The Gennadius Library Celebrates its Tenth Annual Clean Monday Benefit in New York
Cookbook author Diane Kochilas and Molyvos chef Jim Botsacos
Over 120 friends of the Gennadius Library celebrated the Tenth Annual Clean Monday Benefit on February 15 at Molyvos in New York City.  A unique Lenten cuisine was prepared by Molyvos’ Chef Partner Jim Botsacos.  Honorary Patrons were Ambassador of Greece to the United States, Mr. Vassilis Kaskarelis and Mrs. Anna Kaskarelis and a special guest was internationally-renowned Greek cuisine author and chef Diane Kochilas. Among the guests were Ambassador Loucas Tsilas, who served as Greece’s Ambassador to the U. S. and is currently the Executive Director of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation (USA).  Many of the Board of Trustees of the Gennadius Library were present, including Mr. Ted Athanassiades and his wife Elaine, Dr. Edward E. Cohen, Mr. Nassos Michas and his wife April, Hon. E. Leo Milonas and his wife Helen, Mr. Petros Sabatacakis and his wife Marina, and Dr. Catherine deG. Vanderpool and her husband Ted Politis, and were joined by School Trustees Lady Judith Thomson, Mr. Andrew Bridges, and Mr. Robert McCabe and his wife Dina. Vice Chairman of the Gennadius Library Board of Trustees Nassos Michas introduced the Ambassador who addressed the crowd and referred to the Library as “a custodian of Hellenism.”  Director of the Library Dr. Maria Georgopoulou thanked the benefactors for their support and updated the group on the exciting activities occurring at the Library including the 29th Annual Walton Lecture in early March by Prof. Robert Ousterhout of the University of Pennsylvania entitled “Byzantine Constantinople: Visualizing a City in Transition.” Guests dined on the wonderful buffet and danced to the music of Grigoris Maninakis and the Mikrokosmos Ensemble.  Among the gifts distributed to the guests was the booklet “Lenten Specialities: Recipes for Fasting in Style” featuring Botsacos’ and Kochilas’ recipes.  The funds raised will be applied to a match for a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant recently awarded to the ASCSA for the renovations to the School’s two libraries, including the Gennadius Library. Links National Herald article (Download the PDF) Ta Nea review (In greek) New York Times announcement Kochilas recipe for Clean Monday