SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-TIMES
 News-Times file photo George Bossis, above, plans to make gyros at this year‘s festival, just as he did last year. |
As Donigian put it, they were preparing an “absolutely heavenly” dessert.
“It’s food of the Olympian Gods,” she gushed.
Donigian, of Newtown was among 12 woman Tuesday in the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Hall in Danbury. They were preparing baklava for this weekend’s “Greek Experience” — the always-mobbed, three-day festival at the church on Clapboard Ridge Road.
Being with the women was like stepping right into a scene from the movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” The kitchen door was propped open with a cardboard box and the delightful smell of cinnamon and sugar wafted into the air. Huge pots filled with whole oranges, lemons, water, sugar and cinnamon sticks simmered on the stove, and Greek music emanating from a small CD player on the table.
The music combined with the voices of the women, who chatted and bantered in both English and Greek. Armed with bottles of melted butter and layer upon layer of filo dough, they spent the day making baklava. With 1,500 servings to prepare for the annual festival, there was much to do.
 The News-Times/Carol Kaliff Making Baklava in preparation for the weekend festival are, from left, Tina Delasos, Bobbie Christos and Helen Lypides. |
Baklava is layers of filo dough filled with chopped walnuts, laced with a sweet honey lemon syrup. The women were also making kataifi, which is shredded filo dough layered with cinnamon flavored walnuts, covered in a sweet honey lemon syrup.
The 27th annual “Greek Experience” runs Friday through Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church. It features everything from food to dancing.
Stacy Neofitidis, of Bethel, and Linette Stefanatos, of New Milford, are both in charge of making pastries.
“It’s totally enjoyable,” Neofitidis said, of working in the kitchen. The festival is a way to give back to the community. She explained it takes a full day — at least eight to 10 hours — to make the baklava and kataifi.
“It’s a tradition,” Neofitidis said.
Neofitidis became in charge of the pastries when the older generation of women handed down the responsibility to the younger women. In the next couple of years, Neofitidis will pass down her pastry-making secrets to a new crew of volunteers.
 News-Times file photo |
Church member Linette Stefanatos, who works as an emergency room nurse at Danbury Hospital, explained how perfecting the baklava recipe is a trial and error process. However, after one nibble of the fresh-out-of-the-oven treat, it’s clear the women have gotten it just right.
Anthoula Makrinos, of New Fairfield, has been helping make baklava for over 20 years. Makrinos, who was born in Greece, said she used to make these pastries all the time back home.
Marie Ayvaliotis, also of New Fairfield, was born in Greece on the island of Chios. When she was in her early teens, in 1952, she sailed to America by herself and started her new life in New York. Just last year she moved to New Fairfield, where she became involved in the church and its terrific festival.
The “Greek Experience” was started in 1979 by Father Peter Karloutsos. “I wanted to try to bring the parish together,” he said.
Over the past 27 years, that’s exactly what he’s done.
The festival, which has a great balance of live music, ethnic dancing and of course, homemade Greek cuisine (which is all made by the parishioners) has worked out well over the years.
“I don’t want to change the formula; its a proven formula,” Karloutsos said when asked if anything was significantly different this year. But he did say this weekend’s festival will feature some new Greek dishes and pastries, and that each year, new dance groups are selected to perform.
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As for the dancing, about 100 young people from the parish are split into five or six different groups. The children have been practicing since April. They meet two times a week for six to eight weeks; the week before the festival they practice daily.
Father Karloutsos’ wife, Maria, who is the director of the dancing, began teaching Greek dances to the children when the festival first started. Now, 27 years later, one of her very first students, Maria Kallianiotis, has taken on the role of becoming a dance teacher.
Kallianiotis, an elementary school teacher at Great Plains, is very involved in her Greek heritage. Her parents are from Greece and she fondly recalls visiting her beautiful homeland every other summer when she was younger. She even met her husband on a vacation there.
Now, with two small children, Kallianiotis and her family visit Greece every year. Her 4-year-old son has been to Greece five times already, and her 2½-year-old daughter, three times. They are fluent in Greek as well as English. Her children go with her when she teaches dance and in the next few years, they too, will be part of the festival.
Learning Greek dancing at the church when she was younger has wowed her relatives in Greece when, during family functions, such as weddings, she was able to do traditional dances she had learned in Danbury.
Father Karloutsos said he, too, has received much praise about how young parishioners have kept the Greek tradition alive at family functions.
Greek culture and tradition is surly brought to life each year at the “Greek Experience.” George Bossis, who is also a member of the church, has been an active participant in the festival for five years. Bossis can usually be found in the gyro tent. (A gyro is select seasoned meat, skewered and vertically-broiled on a uniquely Greek machine designed to ensure lean juicy slices. It’s wrapped in Greek pita bread and served with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki dressing.)
“It’s a great opportunity for the church to raise money and it’s fun working with the other members,” he said.
Bossis doesn’t just volunteer his time during the three-day festival; he starts three days earlier, chopping onions and tomatoes and making the sauce for the gyros.
Other foods to be served include moussaka (eggplant, seasoned meat and bιchamel sauce), pastichio (baked pasta layered with seasoned meat and bιchamel sauce), loukoumad (deep fried dough served with hot honey and chopped nuts, and much more,
“Hopefully this weekend’s weather will be better than last week,” Bossis said. But, by the look of the expansive menu, coupled with the entertainment lineup, rain probably won’t hinder this annual event.
And besides, it all takes place under a huge outdoor tent.
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The “Greek Experience” will run Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.. at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church. Parking will be available at nearby Danbury High School. Regular shuttle bus service is provided. Parking, bus rides and admission to the festival are free.
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Entertainment Schedule:
Friday
The Islanders Band starts playing at 6:30 p.m.
The Levendia Dancers: 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday
The Islanders Band starts playing at 6:30 p.m.
The Angeloudia & Kamari Dancers: 2:30 p.m.
The Ellinopoula Dancers: 4 p.m.
The Asteria Dancers: 6:p.m.
The Levendia Dancers: 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Sunday
The Islanders Band starts playing at 5 p.m.
The Angeloudia & Kamari Dancers: 2 p.m.
The Ellinopoula Dancers: 3 p.m.
The Asteria Dancers: 5 p.m.
The Levendia Dancers: 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
