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This is a traditional dish in Greece, dolmadakia or else stuffed vine leaves ( shared with the Turks, of course!).

Recipe
Ingredients

60 vine leaves, drained and rinsed

250g rice (1 cup)

1 cup olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cups warm water

juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsps dill, chopped

1/2 a cup parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Instructions

1. To make this traditional Greek dolmades recipe (stuffed vine/ grape leaves), start by preparing the vine leaves. For this dolmades recipe, you can either use vine leaves sold in jars or fresh (if you are lucky enough to find them). If you use the ones in jar, rinse the vine leaves, remove the stems and leave them in a colander to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, wash them thoroughly, remove the stems and blanch them in boiling hot water. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to cool down completely.

2. Prepare the filling for the stuffed vine/ grape leaves (dolmades). Place the rice in a colander and rinse with running water. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/3 of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté the onions, until translucent (but not coloured). Add the rice and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 2 cups of warm water and half  lemon juice and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the rice absorbs all the water and is parboiled. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the herbs, remove from the stove and set aside to cool down for a while. This will be the filling for the dolmades.

3. Layer the bottom of a large pot with some vine leaves (use the ones that are little bit torn) and start rolling the dolmades. (This is probably the most difficult part of the traditional dolmades recipe). Place one vine leaf (shiny side down) on a flat surface and add 1 tsp of the filling at the bottom end (stem). Be careful not to overfill the dolmades, as the rice will expand during cooking. Fold the lower section of the leaf over the filling towards the center; bring the two sides in towards the center and roll them up tightly. Place the stuffed vine leaves (fold side down) on the bottom of the pot and top in snugly layers. Be careful not to leave any gaps between the dolmades to prevent them from cracking open when cooking.

4. Drizzle the stuffed vine leaves (dolmades) with the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place an inverted plate on top to hold them down when cooking and pour in enough water just to cover them. Place the lid on and simmer the dolmades for about 30-40 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the dolmades remain only with the oil.

5. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid and plate and let the dolmades cool for at least 30 minutes.

6. Serve this delicious Greek appetizer cold or at room temperature with a squeeze of a lemon. Give this traditional dolmades recipe a try and enjoy your own fresh homemade stuffed grape leaves (dolmades)!

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Traditional greek dish, with spaghetti, minced meat and cream.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups uncooked Penne pasta

Salt

Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp grated Parmesan

For Meat Sauce

3 tbsp Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

Salt

1/2 cup red wine such as merlot

28 oz canned crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

3/4 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch sugar

For Bechamel

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt, more if you like

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

4 cups 2% milk, warmed

2 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cook the pasta to al dante according to package instructions. Be sure to add salt and olive oil to the boiling water. Drain and transfer pasta to 9 1/2″ x 13″ baking pan like this one. While still hot, drizzle pasta with a little more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle grated Parmesan. Toss to combine. Set aside for now.

3. Make the meat sauce. In a large pan or skillet like this one, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Saute onions until just golden, then add lean beef and garlic. Season with salt.  Cook until meat is fully browned, tossing regularly and breaking up the meat with your wooden spoon (about 8 to 10 minutes). Carefully drain any excess liquid and return pan to heat. Add wine, crushed tomato, bay leaves, spices and pinch of sugar. Mix to combine. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or so. Taste and adjust salt to your liking.

4. While the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add nutmeg.

5. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs in a small bowl. Then return all to the pan with the remaining bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more (you should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce).

6. Assemble the pastitsio. Top the cooked pasta with the meat sauce; smooth with a wooden spoon to fully cover the pasta. Now top the meat sauce with the bechamel topping. Again, smooth with your wooden spoon to cover the meat sauce evenly.

7. Bake the pastitsio in 350 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into square pieces and serve.

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Traditional greek food with sausage and peppers

Ingredients

4 spicy country sausages, sliced

1 red onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 green pepper, roughly chopped

1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 sweet red pepper, roughly chopped

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

a cup of water

4-5 tbsps olive oil

a glass of red wine

1 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf (optional)

2 chili peppers (optional)

a pinch of paprika

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. To prepare this delicious Greek dish, place a saucepan over high heat, add one tbsp of olive oil and sauté the sausages, until nicely coloured. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper and leave them aside.

2. Into the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil, the chopped onion and season with freshly ground pepper; sauté for a minute. Add the garlic and tomato puree and sauté for one more minute. Add the peppers and continue sautéing.

3. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan, with all the delicacies, and wait for it to evaporate. Then add the sugar, the canned tomatoes, a cup of water, the herbs and spices, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 25-30 minutes with the lid on, until the peppers tenderise.

4. Add the sausages and cook a little bit longer, until the sauce thickens. Check for seasoning; if  you’re using too spicy or salty sausages, you’ll probably won’t need to add any salt or pepper.

5. Serve while still hot with some crusty bread aside or as a main dish with basmati rice. Enjoy!

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Μπεράτι/ Berati

A tradiotional dance, for both men and women, usually danced during weddings when the bride and groom were escorted to the church. There are no particular steps, it is characterised by freedom in movements.

