Red Eggs At Easter - A Greek Tradition

The Easter holiday is the most sacred observance in Greek Orthodox tradition, and many of the customs and practices in preparation of the Holy Days before Easter are common mainstays in Greek life.

Tied closely to the main faith of the country - the practice of dyeing eggs red on Holy Thursday and then being cracked and consumed on Easter Sunday is still very much a part of life in modern Greece.

From My Blog Love Greece:

Traditionally, Easter eggs are dyed throughout the Orthodox Christian world on Holy Thursday, and they are dyed red to represent the redeeming blood of Christ that was shed on the Cross, the white egg (before being dyed) represents the white marble tomb were Christ's body was laid after He was taken down from the Cross, and the hard shell of the egg symbolises the sealed tomb of Christ.

On Easter Sunday, a ritual of the cracking of the eggs take place, with people tapping each others' egg, symbolising the 'cracking' of Christ's tomb and the bonds of death and His resurrection.For more information on this and other Greek customs, visit My Blog Love Greece

Greek Cuisine 101 - Part I

Welcome to Part I of a series of posts we’ll be doing on modern day Greek cuisine in Greece. Are your taste buds ready for this? Here we go…

Greeks spend a lot of time socializing outside their homes, and sharing a meal is one of the chief ways of doing it. The atmosphere is always relaxed and informal, with pretensions rare outside of the more “hip” parts of Athens and certain major resorts.

Although standards like kalamari and moussaka are everywhere and figure strongly in taverna fare, Greek food is considerably more complex and varied than just these well-loved dishes.

In fact, modern Greeks are rediscovering their rich rural culinary heritage, which began as simple and functional, relying on local products, and later expanded under the influence of elaborate, Anatolian-influenced recipes in the 1920’s, brought by immigrants from Asia Minor. The result is a rich and wide ranging cuisine based on fresh, raw ingredients, subtle herbs and preparation by charcoal grilling or in wood-burning ovens.

In Greece, you’ll find a plethora of local specialties, all proudly promoted: anything from whole pickled caper sprigs to smoked eels, mollusks bottle in brine to soft sheep’s cheese or thyme honey to almond syrup.

Stay tuned to future episodes as we dive into the mouth-watering facts about seafood, meats, vegetables, wine and cheeses. Yummy!

Wishing You A Greek Christmas

In Greece, there are many Christmas customs that are similar to ours in the U.S., but most slightly differ from traditions of the West.

Starting on Christmas Eve, children travel from house to house singing 'kalanda', (Christmas carols), using small metal triangles and little clay drums. Afterwards, the children are usually given sweets or coins in appreciation for their musical talents.


In Greek Christmas, the GREEK FEAST becomes the main attraction by both adults and children alike. OPA! Lamb and pork are roasted in ovens and open spits, and on almost every table are loaves of 'christopsomo' ('Christ bread'). This bread is usually made in large sweet loaves of various shapes and the crusts are engraved and decorated in some way that reflects the family's profession. Of course, melomacarona cookies (traditional greek Christmas cookies soaked in honey syrup) are sure to be every home.

During Christmas in Greece, remember that the season is in full swing by December 6, Feast of St. Nicholas, when presents are exchanged, and will last through January 6th, the Feast of Epiphany. In Greek homes, Christmas trees are not commonly used, but recently have become more popular. In almost every house, though, the main symbol of the season is a shallow wooden bowl with a piece of wire is suspended across the rim; from that hangs a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. A small amount of water is kept in the bowl to keep the basil alive and fresh. Once a day, a family member, usually the mother, dips the cross and basil into some holy water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room of the house. This ritual is believed to keep the bad spirits away.

Gifts are finally exchanged on St. Basil's Day (January 1). On this day the "renewal of waters" also takes place, a ritual in which all water jugs in the house are emptied and refilled with new "St. Basil's Water." The ceremony is often accompanied by offerings to the 'naiads', spirits of springs and fountains.

In general, don't expect Christmas in Greece to feature quite the quantity of displays, Christmas lights, or other “Western’ decorations, except of course in the windows of businesses and the increasing number of Greeks who have adopted Western customs. Christmas in Greece is still a relative oasis of non-commercialism when it comes to Christmas.

But, you don’t have to travel all the way to Greece to have an authentic Greek Feast, drop by Ziziki’s Dallas Restaurants for an authentic Greek dining experience.

Greek Festivals – Fun for the Whole Family

If you’ve never been to a Greek Festival, you must put that on your “things to do before I die” list.

Your life will be vastly enriched as you stroll along tasting distinctive and super-rich Greek food, listening to upbeat Greek music and taking in the culture that is known worldwide for being rich in tradition.

A Greek festival is a tradition of culture and entertainment and is the perfect destination for great, family-friendly fun.

At Greek festivals you will typically find:

• Greek gourmet food
• Greek folk music - usually performed by Greek bands
• Cultural exhibitions including artifacts from Greece and dances performed in costumes of old tradition
• Dancing for the public under Greek tunes.

Additionally, and depending on local arrangements there are raffles and shopping for Greek jewelry, books, music, spices, etc. Many places also organize running races and other outdoor activities.

A Greek festival is an event that you should not miss! And do not worry, even if you can't dance syrtaki or hasapiko - you will still feel at home.

Dance Like A Zorba: Getting in Touch With Your Inner Greek

Greek dance is a very old tradition still very much alive all over the world and especially in Greek communities. Traditional Greek dancing is primarily a social function. It brings the community together at key points of the year, such as Easter, the grape harvest or patronal festivals; and at key points in the lives of individuals and families, such as weddings.

There are over 4000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece but the one that has probably had the largest impact on pop culture in the US is the Zorba dance - made famous by the 1964 Oscar nominated classic movie, The Greek Zorba. The trademark song of Greece, “Zorba’s Dance”, has been used at Yankee Stadium for years to incite crowd participation during a potential rally by the home team and is commonly played and danced to worldwide – not to mention in Greek tavernas.

So, if you’re looking for a way to get out of your comfort zone, check out the video below and see how it’s done. Then download the Zorba dance music to your iPod, stop by the best Greek restaurant in Dallas (Ziziki's and Ziziki's Taverna - of course) for a little 'culinary inspiration' and OPA! – you’re in touch with your inner Greek!