Tag: 230608

Yiayia’s Greek Night Out to return after long hiatus

It was late 2018 when Concord’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church began hosting Yiayia’s Greek Night Out, an ongoing series of community events that feature Greek food demonstrations centered around traditional dishes, followed by dinners of the dish and dancing in the church hall. The sixth and most recent in-person event took place on March 14, 2020.

“It was right before everything was closed down,” the Rev. Constantine Newman of the church said. “I remember we had a very light turnout that day because everything was still sort of iffy.”

More than three years later Holy Trinity is now getting ready to revive the popular community event. Yiayia’s Greek Night Out is set to return on Saturday, June 17, and will feature the eggplant-based moussaka as its instructional centerpiece.

Past cooking demonstrations have featured other authentic Greek items like spanakopita (spinach pie), baklava, tsoureki (Greek Easter bread) and dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves). Newman said the events were born out of the growing interest in Greek food outside the church community.

Holy Trinity continues to hold monthly drive-thru Greek boxed dinners to go and is planning a flea market for later this summer where gyros and baklava will be available for sale.

Moussaka, Newman said, is similar to a Greek lasagna, but with eggplant instead of pasta.

“It’s not a complex dish but it takes a lot of time,” he said. “You need to thinly slice the eggplants and then roast them so that the moisture comes out. Then you layer eggplants and potatoes, and in between those layers is a meat and tomato sauce with spices. Then it’s topped off with a béchamel. … What we usually do is the demonstration dish is sort of a small one that we cook there on the spot, and beforehand we’ll have everything else made.”

Trays of finished moussaka prepared before the event will be served after the demonstrations, along with a side of Greek potatoes, a salad, and Greek cookies and ice cream for dessert. Music and dancing are expected for the duration of the event.

The $15 entry admission, Newman said, is available at the door. Collected proceeds go toward the event’s sponsor, Holy Trinity’s Mother Maria of Parish Outreach Ministries.

“They try to take care of people in the parish that are in need, or various charitable organizations throughout the city,” Newman said. “We’ve given donations to the [Concord] Coalition against Homelessness, the Friends of Forgotten Children, and Waypoint. … So the money that we collect … goes to helping needy people in general in our area.”

Yiayia’s Greek Night Out
When: Saturday, June 17, 5 p.m.
Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 68 N. State St., Concord
Cost: $15 per person
More info: Visit holytrinitynh.org, call 225-2961 or email [email protected]

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Concord.

News from the local food scene

• Weddings and wines: Join Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St.) in welcoming LaBelle Winery owner and winemaker Amy LaBelle on Sunday, June 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. — she’ll be there to present and sign copies of her debut book, Wine Weddings: The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Wine-Themed Wedding of Your Dreams. Released Dec. 16, the book offers advice on planning and hosting weddings of every size and type, covering everything from choosing invitation designs and wedding favors to creating your own menu of signature drinks and wine choices. Admission is free and the event will include a wine tasting. During New Hampshire Wine Week, LaBelle’s Amherst location (345 Route 101) will also present A Celebration of Women Winemakers, a special four-course wine dinner happening on Wednesday, June 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Amy LaBelle will be joined by fellow winemaker Lisa Evich of Simi Winery in California to provide commentary on their philosophies and selected pairings throughout the evening. The cost is $99 per person — purchase tickets online at labellewinery.com, where you can view the full menu.

• A Jewish feast: Online ordering for the 26th annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival, presented by Temple B’nai Israel (210 Court St., Laconia), opens on Sunday, June 11, and will continue through Sunday, July 9. Menu items will include savory brisket with gravy, freshly sliced corned beef, pastrami and tongue from Evan’s New York Style Deli in Marblehead, Mass., as well as sweet creamy noodle kugel and a vast assortment of other home-cooked Jewish foods and pastries, most of which use recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Since the pandemic struck in 2020, festival organizers have continued with an online ordering and pickup system. Those who place their orders online will be prompted to select a time on either Friday, July 21, or Saturday, July 22, at Temple B’nai Israel. Visit tbinh.org/food-fest-menu to view the full menu.

• Let’s talk tomatoes: Save the date for a special in-person workshop on growing and harvesting tomatoes presented by UNH Cooperative Extension master gardener Will Lowenthal and happening at New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn) on Thursday, June 22, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Lowenthal will discuss the many challenges that can arise when growing your own tomatoes and will demonstrate different support methods, from staking and caging to overhead trellising. He’ll also show attendees how to properly prune tomatoes to control growth and improve disease prevention. The workshop will take place primarily outdoors, so dress accordingly for the weather and prepare for a short walk over grassy, flat but uneven terrain. Registration is required by June 20 — the cost is $10 for Audubon members and UNH Extension master gardeners, and $15 for non-members. Visit nhaudubon.org or call the Massabesic center at 668-2045 to register.