The Embassy of Greece in the USA, Navarino Icons and Dean&Deluca, showcase Greek gastronomy at event “Greek Orthodox Easter Traditions Regimen and Products”

On April 5th  2012, H.E. The Ambassador of Greece and Honorary Chair of Pillars of Greek Culture Mr. Vassilis Kaskarelis, hosted at the Embassy of Greece in Washington DC, the event: “The Greek Orthodox Easter Traditions Regimen and Products” that showcased Greece’s wealth of culture, exclusive products and dream destinations, in collaboration with the premier Greek resort Costa Navarino, acclaimed food retailer Dean&Deluca and Navarino Icons, the series of high quality food products and art objects.

Introduced by Minister Counselor Dr. Zoe Kosmidou, this well attended presentation was part of the Embassy’s series: “Health, Nutrition and Fitness: From Ancient to Modern Times” that encompasses Greece’s rich culinary traditions, authentic products, culture and people. Just a few days before Greek Orthodox Easter, it provided a great platform for the attendees to familiarize themselves with the unique Greek customs around this religious and festive period.

Key to this event was the presence of Mrs. Joan Nathan, the acclaimed author of ten cook books, regularly contributing to several news publications and recipient of the Silver Spoon Award from Food Arts magazine, who discussed the diverse Greek Easter traditions celebrated in different parts of the world, the nutritional benefits of the Greek Diet and explained how the products of Greek origin can be incorporated into people’s dietary regimen.

The Navarino Icons series includes products that are inspired by the history and culture of the Messinian region and the Peloponnese, in Greece. The range draws on the area’s age-long traditions and is aligned with Costa Navarino’s philosophy to promote this undiscovered yet accessible part of Greece, while protecting and preserving its natural beauty and heritage. Navarino Icons reflects the desire to acquaint people with the region’s rich living history and promote its authentic characteristics worldwide.

The event guests had the opportunity to taste products such as extra virgin olive oil, Kalamata olives packed in extra virgin olive oil, pasteli (sesame seed bar), homemade fresh fruit marmalades, biscuits made from extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin vinegar with rosemary and thyme, and traditional Greek spoon sweets, among others.

A fine selection of these food products, that are created in small quantities by small local producers, and derive from recipes that were handed down from one generation to the next, is available exclusively for the United States, in the distinguished food retailer Dean&Deluca.

Another highlight of the evening was the inaugural presentation of “The Pillars of Greek Culture”, a non-profit charitable organization that is dedicated to promoting Greek Arts, Letters and Sciences and to fostering a greater understanding of the impact of ancient and modern Greek culture on the world.