By The Food Tease on August 24, 2015
Over the years, I have promoted The Ottawa Greek Festival but for one reason or another I never experienced it first hand…bad, I know. So this year I wanted to change that, I wanted to know for myself what the excitement was all about. I wanted to try their delicious food (lamb anyone?) and say OPA!! And say it without feeling silly, I wanted the real “Greek” experience! And my Greek experience was about to materialize when I met Eleni Dellis, General Manager of the Hellenic Community of Ottawa. Dellis was generous enough to reach out to my request of showing me around the grounds and provided me with a plethora of interesting festival tidbits as well as the importance of the Hellenic Community.
The Hellenic Community of Ottawa (HCO) is a non-profit organization founded in 1929 and is focused on preserving and promoting the Hellenic Culture, Language, History and Orthodox Faith in Canada. The HCO has a membership of greater than 6,000 people.
It is also a leader in the Ottawa community for supporting and raising the profile of many local charities including the Ottawa Heart Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
The Greek Community Centre isn’t just a centre, it’s about culture, history and getting the youth involved, “the youth are our future right?!” Dellis said with great enthusiasm. It’s about their Greek school, their community, their association and of course their church.
The Hellenic Community is also home to Ottawa’s Greek Festival. It is one of the largest Greek Festivals in North America. Ottawa is the longest running festival as it typically runs for 10-12 days.
Unbeknownst to me and I am sure to many others, I wasn’t aware that The Greek Festival is in honour of the ‘name day’ of their church. The name day is always August 15th, so depending on where that date falls, the festival will start on the Thursday before and run for two weeks and end on the Sunday.
An outstanding fact that blew my mind was knowing how many people actually visit the festival, approximately 60,000 – 80,000 people take part in the 10 day festival in Ottawa – at full capacity it’s standing room only. At any given night The Ottawa Greek Festival usually receives 6,000-7,000 people but typically on Saturday nights they can easily reach 10,000 people. Staggering figures for sure.
As expected, preparation for the festival is done months before the actual festival, but the actual setup of all the logistics takes around 7-10 days to complete. The festival itself wouldn’t be successful without the outpour of volunteers. A mind-blowing number of approximately 300 volunteers help in one way or another in making sure everything runs smoothly.
While I was there, I heard traditional Spanish and Peruvian music…not very Greek to say the least. I was told that the Greek festival has two multicultural nights, where they invite different cultures to participate in song and dance. By doing so it allows other cultures to showcase their traditional customs in representation of song and dance.
Multicultural Night at the Ottawa Greek Festival
Knowing that this was my first time at the festival, Dellis spoiled me with a Greek food feast from the varied assortments that the festival had to offer…ranging from savory to the ever-so sweet, I couldn’t have asked for a better tour!
We started off by sampling some Saganaki also known as the ‘Flaming Fried Cheese’ from Father Alex’s Saganaki Shack. I learned that Saganaki is a type of Greek cheese (typically goat or sheep) that is floured, fried and then lit up with Ouzo (or vodka in some cases). Served with bread and lemon slices and with a proud “OPA”!!
Saganaki or Flaming Fried Cheese: Greek cheese that is fried and flambéed with Ouzo and served with bread and lemon slices.
One thing you need to know…Greeks put lemon on everything, we put lemon on our cheese, lemon on our potatoes and lemon on our calamari!
Enjoying Saganaki with Eleni Dellis, General Manager of The Hellenic Community of Ottawa
Did anyone say lamb?? In case you don’t already know, I am a HUGE lamb lover! So what better place than to venture off to Theo’s Lamb Pit.
Lamb Extravaganza at Theo’s Lamb Pit at the Ottawa Greek Festival
Aside from the succulent lamb, one could easily indulge in the multitude of choices that could be purchased at the very busy food tent.
Everything from Greek salad to Spanakopita’s to Gyros and Moussaka’s to the sweet and sticky Baklava and the infamous Greek Honey Balls: Loukoumades can be found…and I am only listing a fraction of the savoury and sweet dishes that can be tasted at the festival.
