SACO — The line went out the door: Men, women and children, their coats still cold from chilly, fall weather, waiting to partake in a season’s worth of bounty. Pastries, chicken, gyros and hot coffee greeted those who came, while knick-knacks and souvenirs were smattered about the main hallway.
The Big Fat Greek Bazaar turned Saco’s St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church into a hub of activity on Saturday, marked by the bustle of parishioners and the smells of a kitchen bursting with volunteers ”“ all vying to create dishes that lived up to the reputation of traditional Greek cuisine.
For those behind the event, it was a labor of love.
“We’ve been doing it for years,” said Zaffie Hadiaris, who handles publicity for the event and has been involved since 1992. “The ladies bake for weeks ahead of time.”
They have to, she said, in order to serve the estimated 2,000 people who walk through the church’s doors each year. Scores of church members, including Georgia Caras, labor to get everything done on time, starting the food preparation in September.
“It’s like an assembly line,” said Caras.
New this year was a specialty pastry table, offering the public a range of edibles that went beyond the traditional Greek staples, such as baklava. Sponsored by the St. Fotini Ladies Society, the bazaar’s expanded tables invited the sweet-toothed among the crowd to linger, chat and socialize.
In the kitchen, Jim Agoritsas, who has been involved with the church for about a year after moving to Maine from Massachusetts, tended to a batch of chicken ”“ cooked with olive oil and lemon juice to give it that extra Greek zing.
“You let it bake in the juices,” said Agoritsas. “And it’s gotta be baked in an oven.”
Then, smiling: “I’m the chicken master.”
Outside the main hall, parishioner Caton Tompkins stood watch over a collection of religiously themed books that occupied a corner near a wall filled with shelves of icons, candles, cards and other Christian items. The bazaar, he said, is an effort to make the spirit of the summer’s annual Greekfest last throughout the year, with the goal of bringing the community together.
“People can come and eat some great food, maybe buy some Christmas gifts,” said Tompkins. “It’s an effort to make it an ongoing effort. It’s been nice.”
Goods were procured from various monasteries in the United States and Canada, with the proceeds from Saturday’s sales benefiting the church.
Hadiaris hopes the bazaar encourages those in the broader community to partake in what the church has to offer.
“And of course, we’ve always got great cooks,” she said.
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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