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By Maria A. Pardalis
A Special Interview with
Regina Katopodis from
Artopolis Bakery Patisserie
 Greek baked goods have come a long way since their humble beginning in our grandmother’s kitchens. Baklava is now dipped in chocolate, layered with custard, rolled in all sorts of nuts, topped with ice cream and in many shapes and sizes. Exclusive Easter and Christmas treats such as Tsoureki, a braided sweet bread crusted with sliced almonds, and kourabiedes, buttery shortbread-like cookies topped with powdered sugar, are now readily available year round. Stepping into a Greek patisserie has morphed into an exquisite culinary experience. I had the pleasure of visiting one of New York’s finest this month and all I can say is that I died and went to foodie heaven. I speak of none other than Artopolis Bakery Patisserie, the Picasso of confectionery and luscious pastries, pies, imported chocolate, breads and much, much more!
The aromas of warmly spiced honey, vanilla, orange zest, toasted nuts and cinnamon lavishly permeated in the air as I walked into Artopolis. Rich custardy tarts with glazed plump fruit and decadent chocolate ganache covered tortes adorned with imported Swiss chocolate ribbons were elegantly encased in glass, while rustic bread and savory cheese pies graced the shelves behind one of the kiosks. While I waited to speak with Regina Katopodis, one of the bakery’s owners, I told myself I was only going to try two pastries since I was trying to be “healthy”. Little did I know that the gregarious Regina was going to have me taste nearly everything! Given the tempting treats showcased, one has to wonder how is it possible to refrain from indulging. The answer is simple, its not and trust me, it was worth every single last calorie.
Regina clearly has a love and gratification for sweets but it does not compare to the love she has for people and for our community. Artopolis has sponsored a wide array of events from Greek Month at the UN and “Euro Day” in Washington, D.C. to philanthropic events at the Children’s Museum. Zagat has given them a 28 out of 30 for 5 straight years and Michael Dukakis has their galaktopoureko shipped to him in California. So what is the hype all about? In the midst of her busy schedule, Regina sat down with me over coffee and dessert, naturally, to give us a little insight on her seamless operation.
 MAP: Tells us about Artopolis Bakery, is it family owned and what makes it exceptional?
RK: Artopolis is owned by an eclectic mix of people who all envisioned the creation of a unique artisanal bakery Mecca that can serve all. I am co-owner along with Nick Pantelatos, Panagi Pantelatos, Kostas Tzarias and Angelos Katopodis. We worked hard for several years perfecting Artopolis to make it a full service operation so that we can help our consumer buy the most appropriate product for their occasion.
MAP: Everything looks heavenly and almost too pretty to eat. Are you the pastry chef behind these artistic creations?
RK: No, but I am very involved in the baking process and work with my head Pastry Chef Mohammad Ali and head Baker Marco Munoz in capturing the true tradition of Greek and European baking. We strive to ensure that all of our products taste perfect and homemade every time without utilizing any preservatives. Using only all natural ingredients, we proudly recreate family recipes that have been passed down for years and years. For example, our rice pudding is my mother in law’s recipe from Ithaki and our lathokouloura stem from a recipe that is centuries old from Lefkada.
MAP: What is your best selling product and what is your personal favorite?
RK: There is a tie when it comes to our most popular items, Tsourekia and Melomakarona simply go flying off our shelves. We can’t seem to make enough despite what time of the year it is. Our Tsourekia feature mastiha, which we import from Chios, and our melomakarona literally melt in your mouth!
I don’t have just one personal favorite. I really love most everything we make since we ensure that we have the best possible recipes for each one of our delicacies. But, if I had to choose it would be our mini baklava.
MAP: I am surprised to see that you have yet to fall into the cupcake craze. Is this because a cupcake is not a traditional Greek dessert?
RK: No not at all. We actually tried and would you believe they did not sell! No matter what flavors we made and what we topped them with, our clientele did not want to buy cupcakes.
MAP: Since we are in the midst of Great Lent, I’ve received many emails requesting recipes for fast-friendly treats. Do you sell any Lenten baked goods?
RK: Of course! We have a huge selection of Lenten goods such as: mustokouloura, melomakarona, diples, biscotti, kritsini, eliopites and much more.
MAP: With such a huge and rich selection of Lenten products, I am sure you have a wonderful recipe to share with us.
RK: Yes and it’s a recipe for our popular Lachanopita, which is another best seller!
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