Category Archives: Family

Apokreas – Carnivale – Masquerade

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

In preparation for Easter, I’m including the list of important dates to help with our spiritual growth during this time.

EasterDates

Apokreas literally  translates to saying ‘goodbye to meat’.  Celebrations will occur in the week preceding Clean Monday as families and friends gather for a final feast before observing  the Great Lent.

Fish may be eaten on the 25th of March being the Annunciation of Theotokos and again on Palm Sunday which falls on 13 April.

Because we all live busy lives, some people choose to observe the fasting period during Holy week, or just on Good Friday. It matters not, as health, wellbeing and work situations need to be also considered. It is a personal choice.

Please share your experiences and or fasting recipes with us here at Greek Lifestyle.

Kales Apokeas!

GL x

New Year

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope that 2014 is filled with all of life’s blessings and niceties.

On the last day of 2013 I baked a delicious orange infused Vasilopita ready for our New Years celebrations. Following our unique Greek traditions I hid a foil wrapped coin inside.

We went our for a lovely New Years dinner and then headed to the river where we chose a comfy spot placed our blanket on the ground and sat back to relax and  view the amazing fireworks that welcomed in the New Year.  It was such a lovely and memorable evening.

On New Years morning we cut our Vasilopita starting with the eldest member down to the youngest member of our family. My husband was the recipient of the lucky slice. I wish him good luck for the year ahead and beyond!

vasilopita

New Years is a time of reflection and to think about how we can all make a difference to the lives of those closest to us and to our communities.  What unique gifts do you have to offer?

I hope that your dreams and aspirations come true!

GL x

Christmas time

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

Our aim is to bring you inspiration, tradition and cultural celebrations.

The countdown to Christmas is on and there is much to think about and always much to do.

Now is the time to dust off your favourite Christmas recipes and plan your shopping list in preparation for baking mouth watering kourambiedes, honey dipped melamacarona, or your very own family specialities.  We would love for you to share your favourite traditional recipes with us.

kourambiedes

It’s a special time of the year and one to share with family and friends. Our Christmas celebration is usually a large formal lunch and regardless of what else is on the menu we always start off with Chicken Avgolemono Soup. Our mother lovingly maintained this tradition and we have all taken her lead, and more often than not some of us enjoy a second bowl of this delicious traditional Greek soup!

Soup is followed by platters of fresh seafood garnished with lemon wedges, various meat roasts served with an abundance of vegetables and salads, and a selection of home made kourambiedes, melamacorona, revani, festive fruit cake and other yummy sweets.

Christmas lunch would not be complete without a bowl of dark, plump cherries and wedges of juicy watermelon and…. of course, the exchanging of gifts, and the joy of giving.

Whether your celebration is large or small, noisy or intimate, casual or formal, may your families be blessed with the true spirit of Christmas.

Kales yiortes

GL x