Taste of Crete is a Sponsor in the First Gabby Awards Honoring Outstanding Greek Americans in Chicago

Hillsborough, NJ, June 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The inaugural Gabby Awards will be held on June 19, 2009 at the Merle Reskin Theater in Chicago, Illinois. Hosted and created by the Greek America Magazine, the Gabby Awards were founded to commemorate excellence among Greek Americans and reward those who exemplify it.

Nominees for the first Gabby Awards include prominent Greek Americans such as, George Stephanopoulos, actresses Jennifer Aniston and Tina Fey as well as top chefs, Cat Cora and Michael Psilakis.

Among the presenters will be Nia Vardalos, who starred in the popular movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. She is also starring as Georgia, a Greek American tourist guide in Greece, in the upcoming new movie release called, “My Life in Ruins.”

Taste of Crete, a New Jersey located gourmet food company, whose Taste of Crete PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, from Greece, won Gold in the International Olive Oils of the World Competition, is a sponsor of the Gabby Awards. Nominees are being presented with a gourmet gift box filled with her award winning products. Among these products are the Taste of Crete PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the Biolea Nerantzi Oil, the Evangelia’s Traditional Greek Olive Oil Cookies, Apipharm Honey and Nut Spread with Walnuts, and a hand-painted dip dish made by Taste of Crete’s artist, Brenda Sotolongo, who makes their Greek inspired glassware.

Esther Luongo Psarakis, founder of Taste of Crete, states: “We are extremely excited to sponsor and attend the inaugural Gabby Awards. I am a non-Greek who married into this wonderful culture, and truly have a personal passion for the culture, history and foods of Greece. It is what inspired me to start my company Taste of Crete. Bringing to the forefront the achievements of modern day Greeks who are making a difference is a great concept.”

Esther Luongo Psarakis has won a number of awards such as the NJ Small Business Development 2006 Success Award, the 2007 Economic Vitality Award by the Somerset County Business Partnership, was a finalist in Make Mine a Million for Women’s Economic Independence sponsored by American Express and most recently was recognized by Sam’s Club as an emerging woman entrepreneur in 2008.

Taste of Crete products are carried by a number of gourmet locations and on their website, as well as at their new location: (400 Route 206 South Hillsborough, NJ 08844)

For more information about the company and its products, please go to www.tasteofcrete.com or call 908-685-2035. For tickets and information about the Gabby Awards, please go to www.gabbyawards.com or call 312-733-4633.

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