Now The Carnival Is Over …

 

Orthodox Easter falls on April 12^th, the first Sunday after the spring solstice first full moon, one week after the ‘Catholic Easter’ as they dub it here. We’ve been celebrating the pre-Lenten period with Carnival revelry and fun. Below the locals in the nearby village of Souroti celebrate ‘Clean Monday’ when the 40 days observance begins, running up to Easter.

 

There are specific gastronomic no-nos: meat, dairy produce, fish with backbone – no me, neither :{ - olive oil and wine. This means vegetables and sea food dominate the diet of observing families.

We joined friends for lunch at a local ouzeri and it seemed that ALL the permitted dishes were there: beans, salads, octopus, kalamari, prawns, crayfish, lobster – hardly smacking of abstinence at all as we emptied the plates, downing quantities of ouzo and wine! Then we came back to ours for coffee and a definitely non-kosher cheesecake! :o

As February wanes the weather hasn’t yet settled and can be cool, but the sun is slowly  warming and there are signs that spring is on its way.

The almond trees are flourishing and sleepy bees busy about the blooms. Prunus roots Z planted nearby have taken and are now in flower.

Last night our night sky was a definite ‘red sky at night’- the sailors’ delight!  The carnival is, indeed, over and we must say our last goodbyes to February. Looking forward to new days in a new month with hope.  

ESTIA

Let me introduce you to the Greek goddess, Estia. Sister of Zeus, she was regarded as the kindest goddess, forgiving, content and, along with Athena and Artemis, was a virgin goddess, who swore an oath of celibacy. She protected the family, the home, the hearth.

The Greek word estia bears a rich semantic load and ‘the hearth’ is probably the sense that it most commonly conveys.

Our recent, dreich, dismal weather does not entice you to move far from your fireside. Cold winds and rain encourage me to produce more wholesome, comforting fare.

This week we enjoyed chicken soup and by the pot is a banana bread mix ready for the oven.

On Burns’ Day I fancied food from the homeland: beef stew, mashed tatties with the nearest turnip substitute I can find – a mix of carrot and parsnip.

Angeliki, our upstairs neighbour, celebrated her birthday with a pavlova I made for her – albeit a bit out of season.

                                              
The left-over cream and strawberries prompted me to bake a batch of scones which cheered up our cold-day breakfast. 😊

These foods I’ve been describing- and readily consuming - could be described as comfort food, childhood favourites representing the warmth of the home, recalling enjoyed and extended hospitality, with the focus on sharing food with others.

The word estia is one I love - with all the connotations of warmth, it even depicts the ‘hob’, another home focus.  It can refer to ‘state-offered student accommodation’ ‘the origin’, ‘the cradle’ – even ‘the epicentre of an earthquake’.

However, my beloved Chambers dictionary sadly let me down. It claims the word comes from the French verb ‘to restore’. Don’t believe a word of it. The derivation is unarguably Greek – ‘estiatorio’- where hospitality is extended. 

So next time you go out for a meal, remember our kindly Estia! 😊