Top left: DOLMADES (Stuffed grape leaves with rice and spices), Bottom left-right: SPANAKOPITA (Spinach & cheese pies in a phyllo pastry) & TIROPITA (cheese pies in a phyllo pastry) served with TZATZIKI (Garlic & cucumber dip) and Feta cheese.
Left-Right: CHICKEN SOUVLAKI, MOUSSAKA (Sliced eggplant combined with ground beef, spices, tomatoes, potatoes topped with Béchamel sauce) Top: Slices of gyros (beef)
Loukoumades also known as Honey Balls (pastry balls fried and then drizzled with honey)
The Greek Festival has come and gone but the rich culture can still be experienced for those that want to know more about Greek History. The Canadian Museum of History is hosting an exhibition specifically on the Greek Culture: The Greeks – From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great. The exhibition will be at the museum June 5th to October 12, 2015.
The Greeks – From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great is a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, This exhibit brings together more than 500 priceless artifacts from 21 Greek museums. A large number of these objects have never been displayed outside of Greece.
As I mentioned earlier Dellis had generously answered my request of being shown around the festival, that in itself would have been sufficient but she did more than that. She took the time to really explain the rich culture and traditions that the Greek people have.
But more importantly she welcomed me with open arms. Anyone can show you the basics and explain the logistics, but Dellis made me feel part of the big Greek family that we all hear about. We broke bread, shared some wine, laughed and talked while we ate the amazing food that the Greek culture has to offer and relished in the entertainment that was surrounding us…Now that’s what I call a true experience!
To Eleni Dellis and to the Ottawa Greek Community I say: EFHARISTO (Thank you)!!!
Here’s to next year’s event!
Always a student and always learning😃
It helps when an interesting destination is discussed and tasty dishes are shared!✈️🍽
Big thanks to @phillydiscover for informing me on the unique attractions that Philadelphia has to offer and to @playfoodwine for their exceptional hospitality!😋
A delicious fish cake followed by the braised beef cheek and ramp gnocchi hit all the right notes. However, I couldn`t help myself from indulging on their grilled Sourdough Bread With Caramelized Butter...Ridiculously ADDICTIVE 🔥 😋😍
Looking forward to discovering new regions! 😊
#travelblogger #foodblogger #discovering #discoverphiladelphia #philadelphia #philadelphialove #play #playrestaurant #supportlocal #travelmediaca #tmac #ifwtwa1 #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasedrinks
Apr 20
A recipe for tasty success - this is what A Taste for Life Ottawa is all about.
Last evening, generous restaurants like @faunaottawa opened their doors to patrons who dined and donated to support people living with HIV in our communities.
What more could you ask for?! Stellar dishes while supporting a great cause!!☺️
Fresh meaty Malpeque oysters 🦪🦪 and tasty tempura mushrooms 🍄 as appetizers to a mouth-watering meat fest. Say hello to a 80 day dry aged ribeye for 2 and the tastiest duck breast I`ve ever had!!😲😋😋😍
Because those dishes weren`t indulgent enough, a basque style cheesecake had to be tasted!!😂😋
A great cause and annual tradition that I`m proud to support and be a part of! ❤️
#foodblogger #travelblogger #foodporn #tasteforlife #greatcause #hivcharity #fauna #support #supportlocal #ottawarestaurants #supportlocal #donation #aidscharity #aidsawareness #hiv #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #tmac #travelmediaca
Apr 19
Learning about new destinations and different cultures is always a blast! 😃
Several evenings ago, I had the pleasure of being invited to the Embassy of the Czech Republic😍
Learning about their culture, their unique travel experiences, and surprisingly, how inexpensive this country is, when compared to other European destinations, is always good💰💰
To start the Czech Tourism event, guests had the pleasure to hear from Czech Republic Ambassador of Canada, Martin Tlapa.
Tasty libations and Czech dishes were enjoyed by the guests. Even though I enjoy my 🍾 bubbles, I enjoyed tasting Czech`s prized beer 😉🍻
On the bucket list to discover✈️✈️
#foodblogger #travelblogger #tourism #czech #czechrepublic #czechbeer #czechembassy #passportready #destination #solotravel #solotraveler #luxurytravel #thefoodteasedrinks #bucketlist #ifwtwa1 #travelmediaca
Apr 7
Sophistication, opulent decor, and beautiful luxury desserts - this is @delyseesottawa 🍰🍮
.
