An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
If you are fortunate enough to have family members of Greek or other Eastern Mediterranean ancestry, you know that this region gave birth to civilization’s first cuisine, and the foods of this ancient area remain the model for natural, pure and healthy eating.
To create a stunning Eastern Mediterranean Tea, you will simply need to make a few adjustments to our basic Family Reunion Tea menu. Feel free to keep or eliminate any of the items from our Family Reunion Tea that are not listed in our Mediterranean menu below:
Menu
Beverages:
Hot Persian Tea
Hot Cardamom Tea
Greek Coffee
Lemon Water
Savories:
Cheese Platter: Add feta or other Greek cheeses to the Family Reunion Tea menu
Mediterranean Appetizer
Platter including:
Hummus with Pita Triangles
Kalamata Olives
Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves
Falafel Balls
Greek Salad
Spanakopita (Spinach Pastry Squares)
Sweets:
Baklava
Kourabiedes(Greek Butter Cookies)
Greek Lemon Cake with Lemon Yogurt
Hot Persian Tea
Persian families like to drink strong hot black tea and offer it to their guests as a sign of hospitality. Persian Tea is first steeped as a strong, concentrated tea; then hot water is added to achieve the exact color and strength that each guest prefers. Persian Tea is always served in clear glass cups so each guest can see the color of the tea. It helps to have an electric samovar filled with hot water to add to the tea, but a kettle of hot water on the stove will also work. If you have clear glass teacups, this is the time to use them. Serve the cups of both lighter and darker hot tea on an attractive tray with a bowl of sugar cubes, little tongs, and teaspoons.
Greek Coffee
Greek Coffee, which is also known as Turkish Coffee, is very strong and is served in two-ounce demitasse cups like espresso. It is unfiltered, so the coffee grounds will fall to the bottom of the cup. Do not try to drink the coffee grounds. To make Greek Coffee, it is helpful, but not absolutely necessary, to have a Briki, a copper, narrow topped pot with a horizontal handle designed specifically to boil the coffee and create the foam that is part of the Greek Coffee experience. If you do not have a Briki, just use a small saucepan. It is traditional to serve each cup of Greek Coffee with a small glass of cold water.
Hummus
Hummus is the original party dip. It was developed centuries ago in the Middle East as a healthy snack that can be eaten with any meal. In its simplest form, it is a combination of mashed chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and olive oil. Other ingredients, such as salt, lemon juice, garlic, tahini (ground sesame paste), and cumin, can be added to enhance the flavor and nutritional value. Hummus is usually served with pita bread, a fresh flatbread that can be found today in almost any grocery story. Black olives are the perfect accompaniment to hummus, and slices of fresh summer squash can serve as dipping devices, along with pita triangles, instead of chips. Our recipe makes a generous amount of hummus for a large gathering. You can easily cut this recipe in half for a smaller group.
Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leave
Stuffed grape leaves are an ancient finger food that adds a touch of middle-eastern elegance to any meal, and they are perfect for a buffet table. While many recipes for dolmas, the Greek word for grape leaves, call for a ground lamb filling, ours is entirely vegan and kosher, as the filling is a special combination of rice, herbs and pine nuts. This dish can be made the day before it is served, and this recipe will save you some time, as it calls for prepared grape leaves from a jar. However, the process of filling and rolling the leaves can take time, so be advised that you will need to allot at least two hours to making this delicacy. Perhaps one family member can assume the responsibility of preparing the stuffed grape leaves and bringing them to the family reunion. We thank Lynn Livanos Athan for this recipe, which is available on line at About.com Greek Food.
Falafel Balls
Falafel contains many of the same healthy ingredients as hummus, but falafel is shaped into balls and deep-fried or baked for a crispy exterior. Falafel balls can be placed in pita bread pockets along with tomatoes and other fresh vegetables for a delightful sandwich. Falafel balls are even good for breakfast with eggs and fried potatoes, rice or toast. And falafels are the perfect companion to stuffed grape leaves and hummus on the buffet table. The ingredients for our recipe for baked falafel can be combined in just a few minutes in a food processor. We recommend baking rather than deep-frying the falafel balls to reduce the amount of olive oil and thus cut down on calories and time spent over a sizzling skillet in summer weather.
Greek Salad
Greek salad is one of summer’s most generous gifts. It features the bounty of the summer garden when all of the produce is at its freshest and most filled with flavor. If you or a family member are fortunate enough to have a back yard garden, all you need to do is harvest your vegetables, gently wash them off, chop them decoratively, and your Greek salad is ready to serve. Tomatoes will be the star of this creation, and if possible, bring your salad to the buffet table without refrigeration, as freshly picked tomatoes and the refrigerator are not friends. We think that summer vegetables, especially tomatoes, taste wonderful with just a last minute sprinkling of kosher salt and a few drops of olive oil, but you can serve the dressing on the side for family members who prefer dressing on their salad.
Spanakopita (Spinach Pastry Squares)
Two of the items on our Middle Eastern Afternoon Tea menu are made with phyllo (also spelled filo,) the paper-thin pastry sheets that can be layered with butter to form an infinite number of flaky and crispy confections, either sweet or savory. This recipe for Greek spinach pie is a savory delight while the baklava recipe that follows is a dessert pastry sweetened with citrus scented honey. While Greek grandmas have made their own phyllo for generations, fortunately you can buy prepared phyllo dough in the frozen foods section of any good grocery store. Phyllo is sold rolled up like an empty jellyroll in long thin rectangular boxes. It will need to be thawed before it can be handled. These pastry sheets are very delicate and can tear or dry out easily, so be sure to cover the sheets with a damp kitchen towel once you have unrolled them and are ready to begin handling them.
Baklava
Baklava is the most famous of all Middle Eastern desserts, and for good reason. The combination of spiced ground nuts, flaky pastry and citrus flavored honey creates a culinary experience like no other. One never forgets his or her first bite of baklava! This iconic pastry, with a variety of regional spellings, is part of the cuisine of every country in the Middle East. It is usually made with finely chopped walnuts, but you should feel free to use any type or combination of nuts that you prefer. Rose likes to make her baklava with almonds. As with the other desserts on our summer family reunion menu, baklava can be made a day or two before the event and stored covered at room temperature.
Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
Kourabiedes are glorious little Greek butter cookies. They are subtly flavored with cognac, shaped into balls, and each cookie is crowned with a whole clove. We admit to being out of season in suggesting that you serve them at a summer afternoon tea since kourabiedes are traditionally eaten during the Christmas holidays. However, we think that the delicate texture and flavor of these little gems speaks for itself in any season. Kourabiedes can be made up to a week in advance and stored in airtight containers.
Greek Lemon Cake with Lemon Yogurt
This is a light, chiffon-like cake containing two of the favorite ingredients in Greek food—lemons and yogurt. It would look lovely baked in a fluted Bundt pan and can be served very simply with a light dusting of powdered sugar and commercially prepared lemon flavored Greek yogurt on the side. Summer strawberry and watermelon cube kabobs would be the perfect complement to this classic cake.
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