Zaytinya's First Annual Greek Easter Celebration

April 21 to May 4th, 2008

Join us for our first annual Greek Easter festival. In honor of one of Greece’s most important holidays, Zaytinya will feature tempting Greek Easter dishes as specials throughout the festival and offer tsoureki, the traditional Easter Bread, for special order.

In the Greek Orthodox tradition, the church calendar is calculated on the Julian calendar. Greek Easter rarely coincides with the Protestant or Catholic holiday. Easter is a two week celebration beginning on Greek Orthodox Palm Sunday and culminating the Sunday after Easter, the day of Saint Thomas. Recognized for its rich heritage, the Greek holiday is a time for families to honor the rebirth of spring. It is celebrated through religious ceremonies and festive gatherings and, of course, in kitchens and on the table. For the community, the Easter dishes play a significant role and many are only enjoyed at this special time.

On Sunday, April 13th, the air at FRESHFARM’s popular Dupont Circle Market will be redolent with fresh herbs and lamb as Chef Isabella presides over a spectacular lamb roast. Guests will have the opportunity to preview some of the flavors that will be available at Zaytinya during the Greek Easter Festival. Chef Isabella will also share tips on preparing lamb at home.

During the two-week festival, Zaytinya is pleased to showcase the treasured signature dishes of the holiday. Chef Isabella will be featuring a whole spring lamb with oregano potatoes and latholemono; lamb shank trahana with Greek style couscous, tomato, cinnamon, mizithra; lamb kleftiko, a lamb loin “sous vide” wrapped in phyllo and spinach and spring lamb stew with egg lemon, dill, baby romain, and potato. These Greek Easter specials will be priced between $9-$12.

Zaytinya will also feature the traditional Easter bread called tsouréki, available by special order to take home or enjoy in the restaurant. Tsouréki, a symbol of the holiday, is a challah-like bread flavored with lemon, orange, mastic and other specialty seasonings. Before baking, the dough is braided and adorned with an egg that has been dyed a vibrant red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Zaytinya will have tsouréki available for special order from Thursday, April 24th through Sunday, April 27th for $12 per loaf. Call (202) 638-0800 to place an order. Stop by the restaurant to pick up your bread and enjoy this wonderful tradition at home or with friends.

For those that would like to celebrate Greek Easter with a memorable dining experience, Zaytinya will host a wine dinner on Tuesday, April 29. This four-course menu, priced at $ 75 per person (not including tax and gratuity) will feature dishes such as chilled swordfish marinato, a “sous vide” swordfish with meyer lemon, chile, basil oil and micro verbena; thipolo kolokitho, a crispy squash blossom with lamb mialo and tomato and for dessert, baby banana katifi with Greek honey, shredded phyllo, chocolate and halva sorbet.