Read The Food Tease column in the Spring/Summer issue of @luxeottawamagazine on how Delysees`s Creative Director, Fred Naggar, successfully left awe-inspiring footprints in the fashion world to embark on a new adventure with his wife - the world of high-end desserts.😋🍰😍
.
Sweets for the sweets... Enjoy!
.
#foodblogger #foodporn #travelblogger #dessert #dessertsofinstagram #luxury #luxurydesserts #delysees #creativedirector #parisienne #frenchsweets #frenchdesserts #published #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #travelmediaca #tmac
Apr 5
Happy Easter, everyone!!🐣 🐰
Enjoying my family`s Easter tradition of our colourful egg fight...I didn`t win, but there`s always next year 😉
.
#foodblogger #travelblogger #foodporn #easter #eastereggs #easterdecor #familytradition #annualtradition #europeanstyle #potofgold #familytime #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasetravel
Mar 31
Play golf⛳️?
Planning a wedding💍?
Enjoy live jazz 🎷🎹?
And let`s not forget, enjoy spa services💆🏼♀️and tasty dishes?😋
Then the @brookstreetott is worth experiencing!🤩
.
Whether it be for business and/or for pleasure, the @brookstreetott has you covered.
.
During my recent stay, I was informed that all guests` rooms will be renovated in the next couple of months. By September 2024, the renovation project will be completed. 🤩🤩
.
Now lets talk about the tssty dishes: veal ribeye, Beef carpaccio, tuna sushi and a tasty breakfast of poached eggs Benedict poutine...and let`s not ignore my tasty libation...an extra dirty martinis with extra olives!!🍸🍸😋😋
.
Weekend getaways are perfect for some R&R!!😊
.
#foodblogger #travelblogger #foodporn #foodpornshare #hotel #getaway #indulge #brookstreet #brookstreethotel #weekendvibes #jazzlounge #hotelexperience #beingatourist #supportlocal #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasedrinks #thefoodteasetravel #travelmediaca #tmac #ifwtwa1
Mar 27
I had the pleasure of experiencing @kathaottawa with their exclusive 8 course tasting menu of progressive Indian cuisine. What a treat!😍😋
.
Kathā means story in Sanskrit, and with each course, a story about the dish was shared with the guests. This interactive approach provided a cultural and personal background for each dish.
.
Everything from the scallop ceviche, the cod with chili and coriander oil to the delicious lamb chop and duck - all made for a unique cultural dining experience. 😋😋
.
Props to Chef/Owner Sarath Teegavarapu and his talented brigade on this creative endeavor!!
.
#foodblogger #travelbloggers #foodpornshare #foodphotography #blindtasting #indiancuisine #katha #progressiveindiancuisine #ottawaeats #ottawarestaurants #supportlocalbusiness #supportlocal #newexperience #ifwtwa1 #tmactravel #tmac #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasedrinks
Mar 5
Calling all sweet tooth lovers📣📣
.
@delyseesottawa = Decadent sweet indulgences with a luxurious vibe!!✨️✨️🍰🍮
.
Parisienne inspired desserts ✅️
Luxury vibe ✅️
Stunning tasty sweets ✅️
When all boxes are checked, a visit to @delyseesottawa at Lansdowne & @delyseestoronto is needed.🍰🍮🍾🥂
.
Chic ambiance and tasty desserts make for a sweet indulgent experience!! 😋
.
The tasty best sellers at Delysees are the following:
Hugo: Sicilian pistachio mousse
Frasier: fresh strawberries and cream🍓
Le Verdi: passion fruit cheesecake
.
Go and get your sweet tooth fix and ENJOY😊
.
#foodblogger #travelblogger #foodpornshare #foodphotography #dessertlife #desserts #dessertsofinstagram #delysees #supportlocalbusiness #ottawaeats #ottawatourism #dessertporn #luxurydesserts #frenchdessert #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #fwt #tmac
Feb 9
Friday night, I had the privilege of attending the 2024 Canadian Culinary Championships - Mystery Wine Challenge - People`s Choice Award🥇🥇@greatkitchenparty
.
