Greek Foods for a Graduation Party?

[voula_slat]

A friend’s daughter is graduating this spring, and I’ve been helping plan the graduation party. Since their family loves Greek food, we’re thinking about incorporating some traditional Greek dishes into the menu. The challenge is that many of the guests aren’t Greek, so we want foods that are both authentic and crowd-friendly.

Right now, we’re considering things like spanakopita, souvlaki, Greek salad, and maybe a dessert table with baklava and other desserts (likely American desserts like brownies). We’re expecting around 50 people, so we also need dishes that are relatively easy to serve at a larger gathering.

For those who have hosted parties or catered Greek events, what foods were the biggest hits? The gathering will probably be outside. I have my own opinions, such as I like to run the grill and make enough souvlaki for everyone, but I am not sure that will be well received.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

I think souvlaki would be very well received, especially for an outdoor graduation party! I’m Greek American, and when we have large gatherings, grilled souvlaki is always one of the first things to disappear. You could do both chicken and pork, and serve it with pita, tzatziki, lemon, and a few simple sides.

Spanakopita is another great choice because it can be made ahead and is easy for guests to grab. I’d also consider a large tray of pastitsio, since it’s familiar enough to appeal to people who haven’t eaten much Greek food. Greek salad, roasted lemon potatoes, and maybe keftedes would round everything out nicely.

For dessert, baklava alongside brownies and cookies sounds perfect. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about the souvlaki being too unfamiliar. Grilled meat on skewers is pretty universally appealing, and it sounds especially perfect for an outdoor party!