We traveled up to the Dilworth neighborhood (our dream neighborhood full of charming bungalows worth a million dollars) for the Yiasou Greek Festival , an annual Charlotte event. The festival is held on the grounds of a huge church and it was just packed with good food and people tonight.
We got there around 7pm and met our friends (from last night!) Kate + Nate. For dinner, the husband wanted a traditional gyro and I was going to get a Greek salad , as I wasn’t that hungry. About half way through waiting in line, I decided I was not the least bit hungry thanks to my late lunch and I shouldn’t spend $5 on a pile of lettuce and feta cheese. So I got back out of line and decided I’d get a salad later if I felt like it. Good call!
I ended up having 3-4 bites of the gyro, which was actually really good!
I am not a big meat eater, but this one had such great flavor.
Kate also shared her stuffed grape leaves and I had one. They have such a strange taste, but it reminds me of a giant caper. I am always cautious around them because of my onion aversion, but these were free and clear.
Kate and I tried for a photo with the church in the background, but a man got in our way!
After "dinner", we went to the wine tasting tent
We tried six different 1-ounce pours : 2 whites, 3 reds and a dessert wine. They were all really good – but very different from any wines I’ve had. But not in a weird fruit wine way; in a normal grape way but unfamiliar grapes. They were all really light but almost fluffy on the palate as they hit each part of the tongue.
With the husband –
With Kate + Nate!
Nate especially liked the teeny little sample glass –
So a little while later, we "stumbled upon" the pastry area –
I just HAD to absorb some of the Greek culture in dessert form!!!
We got 4 different kinds (don’t ask me what they were except one was bakalava. We shared these 3 ways among Kate, the husband and me, so we each got a taste of each.
But the night didn’t end quite yet. We’d been eyeing the bakalava ice cream sundaes since we arrived and Nate finally bit the bullet and got one. We all had tastes. I had 4 (that’s F.O.U.R. Nate!!!) bites 
While I didn’t eat the healthiest foods tonight, I don’t feel like I ate too much since all my bites were small.
I finished a huge project this afternoon, but unfortunately haven’t even started my Foodservice menu of 100+ recipes. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. I’m hoping to start with a run, then a yummy breakfast, then work, work, work.
Goodnight!
Ashley says
Hey Kath, looks like you had a great time! Yummy food! In response to your earlier post about the Shape article, self did the same thing to me about my story. I don’t get why they have to do this, but oh well, I still enjoyed the article a lot and thanks for clearing up the errors 🙂
Molly says
I think I tried Greek food once, and I didn’t really like it. What are the grape leaves stuffed with?
I’m glad you enjoyed yourself!
Biz319 says
I am glad I am not the only one with the onion aversion! As any good mother, I have shielded my daughter away from onions her whole life. That is, until she went to a sleep over and they ordered pizza with onions. That was all it took. She came home and said “I love onions, why don’t we have them in the house?” BECAUSE I HATE THEM!
Growing up my mom put them in everything and would say “you can’t even taste them, you won’t know they are there!” To my response, “then why put them in??”
I would have gone straight for those pastries – yum!
melissa says
Good for you for not having dinner just because it was dinner time, I can’t seem to do that!
I have a study question, do you have any tips for focusing? I get so distracted by blogs, email, magazines, etc.
Jennifer says
Hey Kath,
Ok I was waiting and then at the end I saw that you did eat the sundae, it is by far the best thing at the festival. We are headed there tomorrow for lunch then study study study for micro.
madison (follow my weigh) says
looks like fun! whats on top of the sundae? it looks like crumbled baklava?? or nuts..
Justy2003 says
I just saw yesterday that Houston has a Greek Festival in October and I’m sure I’ll try to go…LOVE Greek food! Or it could just be my love of feta 😉
And I finally got to read your article at the grocery today finally! Too bad they changed the story a bit…and no mentions of the blog! But congrats again…you looked great!
Sweets says
Removed for moderation
bobbi says
yum yum!
madison (follow my weigh) says
never mind, it obviously is baklava!
Christie says
What a great night, greek food is my fav food by far… the dessert looks great i love baklava.. tell the hubby he needs to start coming up with some health greek desserts haha!
Sarah says
The picture is tiny so I am not 100% sure, but I think the white dessert with powdered sugar is a Greek wedding cookie. My best friend is Greek and I have to say, in my opinion no one has better desserts than the Greeks! 🙂
Sarah says
The picture is tiny so I am not 100% sure, but I think the white dessert with powdered sugar is a Greek wedding cookie. My best friend is Greek and I have to say, in my opinion no one has better desserts than the Greeks! 🙂
Christie I. says
The greek festival looks great, I always enjoy going to the one here.