Congratulations to all the chefs involved in this intense competition. The chefs needed to create a dish to pair with the mystery wine. Each chef was given a tricky budget of $550 for the 250 guests. I was witnessing creativity at its best!!😋
.
The winning dish🥇 (centered in the middle of the photo) was created by JP Dublado: Red Deer Resort and Casino, Red Deer AB
Dish: beet & soy cured albacore tuna - ponzu gel - tomato water - puffed wild rice - beet green oil
.
Amazing talent from all the chefs as they paired with the mystery wine (a 2021 Lailey Vineyard Zweigelt)🍷🍷
.
#foodblogger ##foodgram #foodcompetition #travelblogger #CCC2024 #greatkitchenparty #peopleschoice #peopleschoiceawards #underpressure #foodandwine #underbudget #onbudget #culinarycompetition #thefoodteasedrinks #thefoodteaseeats #ifwtwa1 #tmac
Feb 5
A classic is always a classic!🤩
.
@alssteakhouse has been serving food lovers steak, seafood, and tantalizing martinis since 1967!!! Just incredible! 🥩🍤🍸
.
As an appetizer, I must say their calamari was outstanding, and believe it or not, their portion was unlike any other eatery - there was so much!! 😮
.
And now, for the main attraction - their 14oz Rib-eye steak. The flavour of this steak was a melt-in-your-mouth gift! I couldn`t stop eating it. I forgot how delicious their steaks are. With their sides and salad with their signature garlic dressing, it was a real feast, to say the least.😋
.
I`m already looking forward to my next visit...like I said, when a classic is this tasty, any excuse to visit is a good one‼️
.
#foodblogger #foodlovers #foodgram #travelbloggers #alssteakhouse #steakhouse #steak #oldschool #oldschoolclassic #finedining #supportlocalbusiness #ottawaeats #ottawarestaurants #ribeyesteak🥩 #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasedrinks #ifwtwa1 #tmac #foodie #wantmore
Jan 28
Planning for your BIG wedding day💍 and looking for something different than the traditional bachelorette party? 🎉🎉
.
Then you need to read my solo Montreal getaway article featured in the latest issue of @ottawawedding magazine.
.
Special thanks to @montreal for the beautiful experiences.
.
Amongst the amazing activities:
● High Tea at the Ritz-Carlton 🍾🥂
● Pampering at the Scandinave Spa 💆🏼♀️and at Le Germain Hotel
● Visiting the beautiful light show at the Botanical Gardens ⚘️✨️
● Culinary experiences at the Foxy restaurant and discovering local restaurants during a food tour😋😋
.
Solo getaway or with a friend or two, any reason to visit and experience Montréal is a good one!! 😍🤗
.
With its countless cultural activities and experiences, one can easily enjoy this beautiful city! And let`s not forget their food scene... that alone is reason enough to visit!!😍😋
.
I think it`s time for you to discover, and for some, REDISCOVER Montreal! 🤩🤩
.
#travelblogger #foodblogger #travelgram
#mtlmoments #mtl #mtlfoodies #published #presstrip #passportready
#alwaysexploring #travellikealocal #localbusiness #ifwtwa1 #tmactravel #thefoodteasetravel #exploremontreal #touristattractions #solo #solotravel
Jan 23
Explore and savour! 😋
.
Exploring different regions of the beautiful island of Antigua🏝🏝🐚🐚
Breathtaking panoramic views from Shirley Heights, a restored military lookout, and gun battery was such a visual treat!😍
.
Afterward, a tasty seafood lunch at the Mainbrace restaurant, located at the @copperandlumberstorehotelanu was needed. We are talking about delicious conch fritters, spicy shrimp and avocado sushi stack, and Mahi Mahi trio seafood salad - YUMMY!! 😋😋
.
And if that wasn`t enough, the view of the mind-blowing luxury yachts in front of us as we dined was simply perfect!🛳🛥🤩
.
These activities made for a great island day!🏝😊
.
#foodblogger #foodpornshare #travelgram #travelbloggers #antigua #antiguabarbuda #loveantiguabarbuda #islandlife #exploring #shirleyheights #seafoodlover #conch #yacht #yachtlife #vacationdestination #vacaymode #tmactravel #tmac #ifwtwa1 #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasetravel
Dec 30
The Devil made me do it! 👹😉
.
