Saturday, March 3, 2012

Keep It Clean


This past week marked the beginning of Lent for the Eastern Orthodox faithful.  It runs for forty days and ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday.  This year Greek Easter is April 15th, one week later than Easter will be celebrated by Protestants and Catholics in 2012.  As I explained in an article around this same time last year (Is Easter Early This Year), Eastern Orthodox calculations of the events surrounding Easter are based on the Gregorian rather than Julian calendar.

So what does the beginning of Lent mean?  For those of you looking for a liturgical or religious answer to that question, I can assure you this is not the place to find one. Yes, I know that for the Orthodox Lent begins not on an Ash Wednesday (as it does for others) but on “Clean Monday” (which actually begins the night before), that the reference to “clean” refers to leaving behind sinful attitudes and forbidden foods during Lent, and that the theme for Clean Monday is set out in an Old Testament reading from Isaiah 1:1-20, stating in part, “Wash yourselves and ye shall be clean.” 

But that’s not what this piece is about.  What the beginning of Lent means as far at this piece is concerned is one thing:  FOOD.

In Greek the name is Kathara (clean) Deftera (Monday) and is a public holiday.  It probably also is, or at least should be, a holiday for vegetarians around the world.  That’s because Clean Monday generally does not permit the consumption of any animal with red blood or of anything derived from those animals.  In other words, no meat, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, etcetera.  Many also exclude olive oil.  You see, Lent is about fasting.  If it’s starting to sound like a pretty boring feast day, trust me, you’re wrong.

But just to keep the interest of those unrepentant red meat lovers out there, the Greeks also have a day for you to circle on your calendars.  It’s two Thursdays before Clean Monday.  In Greek that day is called, Tsiknopempti, “pempti” meaning Thursday.  Tsikno is hard to translate, though most settle on “burnt” and call it “Burnt Thursday,” or use the rest of Europe’s name for the day, “Fat Thursday.”  To me, though, tsikno conjures up the engulfing smoke and scents of endless grills sizzling with meats.
 

Personally, I think a more appropriate name would be “Lipitor Thursday.”

As for Clean Monday, to Greeks it’s a time that is about a lot more than prayer and food. It’s regarded as the first day of Spring, a time to celebrate outdoors and picnic.  Kite flying is a huge tradition, as is dancing and music, and thoughts of a new beginning ... please God.

But back to the food. No one is supposed to eat until noon, but once it’s here, kali orexi!


Unique to Clean Monday is lagana, a generally unleavened bread eaten only on that day which serves as the perfect compliment to the rest of the holiday table (and is far different from the “matzoh” familiar to many as another form of unleavened bread).  Here’s just an example of what you might find to nibble on while you dream of that Big Mac.


Taramosalata, made of cod or carp roe, is sometimes called “the common man's caviar.”  It’s one of the tastiest and most famous of all Greek dips.

A fava (split pea) puree.

Yigandes, giant kastoria beans (similar in look to lima beans) generally combined in a casserole with tomatoes, onions, herbs, and spices.

Salads of marouli (romaine lettuce), three beans (fassolia), or perhaps something more daring such as revitho (chickpea) salad with artichokes and sun-dried tomato.

Dolmades, the traditional grape leaves stuffed with rice and fresh herbs

Peppers stuffed with bulgar and herbs.

Calamari, squid prepared fried or in any number of other ways.

Octopus grilled as is, or dressed up with tomatoes, capers, and other special touches.

Cuttlefish in wine sauce with pearl onions.

Garides, giant shrimp grilled with oil and lemon

Stews of wild mushrooms, onions, and herbs.

loukoumathes
Halvas (semolina pudding), loukoumathes (puffs of fried dough in sweet syrup sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts), pasteli (sesame-honey candies) … and on and on.

Then, of course, there’s the ouzo, wine, and beer.

Some fast, huh?  Gotta got run now.  Suddenly, I’m very hungry.

Jeff­—Saturday

18 comments:

  1. Sounds delicious...though all told I think I'm more of a Fat Thursday man than Clean Monday.

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  2. Yes, Dan, I think we all are deep down in our hearts...in a manner of speaking.

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  3. Pass the loukoumathes, please! :)

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  4. Is that "pretty please" with cinnamon and honey on it? Okay, I'll pass 'em, no bogarting the loukoumathes here.

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  5. And here I was preparing for a nice quiet breakfast. You know, toast and...never mind, boring. Wonderful post, mouth watering pictures and of course, deserts. After reading "Prey on Patmos," (thumbs up) I've decided that the Greeks really do things with more zest, or dedication than they do it here.

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  6. I think I just gained six pounds, and I've never felt hungrier. There's no justice. Great piece, great pix.

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  7. Jeff, wow, what a feast!

    That's exactly the reason why I LOVE Greece so much. Whenever I went to Greece, especially when I visited my friends in Athens, I was always happily stuffed with all that delicious dishes you kindly provided above. Your post makes me want to go there now :).

    After the feast and ouzo, a dance of Zorba is just what I need :)

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  8. Lil, after all the nice things you had to say about PoP, I don't care how you spell.:) And yes, the Greeks have a knack for finding a way to enjoy life, no matter the circumstances.

    If you gained six pounds reading this piece, Tim, imagine how many I gained having to spell all those very fattening words! Thanks.

    Junying, it's so nice to see you hanging around the blog, you have a special way of adding the perfect touch! By the way, now when you come to Greece you have yet another friend to help happily stuff you. Me! Yamas!

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    1. That's so very kind of you, Jeff, and I'll be booking my flight soon :)

      Would love to meet you one day either in Greece or UK :)

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  9. Taramosalata? Stop...please...now I've got to run out and get some - alas, it's not made in Greece but you've made me put on my shoes Jeffrey!

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  10. In your neck of the woods, Kokkari has about the best you'll find outside of Greece. But, not sure they deliver so that might not help you on the shoe front. Sorry, Cara:)

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  11. I have a question. Why are we writers the last to know? I just learned a few moments ago that my publisher and Amazon have reduced the price of the very first book in my Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, "Murder in Mykonos," to $.99.

    I guess that puts me into the thick of the "what's the right e-Book price" controversy raging across the blogs. I just wish I'd known so I could have prepared an appropriate, "thank you for inviting me to the party" speech.:)

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    1. Hi again, Jeff.

      Since it's such a good deal, I hope you don't mind that I just bought a copy from Amazon :) I look forward to reading it - I almost went to Mykonos when I did my island hopping some years ago :)

      I also hope that you don't mind that I have shared this great deal on Twitter and my Facebook.

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    2. Forgiveness is in my nature, Junying.:) Thanks!

      Let me know when you're hopping by the Aegean again.

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    3. I seem to recall being introduced to Poke Rafferty via one of those 99 cent deals. Have now downloaded my first Jeffrey Siger!

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  12. Bonnie, that's decidedly august company you've put me in...or rather Andreas Kaldis. Thanks!

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