COMMENTARY
Greek goodies available at annual bake sale
3/19/2017It’s time for the Spring Bake Sale at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 740 N. Superior St., featuring traditional handmade treats prepared by congregants.
Choose from baklava, diples (honey-and-nut drizzled fried pastry roses), finikia (honey-dipped cookies rolled in walnuts), galaktobureko (phyllo-wrapped semolina custard), karithopita (cinnamon-spiced walnut cake), kataifi (shredded dough filled with walnuts), koulourakia (butter cookies), kourambiethes (shortbread cookies coated in powdered sugar), paximathia (Greek biscotti), and tsoureki (braided loaves of egg bread). Prices range from $1 to $12, depending on items selected and quantities.
Orders are due by April 3 and can be picked up April 8 or 9 at the cathedral.
To order online or to download an order form, go to bit.ly/2mAv4G2. For more information, email dopdodona24@gmail.com or call Dawn Anagnos at 419-476-0522 or Connie Mynihan at 419-250-4899.
Whip It Up to feed hungry kids
Enjoy an amazing array of ethnic dishes at Whip It Up International, a fund-raiser for Mobile Meals’ Weekender program that provides bags of nutritious items each Friday afternoon to 1,500 schoolchildren from food-insufficient homes.
Culinary arts students from Owens Community College and Penta Career Center will prepare small tasting plates representing nine countries including Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, and Mexico.
This special event will be held 6 to 9 p.m. April 21 at Owens’ Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg. Tickets cost $50 per person, but there is an early-bird discount on the purchase of multiple tickets before April 3.
Sponsorships are available for $100, $250, and $500 or more and will include a variety of benefits dependent upon the contribution (logo on printed materials, ad space in the program booklet, tickets).
To purchase tickets, go to mobilemeals.org/events. For more information or to become a sponsor, contact Carolyn Fox at 419-255-7806 or cfox@mobilemeals.org.
Jewish Food Festival baking contest
From 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 7, the Toledo area will host its first Jewish Food Festival. In addition to lots of noshing opportunities, there will be games, a klezmer band, a bounce house, and face painting.
The festivities will also include a baking contest, so the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo is calling all bakers to show off their skills and kvell (brag) a little.
There are four categories of competition for Jewish-style baked goods — cookie, cake, pie, and pastry — and prizes will be awarded in each division. Do you make the best rugelach, black-and-white cookies, hamantaschen, mandelbrot (biscotti), or macaroons? How about babka, or honey, apple, or sponge cakes? Or maybe your specialty is strudel or poppy seed rolls? Make enough to provide 25 samples, and be sure not to use lard.
This festival isn’t just chopped liver: There will be “a little taste of everything Jewish,” says Hallie Freed, the federation’s community program director. You’ll get to try a variety of foods, including brisket sliders, stuffed cabbage, chicken schnitzel, bourekas (savory stuffed pastries), Israeli salad, challah, hummus and pita, falafel, sweet and savory kugels, and more.
Children 18 and under can enjoy a kosher hot dog lunch with chips, pickle, and a drink at no charge.
Admission to the festival will cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Activities will be near Temple Shomer Emunim, 6453 W. Sylvania Ave., and Congregation B’nai Israel, 6525 W. Sylvania Ave.
For more information about entering the baking contest or attending the festival, go to jewishtoledo.org/food-festival or call Ms. Freed at 419-724-0362.
Contact Mary Bilyeu at mbilyeu@theblade.com or 419-724-6155 or on Twitter @BladeFoodPage.