Interesting Facts About Greek Desserts

What makes YaYa's desserts so scrumptious?  It's years of experience and family tradition - coupled with some little-known trivia.

1. Ancient Greeks used Honey instead of sugar because sugar as we know it did not exist in Greece.

2. What sets Greek desserts apart is their eastern influence. Whereas western desserts are more sponge and cream based, the Greek sweets are sugar based. Many include fillo pastry, which is paper thin sheets of pastry, layered upon each other to create a multi-layered effect, as in baklava. With many nuts - such as walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds being in abundance in Greece, it is no surprise to see these nuts used widely in their desserts. Once the dessert is baked, it is drenched in a sweet aromatic honey syrup, as in walnut cake - Karythopita. Apart from the beautiful flavors it infuses, the syrup helps to preserve the dessert.

3. Although Americans call these 'desserts' - Greeks refer to them as sweets - they are generally not eaten after a meal as we would in other western countries. In Greece dessert is rarely eaten after a meal and if so it is most likely to be whichever fruit is in season. Rather, desserts are kept and brought out during the day, along with a Greek coffee and a glass of iced water, especially when there is a visitor. In this way the sweets can be savored and enjoyed completely on their own, away from the fullness of a meal, which is fitting since they are in themselves very filling and a truly sensational taste.

The next time you’re looking to share a coffee and a sweet with a friend, skip the standard drive through your friend to Ziziki’s.

The Events Of Tradition: 2012 Summer Olympics

We hope you’re enjoying the events leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics. In the time of the original games the altar of the sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Hestia maintained a continuous flame. For the ancient Greeks, fire had divine connotations—it was thought to have been stolen from the gods by Prometheus. Therefore, fire was also present at many of the sanctuaries in Olympia, Greece. During the Olympic Games, which honored Zeus, additional fires were lit at his temple and that of his wife, Hera.

Today the modern Olympic flame is ignited at the site where the temple of Hera used to stand. This sacred day (again!) for the London Olympic torch came Thursday, with the usual ceremony in ancient Olympia, lighting the torch from the eternal Olympic flame. The priestesses were in high form.
The torch relay begins in Olympia for every Olympics and winds through Greece before being flown to Great Britain for a relay that covers 8,000 miles of that country. It culminates in lighting the caldron at London’s Olympic stadium at the Opening Ceremony. Spyros Gianniotis, a Greek world champion swimmer, was the first torch bearer in Olympia.

An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
And we just can’t wait! Have you picked out your favorite athletes yet? Tell us in the comments…

Father's Day Brunch

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” -- Lydia M. Child

Treat Your Dad to Ziziki’s Father’s Day Brunch!

A flavorful selection of your favorite Ziziki’s items and Complimentary Glass of Champagne or Mimosa Plus these signature brunch items…

• Mediterranean Shrimp
• House Smoked Salmon with Bagels & Herbed Cream Cheese
• Buttermilk Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup
• Greek Scrambled Eggs with Feta Cheese & Basil
• Roasted Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce
• Ya Ya Katina’s Baklava

3 seatings: 11am, 12:30 & 2pm $24.95 / person

Voted Dallas’ best Sunday Brunch By Dallas Observer!

The 2012 Olympics Are Getting Close

As London is preparing for the 2012 Olympics we thought we’d give you a little hint as to who we’ll be rooting for this year! Any guesses?

Everyone knows that the Olympics were invented by Greeks. The Olympics were of fundamental religious importance, featuring sporting events alongside ritual sacrifices honoring both Zeus and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia. Yes, originally the Olympics were basically religious events.

Greeks have been historically good at weightlifting, shooting and wrestling. Weightlifter Pyross Dimas won three gold medals at three consecutive Olympic games (1992, 1996 and 2000) and managed a bronze in 2004.

Taekwondo fighter Alexandros Nikolaidis was a favorite to win gold in Beijing but walked away with silver but he’s back for another shot this year.

