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| Opa! A History of Greek Foodways, 2019 |
Shannon Kardiak sat in the front row
of the theater but still leaned forward to better see Eva Sargent and Peri
Leake demonstrate how to make Greek pastries.
The Sept. 14 cooking demonstration was
part of the Arkansas State Archives’ annual foodways symposium, “Opa! A History
of Greek Foodways,” at the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute
at the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock.
This year’s symposium focused on Greek
food and history in Arkansas. It combined lectures on past and present-day
Greek life with a taste of Greek food. Jeanne Spencer gave a presentation on
the history of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and Greek communities in Little Rock, and Gus Vratsinas talked about Greeks in Arkansas
and starting the Greek Food Festival, which is among the state’s most popular
events.
After the presentations, more than 75
people lined up at a buffet to sample Greek food prepared by students and staff
at the college’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute. Dishes on
the menu were: chicken soulvaki, pastitso, spanakopita, tzatziki, dolmades,
Greek green beans, lemon roasted potatoes, Greek salad, baklava and a Greek
cake.
Sargent and Leake, both of whom cook
for the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church’s annual Greek Food Festival, passed
out a Greek recipe for spanakopita and let audience members participate in
making pastries. Kardiak was among the volunteers who learned how to fold the
spinach and cheese pastries in phyllo dough to form a triangle. The
demonstration was hands on, which helped Kardiak learn the technique, she said.
“I have a real interest in different
cultures and history, and then you add in some food – it’s great!” Kardiak
said. This year’s event was among the best symposiums the Arkansas State
Archives has organized, she added.
Greek families attended the symposium
and told their family stories and explained Greek food and restaurants, and
Greek dancers performed during the event. The symposium helped connect
Arkansans with Greek heritage, culture, history and food in a new way, said
Julienne Crawford, interim director of the Arkansas State Archives.
“Our annual foodways symposium
celebrates the historical, cultural diversity in Arkansas by showcasing our
state’s rich heritage through food,” Crawford said. “This year’s event
continued the tradition of bringing people together to better understand our
state’s history, heritage and people.”
For more information about the foodways symposium, contact the Arkansas State Archives at www.archives.arkansas.gov or 501-682-6900.
