“Good food is a matchless expression of love because it gives life, brings pleasure, and excites the senses.” Russell Cronkite

“Culinaria Greece”—a cookbook of Greek specialties. Can you be tempted to go on a culinary voyage of discovery which will introduce you to new combinations of Mediterranean cooking? Ancient knowledge and refined techniques blend together to make what is perhaps one of the healthiest cuisines.

A visit to our St. Demetrious Festival can be a gastronomic experience. As in ancient times the gastronomic art was built on four pillars, which still characterize contemporary Greek cuisine-our cooks look for freshness, richness in vitamins, simplicity and variety.

Greek cuisine remind you of a warm summer evening, beautiful islands, good food, great hospitality, dancing, religion and much more.

The festival awaits as parishioners plan and prepare. Come explore our festival with your taste buds. As I stopped in at the church kitchen the ladies were preparing stuffed grape leaves. These are mostly used as an appetizer. Freshly prepared dolmades become a special experience when you cut into them and the filling of rice, scents of herbs and spices tease your palate.

Watching the ladies brought back a flood of memories. As they prepared each leaf it reminded me of scenes and voices buried log ago, I thought. Something happens in my human heart when grape leaves are mentioned. I grew up on a 100 acres with field after field of different kinds of grapes and vegetable and flower gardens. My father wanted it to be like his village in Greece.

In our back yard was a grape arbor growing over a stone well. When we came home from school hungry, we would fill up on grapes. If we liked one variety better than another we would go up the hill and find the grapes we liked. Oh, I can recall reaching for a cluster of plump, firm, juicy grapes and how delicious and refreshing they were.

I can also remember making the stuffed grapevine leaves. However, our New England climate was not always good for growing every variety of grape. I ate the skins, seeds and all. Being at a young age I thought the seeds were not for swallowing. (I have learned they are extremely healthy for us.)

I must explain that I researched, “What are the health benefits of grape leaves, seeds and skin.”

According to many scientific studies and a great deal of research, grape leaves, along with their seeds and skin help keep us well. They provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Some studies indicate that grape leaves help combat memory loss, inflammation and fluid retention, while their antioxidants levels can keep the body young and much more.

Grape leaves contain 3 calories per leaf, providing low-calorie wrappers for a variety of fillings. They are also free of cholesterol, fat and sodium, and contain vitamins including A, C, E, and K, and many B vitamins. Minerals in grape leaves include calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Grape leaves are often to be found canned or bottled, while raw or fresh grape leaves are best consumed after they are steamed or blanched.

Traditional fillings include rice, spice and seasonings or stuffed with ingredients of your choice. I prefer fresh grape leaves that are at their peak now.

There is someone’s grape vine in the corner of my back yard and I will have some new, fresh leaves.

However, I like some meat in my stuffed leaves pronounced doll-mathes or dolmadakia.