Click here to get a look at the long list of qualifying Greek Athletes.

Graduation Party Pop - Catering Ideas For Special Events

Graduation time is upon us, whether it is a High School graduation or a college graduation -
and with both come parties and celebrations. While this time is super-exciting for graduating seniors, it can be a stressful, emotional and a sad time for parents. One of those stressful things about a graduating child, is planning their celebration.

Of course, the Greeks celebrated EVERYTHING in a grand way, and certainly, this is a monumental time in your, and your child's life. Celebrate GRANDLY by going Greek for your celebration! You can either throw your party at Ziziki's with our private dining and events rooms, or opt for some Greek deliciousness with our catering.

Make the most out of every memory; celebrate your graduate's accomplishments and
have Ziziki's cater your special occasion. Focus on rounding up family and long-lost
friends and leave the rest to Ziziki’s with our wonderful catering menu. Just choose
some of your favorite dishes from the Ziziki’s like the Greek lasagna – Pastichio or some
wonderfully tasty Greek meatballs – Keftedes. Download our catering menu here.

Ziziki's offers new-age Greek cuisine as well as traditional dishes that will have you and
your entire party saying "Opa!" (oh, and Good Luck Grad!)

Fun Greek Games To Play WIth Your Family

We recently had a family visit one of our Greek restaurants for a little Greek Heritage. Turns out this cute little family recently started a fun tradition called ‘Explore the World’ where every month or so they research a new culture. They dive right in with a bit of historical research and then proceed to bring some of their research into their lives. They dress up, they eat common foods and they play games. What a fun, budget friendly, way to bring the big wide world into your home.

In honor of this idea we thought we’d share a few fun Greek games you can share with the kids in your life.

1. Ephedrismos was a popular game whose name is derived from the Greek word for “sit upon.” Two
players place a stone upright on the ground and throw other stones at it from a distance. The player
who fails to knock over the upright stone then carries the other player on his back while the winner’s hands cover his eyes. The pair runs around in this fashion until the losing player touches the stone.

2. Morra is a game still played in some parts of Europe, particularly southern Italy. Two players make a fist behind their backs and at a signal extend their hands, displaying a certain number of fingers. The first player to call out the correct total number of fingers shown wins the game.

3. Greek children also loved to play a game called ostrakinda. The name of the game is derived from
that of the shell that is used during play. Greek children would take a shell and smear one side black.
They referred to this side as “night,” while the blank side was “day.” The children then drew a line,
divided into two teams, and decided which team was night and which day. One player would toss the shell, and the side whose color came up chased the other team. Anyone caught was forced to carry his pursuer on his back. Plato is likely making an analogy based on this popular game when he writes, “So this, it seems, would not be the whirling of a shell in the children’s game, but a conversation and turning about of the soul from a day whose light is darkness to the veritable day.” Variations of ostrakinda are still played in Europe. English children play a version called “Crusts and Crumbs,” French children one called “Le Jour et La Nuit,” and Austrian children a game called “Schwarz-Weiss.”

4. Greek children enjoyed playing episkyros, also known as ephebike—a sort of rugby-football type game. The players divided into two teams. Each team stood on one side of a line drawn on the ground. A goal line was drawn behind each team; the two sides then fought to reach the other side’s goal line.

Ziziki's Taverna Nominated For Favorite Mediterranean Restaurant With Addison Magazine

Ziziki's Taverna has once again been nominated Favorite Mediterranean restaurant in the 2012 Readers' Choice Awards!

 Click here to VOTE NOW!

A special thank you goes out to our Addison patrons, who have nominated and voted for us - to victory - last year for this great honor! We' ve been nominated as Favorite Mediterranean restaurnat with Addison Magazine Reader's Choice Awards! Now, we need your votes to seal the deal and launch us into first place. Thank you for making Ziziki's Taverna - Addison's Best Mediterranean Restaurant!