Today's Guests on Around The Table Food Show:

Ginny Zissis, coordinator of the New Orleans Greek Fest.

Dave Emond, Development Director of Cafe Reconcile.

The Big 4-OPA! The Greek Fest New Orleans Celebrates 40 Years!

40 years of Spanakopita, Souvlaki, Baklava, Dolma and Gyros on Bayou St. John. Oh, and we can’t forget the Greek music and dancing… OPA! That’s right, it’s been 40 years of celebrating Greek culture and heritage (and shouting OPA!) on Bayou St. John.

More than a Church Fair… The Greek Fest Celebrates Faith and Hellenic Culture

As a Catholic living in south Louisiana, I am very familiar with church fairs. With such a large Catholic population in Louisiana, it’s easy to find church fairs peppered all across the state, from New Orleans to Lake Charles… and even “up north” in Shreveport. In essence, the Greek Fest is the “church fair” of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. But, it’s also more than that. Over the last 40 years it has become an cultural and culinary icon in New Orleans. From the live Greek music provided by Greek band Alpha Omega! out of Atlanta, to the Hellenic Dancers who perform various traditional Greek dances in traditional garb, the Greek Fest beckons you to join in the fun and shout OPA! Of course, one of the biggest draws to the Greek Fest is the food. What most folks don’t know is that all the food is prepared by the parishioners. Over 150 lambs are slow-roasted on spits over the course of the weekend. Over 20 different traditional Greek pastries are available… all made by hand by a small army of volunteers.

What’s on the Menu this Year at Greek Fest NOLA?

There is lots on the menu every year at the Greek Fest. But here are some of our must-have favorites: the Gyro Sandwich, Roasted Lamb (pictured above), Fried Calamari, Feta Fries, Greek Salad, Traditional Greek Dinner (which includes tiropita, spanakopita, pastitsio, meatballs, and a Greek salad with dolma… which are stuffed grape leaves), Goatburgers. Ouzo and Greek wines from Anastasi Estates are available by the glass or by the bottle. Abita Beer is served on tap. For a cooler treat, you can try the delicious Pomegranate Iced Tea, Snowball, and Daiquiri Drinks. The pomegranate has long been a Greek symbol of abundance and good luck, and it is featured in three refreshing drinks this year.

Cafe Reconcile: Feed Your Soul

Cafe Reconcile's mission is simple: Reconcile New Orleans.

Reconcile New Orleans

"We are a community of concerned people committed to addressing the system of generational poverty, violence and neglect in the New Orleans area. Our innovative life skills and job training program assists young people (ages 16–22) from severely at-risk communities who desire to make a positive change in their lives. Reconcile’s students arrive facing a vast array of challenges, from extreme poverty and high school attrition to homelessness, violence, and participation in the juvenile justice system. Nonetheless, these young people possess a deep desire to break the cycle and become productive, contributing members of society. "Our nonprofit restaurant, located in the severely distressed Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, serves as the primary training ground for students seeking to acquire skills in the food service industry. Featuring soul-filled local dishes and some of the city’s lowest prices, Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a wide cross-section of New Orleanians as well as visitors from all across the country."

Cafe Reconcile's Mission Statement:

Reconcile New Orleans transforms the lives of young adults and the community through the ministry of reconciliation. We do this by:

• encouraging personal growth,
• providing workforce development and training,
• promoting entrepreneurship,
• working with businesses, nonprofits and people of faith to support this transformation.

Listen to show and go to CatholicFoodie.com to read more about Cafe Reconcile and the New Orleans Greek Fest.