I got the SHAPE last night and I thought the picture was good, your muscles looks awesome! Sorry about the changes they made.
EllCee says
Looks like a fun festival… love festivals. I am glad you described the grape leaf. I loathe capers, so know I probably won’t be giving one a try.
I have a question for posters out of sheer curiousity… I love my food (especially desserts) and I really don’t always want to “share” things when people can easily get their own. Even if it is for portion-control reasons I say the heck with that 🙂
So I guess what I am asking is…does anyone here ever get irked like I do at this? I am so much like a guy when it comes to eating “not small” portions of food and if I had someone always wanting me to get something so they could “try” it I would be uber-annoyed. Not being snarky, just curious if anyone else is as selfish as I am. Haha! Like, if I were this Nate guy, I’d be like, “the stand is over there go get one and split with your husband, I’m eatin’.” 🙂
Jess. says
I love our local Greek Festival- the dancers are great and of course, the food! I love experiencing a culture thru it’s food. The baklava sundaes got us this year to. We actually didn’t see them until we had already dinner and we decided not to indulge but ended up going back later in the evening to get them because we could not stop thinking about them!!!!
VeggieGirl says
So glad that you had nice evening at the Greek Festival – I missed the one that comes to town this year, but I got to experience it through your post, so it’s all good 😀
Lindsey says
The Greek festival looks like a blast! I looooove Greek food!! The BF and I ate at the most fabulous little Greek restaurant in Montreal a couple years ago, best Greek food I’ve ever had. 😀
Am I the only one who thinks Kath and Kate look like they could be related?
CourtneyS says
How fun! My boyfriend is Greek so we definitely enjoy our fair share of authentic Greek cuisine. I’m impressed this festival had a wine tasting…Greek wines aren’t imported in the same quantity as French and Italian wines so they can be hard to come by.
EllCee, I don’t share. 🙂 Well, the rule is that I will pass my plate when I’m finished, not before. I had to put this rule into place years ago because my dad didn’t understand that eating slowly doesn’t mean you’re done. He used to reach his fork over and chow down! Years of training has helped, though I freely pick off my boyfriend’s plate. That doesn’t count. 🙂
Kath, good luck with your work today. I’m in the same boat!
HangryPants says
Hey Kath, I bet you are glad you waited for the gyro. I’m glad for you. Nothing like experiencing another culture through food.
EllCee, I don’t mind sharing if it’s planned i.e. let’s share this entree, but I don’t like it when people take food from my plate. I think it has to do with the fact that I have lots of siblings so I had to share everything. 🙂
Rasha says
You two look like sisters!
Kath says
Ashley ,
Cool you were in SELF!! When!?
Molly ,
They seemed to be stuffed with rice and garlic, but I’m not totally sure.
Biz319 ,
OH NO!! That must have been your worst nightmare when your daughter came home (with onion breath, I bet!) to make the declaration! I’m not going to tell my kids they can’t eat them or anything, but I won’t be cooking with them for sure.
melissa,
Turn off the computer. When I really need to focus, I turn it off. Or when I have to use it, I turn off my email (which always pops up to let me know I have a new comment or something!). If you need to, go to the library or a coffee shop to get away from your distractions at home.
Jennifer,
Ooo! Have fun!! Sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye on Wednesday – I forgot that you’re not normally in my class!!
EllCee ,
That’s funny because we talked about sharing food and stuff with them on Friday night’s dinner! The husband and I are definitely ‘forks flying at each other’ sharers (remember when I got in trouble for eating too much of his milkshake a few weeks ago!?) but for us it’s all about equality. I can only try his if he can try mine. Bite for a bite. But with new people I would never ask to try something unless it looks like they are done or they say “oh please try this” or they don’t want something on their plate. But I totally know what you mean about having your own portion. I don’t like equally sharing desserts with people because I feel too competitive to eat fast, but I never mind offering up bites of my food.
Lindsey ,
I thought we looked alike too!!
Kath
Maria says
A Greek girl letting you know what the heck the desserts are:
Powdered sugar cookie: kourabiede
Syrup-soaked cookie with ground walnuts: melamacarano
Custard pastry: galactoboureko (if it was in syrup) bougatsa (if it was dry)
And of course, baklava, which you named …
The wines likely tasted different since most Greek wines – especially white – are highly resinated – they leave a different, almost medicinal, feeling on the palate. 🙂
Stin yia sas! (to your health! – a Greek greeting)
runjess says
I love Greek food, especially the dolmas.
musicfan says
I love gyros with chicken! It’s the sauce. Even better is from our mid-east friends, the humble falafel.