Greek Luck In The New Year

In America, and especially in the South, folks scramble to cook up some black eyed peas on New Year's Day - for a bit of luck in the coming year.  Of course - black eyed peas are not a typical part of Greek cuisine. It's a folktale, or superstition - but it's not uncommon and Greece has it's own 'Good luck' traditions for New Year's.

In Greece, the Squill (sea onion) is a common plant - mostly found around the island of Crete. It grows wild and is actually quite disagreeable to some. It's poisonous to animals and can cause a rash if it makes contact with the skin.  It is a unique plant; it will continue to bloom and grow even after it's pulled.

Since the 6th Century BC - The Greeks believe that it's strong survival to grow after being pulled can benefit and be transmitted to people and inanimate objects - so one might find a sea onion hanging in a home or worn around the neck at the New Year.

Visit us at Ziziki's, Ziziki's Taverna, and The Greek -  Dallas Greek Restaurants.  We don't cook with sea onions, by the way. OPA!

Greek Fall Celebration - Chestnut Festival of Elos

There's no denying that we Greeks love our festivals so it's no surprise that Greece has a few fall festivals of their own. Family, food and fun...almost the motto of our Greek traditions! The most curious celebrates something American's sing about every Christmas season in the phrase 'chestnuts roasting on an open fire.' In Elos, the chestnut takes a more prominent place among their traditions.

The Chestnut Festival of Elos takes place in Kastanitsa, one of the few remaining traditional Greek settlements that still boasts the sights, sounds and aromas of yesteryear. Every autumn the village dons its finest and prepares to welcome hundreds of visitors from near and far.

The village of Elos is surrounded by chestnut trees, providing picturesque scenery and an annual harvest of big, gorgeous chestnuts. To mark the coming of autumn and the chestnut harvest, local villagers devote special attention to the annual Chestnut Festival. This tradition gives the people of Elos a chance to show off its beloved chestnut and attract a crowd over the weekend. Visitors to the Chestnut Festival can enjoy witnessing and participating in some traditional local entertainment, including drinking, eating, music, dancing and of course indulging in the pleasures, both sweet and sour, produced by roasting the chestnuts.

The chestnut, unlike other nuts, is low in fat and calories, but is rich in starch, which makes it a great source of carbohydrates. In fact, in many African and Asian countries, the chestnut is used as a substitute for the potato. It is also an excellent source of fiber, potassium and Vitamin C. What’s more, thanks to its sweet taste, it can satisfy those winter cravings…without the fat and the calories. Definitely something worth singing about!

A Little Greek Culture: The Cretan Wine Festival is No More

For years, the Touring Club of Rethymnon, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rethymnon, organized the Rethymnon Wine Festival – a 2-week celebration of Cretan wine, music and dance. You bought a carafe and some glasses, and you could drink as much wine as you wanted, whilst listening to some very good Cretan music and watching some fantastic dancing. Sounds like heaven (or maybe Mt. Olympus), yes?

In 2008 the municipality of Rethymnon made the decision to stop organizing the Wine Festival, at least in the same format.

In 2009 the Wine Festival was re-introduced, but with a completely new identity and format. Then again, in 2012 the identity of the festival was changed-the 1st Cretan Diet Festival was born. 

Now, don’t let the word diet scare you off. This isn’t a festival that centers around diet food. Rather it’s a cultural experience that goes beyond wine and music to include food, crafts and other traditional Greek food products. 

Thinking it’s time to hunt up those tickets to Greece you purchased a while back? Oh. No tickets to Greece? Well, that’s alright. We can give you a taste of Greece here at Ziziki's…bring your appetite!