All posts tagged: gina trikonis

Magiritsa Soup ~ Happy Greek Easter!

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Happy Easter and Xristos Anesti! In a rare occurrence, the western Gregorian and eastern Julian calendars align this year so that Easter and Greek Easter both fall on the same day–April 20th. As a California Greek, no Anastasi celebration would be complete in our family without the traditional Greek Easter soup–magiritsa! Magiritsa is instantly addictive with its tart-tangy-sweet flavor unlike any other soup you will ever eat. The distinct flavor comes from the avgolemono (lemon and egg broth) that gets added in at the end, as well as a small amount of puréed organic chicken or beef liver that is incorporated into the main soup. Even people who swear they don’t like liver (me included) love this soup. Everyone who has tried this dish at our table has gone back for seconds and asked to take some home for thirds and fourths. Paired with the subtle sweetness of the tsoureki Greek Easter egg bread, it is a delectable umami dream-come-true that makes your body hum and sing with joy from the inside out. This magiritsa …

Greek Easter ~ Magiritsa Soup

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Words by Christina Huntington  // Original Family Recipe by “Mama Gina” Gina Trikonis // Photography by Sarah Prikryl  In my house, we grew up celebrating Greek Easter. My mom was a Greek New Yorker who believed in keeping our family traditions alive, even as she found herself raising two native Angeleno children in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley. We went to Greek school, Greek church, learned traditional Greek songs and Greek dances but, most importantly, we inherited the Greek way of life…a deep passion and love for food, family, friends, nature and Life itself. For Greeks, every day on Earth is a gift to be unwrapped and enjoyed, a reason to celebrate! And there is truly no bigger Greek celebration than the Anastasi! Known to Americans as “Greek Easter” or “Eastern Orthodox Easter”, many Greeks, Armenians and Russians celebrate the Easter holiday in accordance with a different calendar—which is why it often falls on a completely different weekend than when the Easter Bunny comes to visit, much to the confusion of many of my childhood …

Mama Gina’s Greek Hummus (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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What you are about to read is very coveted, top-secret information. As a Greek girl, hummus has always been a staple at our family table, especially on holidays, when family gatherings traditionally start with mezethes. Fresh-cubed feta cheese, Greek olives, grape leaves and creamy dips with pita bread are dug into by hand over lively conversation before moving to the table for the main meal. The star of our mezethes spread is always my mother’s homemade hummus. This recipe has been passed down from generations of Greek women, originating with my grandmother’s relatives on the island of Samos, traveling with my Yiayia to America where it settled into New York’s immigrant city blocks and finally landing with my mother in sunny Southern California and onto our suburban table. Over many years in LA, our family hummus was the favorite attraction at every gathering even before it became the de rigueur go-to Cali party snack. Many of our friends growing up were exposed to hummus for the first time at our house. But no matter how …