Antigua’s rich history and spectacular topography provide a variety of popular sightseeing opportunities.
.
One of those stunning sightseeing opportunities is the Devil`s Bridge. The sight and sounds of this natural wonder are something else. 👹🌊
.
Natural blowholes around the arch shoot up water and spray, caused by the Atlantic Ocean waves. Simply beautiful and capitavating and yet dangerous if too close to the blowholes.😲😍
.
#foodblogger #travelbloggers
#antiguaandbarbuda
#loveantiguabarbuda #passportready
#naturalwonders #devilsbridge #antigua #naturalphenomenon #ocean #sightseeing #mustsee #mothernature #touristattraction #thefoodteasetravel #tmactravel #tmac #ifwtwa1 #blowhole #adrenaline
Dec 24
To discover any new destination, I need to explore and experience their local dishes and eateries. 😋😋
.
Big thanks to @eat_n_lime_food_tours and to the @antiguaandbarbuda tourism board for providing me such a tasty treat!!🤗
.
Eat N Lime`s motto resonates with me so much...`We are hanging out and chilling, enjoying eachothers company with good food` - This is my happy place!😍😋
.
The delicious food tour started in Saint John, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, at the Heritage Quay Complex, where one can easily see all the cruise ships coming in and offloading their passengers.
.
I had the pleasure of tasting these local treats during the food tour:
1) Island Bhive: shrimp fritters with garlic sauce - so delicious 😋 🦐
2) Quin Farara Liquor Store: Rum tasting and learning how to make an Antiguan Old Fashioned cocktail with their 5-year-old English Harbour Rum.🍹
3) Roti King: a very generous roti that was packed with flavour: chickpea bread, potatoes, chicken, Indian curry, turmeric, and ginger.
4) Brownies Bakery: well-known for its unique bread offerings. Fun fact: it`s also a well-known hangover dish.🍞😉Tracey Ann, our informative and engaging Eat n Lime Food Tours guide, showed us Brownies Bakery`s famous bread - cinnamon butter and cheese.
5) Patti Delight: Jamaican patties with a twist. Jamaican beef patty with bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. More please!!😋😋
6) To wash down all this delicious food, we stopped at One Stone Ital Shack - a Jamaican rasta shop known for their fresh fruit juices. Passion fruit for the win!! Tasted amazing and truth be told, I mixed my leftover juice with some local Rum as my afternoon cocktail.🍹😉
.
I highly recommend taking part in food tours when discovering new destinations as you not only learn about the culture but also learn how food plays an integral role in the history of the specific region. Eat N Lime`s food tour was exceptional - great memories from this excursion. 😍🤗
.
#foodblogger #foodlovers #foodphotography #foodtourism #foodtour #travelbloggers
#loveantiguabarbuda #eatnlime
#antiguabarbuda #antigua #tmactravel #ifwtwa1 #thefoodteasedrinks #thefoodteaseeats #thefoodteasetravel #alwaysexploring
Dec 23
Christmas came early🎅🎁!!
.
When relaxation and disconnection are needed, The @verandahantigua Resort and Spa (an all-inclusive adults-only resort) delivers!! 🏖🩴
.
It was paradise enjoying the tropical scenery at one of the two beautiful white-sand palm-lined cove beaches that the Verandah Resort & Spa offers its guests.🏝🏖
.
Stay tuned for stunning island attractions and tasty local dishes as I share my Antiguan adventure... which may include some Rum inspiration. 🍹😋
.
#foodblogger #travelbloggers
#travelgram
#loveantiguabarbuda #antiguaandbarbuda #vacationdestination
#antigua #disconnect #vacay #vacaymode #passportready #luxelife #luxurytravel #xmastrip #familytime #memories #tmactravel #tmac #ifwtwa1 #beach #villas #allinclusive #thefoodteasetravel
Dec 22
Home cooking calls for a smoked salmon Dutch baby!!😋💕
.
This uber light yet rich at the same time meal is nothing but DELICIOUS!
.
This savoury Dutch baby with garlic butter, parmesan, and plenty of herbs can be a versatile vessel for other proteins or on its own. However, the smoked salmon and sour cream spread takes it to another level.
