ec2
 

Gabrielle
Mariotti

Greek Food Consultant

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As a lifelong foodie and ardent admirer of cuisine from all corners of the globe, Gabrielle Mariotti holds a particular affinity for Greek and Greek-American food. Over the course of extensive travels across the globe, Gabrielle Mariotti has spent considerable amounts of time seeking out the finest cuisine, finding much of it in the United States. Gabrielle Mariotti finds Chicago particularly rewarding, as it offers some of the best known Greek dining in America. Gabrielle Mariotti has sampled the diverse offerings of foods found along Chicago’s famed Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood, which is noted as a center of Greek culture and gastronomy in the United States.

Tracing its roots back to the 1840s, Greektown was originally populated by Greek ship captains, food peddlers, restaurant owners, and other types of professionals. More than a century later, Greektown proved instrumental in the introduction of saganaki and gyros to American taste buds, now staples of Greek-American cuisine. Displaced by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Eisenhower Expressway in the 1960s, the current Greektown lies several blocks north of its original location. Though no longer predominantly inhabited by Greek immigrants and their families, Halsted Street remains a cultural center and plays host to such events as the annual Taste of Greece festival and the Greek Independence Day parade.


Gabrielle Mariotti's Publications

  • Q & A with Gabrielle Mariotti on Chugach State Park in Anchorage, Alaska, Gabrielle Mariotti
    October, 2011
    A veteran world traveler, Gabrielle Mariotti once drove a distance of more than 2000 miles from Vancouver, Canada, to Anchorage, Alaska. The trip, including stops, took a week. Once in Anchorage, Gabrielle Mariotti visited Chugach State Park. We asked her about the park and her impressions of this national treasure.

    Question: Can you give us an idea about the dimensions of the park?

    Gabrielle Mariotti (GM): As you know, Alaska is a huge state in terms of territory, and Chugach State Park actually lies within the municipality of Anchorage. Residents and tourists use the park frequently, and if memory serves me correctly, it is one of the most visited parks in the state. It covers about half a million acres of land, making it the third largest state park in the United States.

    Question: What kind of outdoor activities are allowed in the park?

    GM: For hikers, the park is a gem. You can find everything from relaxing walks to a 26-mile trail. There are also a lot of options for people who enjoy camping, watching wildlife, or fishing. Ice climbing, skiing, and snow machining are options in the winter.

    Question: You mentioned camping options. Are we talking about roughing it in the wilderness or perhaps a range of amenities?

    GM: The park as a whole operates three campgrounds. Not to worry, flush toilets and an RV dump station are available at one of them, and all of the campgrounds have water, fire pits, picnic tables and latrines.

    Question: Alaska boasts so much natural diversity. How can visitors who are not necessarily experts gain an understanding of their location and surroundings in the park?

    GM: Actually, the park runs a nature center, the Eagle River Nature Center. The center provides guided-nature walks and wilderness hikes in the back-country. They also have interpretive exhibits. In addition, several hiking trails offer self-guided options.

    In closing: Thank you, Gabrielle Mariotti, for sharing this information with us today.

    GM: You are welcome. I hope many other people will have the opportunity to enjoy Chugach Park someday.