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ΜΠΕΡΑΤΙ / ΘΕΣΣΑΛΙΑ

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Καραγκούνα/ Karagkouna

A traditional dance mainly in Thessaly, a tribute to the special traditional greek costume of Karagkouna

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Καγγέλι/Kaggeli
It is danced in Thessalia and Ipeiros, by men and women.. It is a very happy, jumpy dance with twelve steps and a lot of different variations.

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ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΙΑΚΟΙ ΧΟΡΟΙ ~ ΚΑΓΚΕΛΙ

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Traditional Greek Men's Costume,
Foustanela ( Φουστανέλα ), wore during the 18th-19th century.

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A woman's bridal costume wore on the island of Lefkada, in the Ionian Sea.

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A traditional Woman's costume wore on the island of Crete, in the area of Anogeia.

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FRAGKOSYRIANH
A classic old greek sing, a rempetiko, composed by Markos Vamvakaris, describing a young man's feeelings for his beloved one.

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Ελληνικό Τραγούδι

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Γιάννης Πουλόπουλος - Φραγκοσυριανή - Official Audio Release

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THS DIKAIOSHNHS HLIE NOHTE
A song composed by Mikis Theodorakis, expressing people's feelings during the period of dictatorship in Greece ( 1967-1973).

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Της Δικαιοσύνης Ήλιε Νοητέ - Μίκης Θεοδωράκης

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ENA TO CHELIDONI
Another greek song, written by Grigoris Mpithikotsis, which was particularly sang by people during dictatorship, celebrating people's wish for free expression

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ΕΝΑ ΤΟ ΧΕΛΙΔΟΝΙ- ΓΡΗΓΟΡΗΣ ΜΠΙΘΙΚΩΤΣΗΣ

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Religious festivals with centuries-old traditions and customs take place throughout the year in Greece and Orthodox Easter is one of the greatest such celebrations. Greeks follow the Holy Week rites in commemoration of the Passion of Christ and celebrate His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Let’s find out about some of these age-old traditions.During the Holy Week, the churches’ chandeliers and icon screens are dressed in black and purple ribbons, enhancing in this way the atmosphere of mourning for the coming crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. On Maundy Thursday, Greek home ovens get very busy as traditional tsoureki (a type of fragrant Easter brioche) is baked, along with lamprokouloura (Easter cookies). Eggs are immersed in red dye – the red colour symbolising the joy for Nature’s rebirth and the spiritual regeneration that comes with the Resurrection of Jesus. On Good Friday in churches Epitaphios (a wooden canopied bier representing the tomb of Christ) is covered with flowers of various colours. At the end of the evening service a procession takes place headed by Epitaphios, the priests and acolytes. People follow along the streets of cities, towns and villages listening to psalms being chanted.

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Imagine the biggest party you've ever seen. Join in a forbidden festival. Wander through the streets, playing pranks. Add loud music and some thousands of participants dressed in you-name-it costumes floating the streets. Under the auspices of the Carnival King, you are welcome to come together with all the fellow masqueraders and fill the city streets, bars, clubs and colourful parade groups.Patrinó karnaváli (Patras carnival) is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe. Giant decorated cars, carts and coaches, colourful papier-mâché figures will fill the city streets. A key character is the Carnival King, presented in all his splendour. The Carnival also has its Queen, who is actually a beautiful young lady on a floral or an artistic float. There is also a night parade, called “nyhteriní podaráti", which takes place on Saturday night, before Sunday’s extravagant parade. Thousands of carnival participants organised into groups dance holding torches in the dimly lit streets of the city. The only float participating is the King’s, and that’s the reason why this parade is called “podaráti”, which means “walking”.

If you find yourself in Central Greece during the carnival festive season, you should definitely attend Tyrnavos Carnival, a “rebellious” little town in the Plain of Thessaly. Pick the team you would like to be part of (“Next Top Model”, “Surgeons and Sexy Nurses”, “Tri-Colour Macaroni, etc.) and party to your heart’s content!

Now, up to Northeastern Greece, in Xanthi Carnival! Over 40 cultural associations participate in the Carnival program and set up their stalls in the streets of the city to wine and dine the guests with plenty of local wine and delicacies. Look out for the custom “To kápsimo tou Tzárou” (the burning of Tzaros) and watch out for the highlight of the Carnival celebrations, the Great Carnival Parade (float parade) on the evening of the final day. Floats with thousands of masked revellers fill the streets of the town with music and colors to accompany the King of the Carnival.

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Religious feasts & festivals

August 15th
The feast of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on the 15th of August. Major celebrations are held in every corner of this island but the biggest of them is in Christos Rachon and the abandoned village of Lagada. Traditional food and Ikarian wine are served accompanied by live music. Feasts with Ikarian dances take place in Monokambi, Karavostamo, and Gialistari.

July 20th
On the 20th of July, Ikarians celebrate the feast of Profitis Ilias at Agios Kirikos. Food and local wine are served accompanied by traditional music.

August 6th
On the 6th of August, there is a celebration in the village of Xristos Rahon. Free roast and stew lamb is served, accompanied by local wine and traditional music. The feast lasts until the following day.