.
Here`s to weekend meals👩🏼🍳😋
.
#foodblogger #foodlovers #foodpornshare #travelbloggers #nomnom #homecooking #dutchbaby #cookingwithlove #decadent #smokedsalmon #wantmore #recipes #cookingathome #overthetop #ifwtwa1 #thefoodteaseeats #castiron #castironcooking
Dec 11
I am very proud to share my culinary "observer" perspective regarding @lecordonbleuottawa culinary workshops in the latest issue of @luxeottawamagazine 😊
.
Visiting my alma mater and watching the culinary workshop from a different lens reinforced the rationale as to why I pursued my culinary education…the pleasure of savouring the fruits of your labour. 😋
.
It is this journey that ignited my passion for cooking, helped hone my skills, and introduced me to a world of flavours and techniques that continue to inspire me to this day. And perhaps it will inspire you as well!👨🍳👩🏼🍳
.
Check out the article and the new culinary workshops being offered. Enjoy the adventure!!😊🤗
.
#foodblogger #travelbloggers #foodlovers #foodgram #culinaryinstitute #workshop #lcb #lecordonbleu #lecordonbleuottawa #alwaysexploring #alwayslearning #published #luxemagazine #ifwtwa1 #tmac #tmactravel
Dec 1
Where`s my rubber ducky 🐤😉?!
.
A year ago this week, I was enjoying some bath time while in @discoverdominica 🏖🏝😍
.
Dominica`s lush scenery is extraordinary, and I`m grateful to have been invited to visit their beautiful island😊😊
.
Visiting Wotten Waven Sulphur Springs was perfect to relax and rid of some unwanted stress. And the outdoor bath surrounded by all that green landscape was simply the BEST! An unforgettable experience! 🤩
.
Dominica`s adventure activities - diving, snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, swimming - are just some of the many ways to enjoy this tropical island.🤿🙂
.
Put Dominica on your travel list. You`ll love it!!❤️❤️
.
#foodblogger #travelgram #travelblogger #passportready #presstrip #discoverdominica #dominica #sulphursprings #lush #bubblebath #outdoorbath #newdestination #newexperiences #tmactravel #ifwtwa1 #thefoodteasetravel #tmac #tropical #zen #wottenwavenhotsprings
Nov 15
What goes better together than Champagne and lobster?! Nothing, except MORE Champagne...hence the magnum of Veuve!🍾🥂🦞
.
This is the definition of indulgence. 😉
.
Why wait for special occasions?! Enjoy what makes you happy whenever the mood strikes!
.
Carpe diem!!🍾🥂😍
.
#foodblogger #foodlovers #travelbloggers #travelgram #champagne #champagnelover #lobsters #lobsterlover #carpediem #indulgence #anyoccasion #seizetheday #lobsterdinner #splurge #thefoodteasedrinks #thefoodteaseeats #bubbles #more #moreplease #specialoccasions #anyday
Nov 8
When you taste a meal that makes you sit back and wish you could have it more often, then you know it`s a real culinary gem! 🏅🏅
.
Special thanks to @pti_casque from @co.makerfeed and his brigade for an amazing evening out. 😍 😋
.
I was spoiled with the most amazing dishes!!
● PEI oysters for the win! Love the presentation!!🦪🦪
● Auntie Jo`s Wagyu corndogs with honey mustard...So, so tasty!! I couldn`t resist😋
● Chef`s risotto: roasted squash with Osso Bucco beef and goat cheese. So rich and insanely flavourful!!😍😍
● Osso Bucco at its best...melt-in-your-mouth tender and a sauce that makes you want to spoon it all up.😋😋
.
Always a great time eating Chef`s creations in the beautiful `Alice In Wonderland` room - my favourite!!😍
.
A must try for any occasion!!😋
.
#foodblogger #foodpornshare #foodgram #foodlovers #travelblogger #restaurant #ossobuco #risotto #oysters #chefschoice #chefsspecial #supportlocalbusiness #ottawarestaurants #ottawaeats #diningout #specialoccasions #thefoodteaseeats
Nov 3
Follow Us On Instagram
