. Baris	Helen Pappas
Nina Bendo	Athena Philippides
Sandy Cidis	Polidora C. Prieston
Carol Efthimiou	Maria Prois
Dede Yale Hirsch	Irene Skeados
Theodora Lourekas	Epiphany Touris
Helen Manis Milukas	Ethel Wiley

The Recipe Club of Saint Pauls Cathedral would like to acknowledge the help of the past club members who contributed to our three books. Greek customs and traditions remain an important part of modern life, whether one is in the homeland or has been transplanted to places around the world. Greek customs and traditions remain an important part of modern life, whether one is in the homeland or has been transplanted to places around the world.

Second-, third-, and fourth-generation ethnic Greeks renew the bond to these traditions and keep them alive in their families, as do many who intermarry. Religion plays a major role in the life of a Greek, beginning at the time of birth. Food is tied to religion, as it is in most cultures, since specific foods are served at key religious observances through the year. With the birth of a baby, rich desserts are served to all who come to pay their respects. A newborn is first permitted to attend church forty days after its birth. At that time, the priest brings the child before the holy altar and offers special prayers and blessings.

The babys baptism is held sometime after that, at no specific time, but generally after the child has reached three or four months of age. The baptism is the first important religious event for the child. At that time, three Holy Sacraments are administered: Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Communion. Baptism is the triple immersion of the baby in water. Chrismation is the anointing of the child with holy oil so he may be strengthened and grow up to become a Christian. Holy Communion is the symbolic partaking of the body and soul of Christ.

The child is given a Christian name, usually one of the many saints and martyrs of the church. The child is anointed with oil, as were the kings upon their coronation, symbolizing that he, too, is entering a new kingdom, the Kingdom of God. The oil symbolically prevents the devil from grasping the child as he forgoes all evil and adopts Christianity. A tiny lock of the childs hair is snipped off by the priest. This symbolizes the childs first donation to the church: he is giving something of himself. The babys clothes are exchanged for all new ones, all white, a symbol of purity.

The baby is given a gold cross by his godparent, as well as the baptismal clothes. At the end of the service, the child is returned by the godparent to the parents, who in turn promise to raise the child in the Orthodox church. The godparent, called a koubaro or koubara, then passes out to the guests koufeta, white Jordan almonds, which symbolize a wish for nothing but sweetness in their lives. Since the child is named after a saint or martyr of the church, he should celebrate his name day. In Greece, people celebrate name days instead of birthdays; gifts are given, festive meals and desserts are prepared, and special preparations are made for an open house. Friends and relatives arrive to extend their wishes of hronia polla, which means many years.

Many Greeks in other parts of the world follow this tradition. Another important event in an individuals life is the wedding. The Greek Orthodox ceremony is a long one, and in the end, the couple feel that they have been joined together for a lifetime. Double rings are blessed and exchanged. The couple sip wine from the same cup to signify the joy and bitterness they will share in life. (The same word, koubaro, is used for the best man as for the godparent because in the old tradition, the same person would often perform both functions in a childs life.) The crowns on the couples heads symbolize their elevation to the sovereignty of their home as king and queen. (The same word, koubaro, is used for the best man as for the godparent because in the old tradition, the same person would often perform both functions in a childs life.) The crowns on the couples heads symbolize their elevation to the sovereignty of their home as king and queen.