Greek Easter Food, A HarvesTime Tradition
Greek Easter Food, A HarvesTime Tradition
At HarvesTime Foods, we’re proud to bring you the authentic flavors of Greece that we grew up on. We offer many hearty dishes year-round, including spinach pie (spanakopita) layered with phyllo we make in-house, casserole (moussaka) blanketed with vegetables, cheese, and meat-sauce, garlicky yogurt dip (tzatziki), baked pasta (pastichio) packed with beef and tomatoes, and thick-cut potatoes sprinkled with oregano and lemon. They’re all delicious!
Food for Thought: Greek Lent
This time of year, we also provide plenty of options to help our Greek customers make it through the Lenten season (without meat, eggs, poultry, dairy, and certain types of fish). The season kicks off with Clean Monday, which is a national holiday in Greece. It’s associated with a ‘cleaning’ of the body and spirit and focuses on specialized, meatless Mediterranean dishes.
Greek Lenten Dishes Are A Celebration Of The Mediterranean Diet
Our shelves are brimming with fresh produce, including fiber-rich fava beans, a myriad of lentils to make soup or salad, and seafood, like scallops, shrimp and wild-caught octopus to get dinner on the table. Prefer ready-made options? Opt for our baked giant butter beans (Gigantes) or vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmas). We’ve got pickled vegetables (toursi) and imported olive for snacking and fudgy halva for dessert. Can’t make it for 40 days without dairy? Pick up dairy-free milk, cheese, or ice cream - you won’t be breaking the rules!
Special Events During Greek Lent Must Include Special Foods!
We’re also here to help with the much anticipated Easter festivities. On Easter day, the whole lamb takes center stage. Be sure to place an order for our fresh, never frozen whole paschal lamb to roast in the oven or better yet, on an outdoor spit. Stuff it with our imported feta or marinate it with herbs, lemon, and spices.
Red Greek Easter Eggs, Tsoureki (A Delicious Twist On Dessert)
The Easter celebration also calls for boiled eggs (representing rebirth) dyed red (to symbolize the blood of Christ). They’re used to play a game (tsougrisma) where two opponents clink their eggs together in an attempt to crack the other’s eggshell. The winner is blessed with good luck for the rest of the year. (Move over Easter bunny!) The eggs are also baked into elegantly braided sweet bread (Tsoureki), which serves as a dessert alongside homemade cookies. Be sure to place your order for dyed eggs (by the dozen) or pick up some of the red dye to do-it-yourself. Also, keep an eye out for our freshly baked Tsoureki - sprinkled with sesame seeds or filled with Nutella - to end your Easter celebration on a sweet note.
Place Your Orders!
We will be taking orders for the following items throughout the Lenten Season:
Whole Paschal Lamb
Red Easter Eggs, by the dozen
Freshly baked Tsoureki (Choose from Sesame or Nutella)
