When December rolls around in Greece, a profound sense of tranquility envelops the towns and villages, adorned with twinkling lights and garlands that celebrate the spirit of Christmas. The air is filled with contagious excitement as families come together to uphold time-honored traditions rooted in rich history and deep religious beliefs.
Festive Foods: A Feast for the Senses
Central to Christmas celebrations in Greece is the exquisite array of food that pays homage to both festive cheer and the country’s agricultural bounty. One of the star attractions is Christopsomo, or Christ’s bread, a beautifully braided loaf sprinkled with sesame seeds, symbolizing the body of Christ. Each family has its own recipe, often passed down through generations, with intricate patterns etched into the golden crust. (more…)
Rooster wine with Chilopites is a winter dish and is very delicious! This dish represents one of the classic meals in Greek cuisine, featuring a slowly braised rooster in a hearty and aromatic tomato and wine sauce served over chilopites. It’s essentially a Greek version of coq au vin, with its secret being the ample use of aromatic spices like nutmeg, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries.
Delicious! I’ve heard that historically, this dish was considered quite special, prepared occasionally for Sunday lunch or to mark a celebration. The meat from roosters is tougher than that of chickens and requires more cooking time, and since there weren’t as many roosters as hens available, it became an occasional delicacy! (more…)
ANZAC Day is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by Australian and New Zealand soldiers throughout history. Celebrated on April 25th each year, this day marks the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli in 1915 during World War I. The events at Gallipoli have become a symbol of courage and national identity for both nations, fostering a deep respect for those who served.
The Battle of Crete, which took place in May 1941, further exemplifies the bravery and resilience that ANZAC soldiers are celebrated for. This battle was a significant chapter in military history where ANZAC troops, alongside their Commonwealth and Greek allies, faced overwhelming odds. Despite being vastly outnumbered and encountering severe logistical challenges, these soldiers displayed exceptional valor and determination. (more…)
Pietro Querini is the Venetian nobleman who in the early summer of 1431 in Chania, Crete embarks on a ship loaded with wine and spices, and a crew of 68. They are off to Flanders. Instead, they end up shipwrecked at Røst in Lofoten, Northern Norway.
“I, Pietro Querini from Venice, have promised myself to write down exactly, for the memory of posterity, the adversities that have befallen me and the places where they have happened to me according to the dispositions of the wheel of fate. You must know that driven by the desire to acquire honor and riches, I invested my belongings to set up a ship for a trip to Flanders. On April 25, 1431, I left Crete for this journey, which turned out to be very bitter and full of misfortunes.
My state of mind was sad for the loss of my son, and full of pain, as if it were already a premonition of the many and unbearable misfortunes that would come. Pietro Querini was a Venetian Patrician in the 15th century, a member of the powerful Querini family, and a member by right of Serenissima’s Great Council. He was Lord on the Island of Candia (Crete) and owned the fiefs of Castel di Termini and Dfnes, famous for the production of Malvasia Wine, which he traded especially with Fiandre. Bound for Bruges in Flanders in 1431, his merchant ship encountered a terrible storm off the western coast of France. The storm ravaged the ship, and the sailors had to take to lifeboats. (more…)
In the annals of humanity, numerous societies have been built upon the cultivation and production of wine. Even today, many individuals naturally associate wine with culture. In ancient times, in regions conducive to wine production, the emergence of a civilization and its culture closely followed, and vice versa: Once a culture had developed, its prosperity and well-being became closely intertwined with the vine and wine. This correlation is not coincidental: Wine cultivation requires settling in one location and giving up nomadic lifestyles. It can thrive in poor soil, leaving fertile ground for other types of cultivation. Winemaking necessitates specialized knowledge and techniques, while its commercial aspect depends on the presence of transportation and expertise in trade, economics, and shipping, among other things. The most illustrious and enduring culture in history, the Greek wine culture is one such example. The ancient Greeks recognized wine as a natural gift and transformed it into an art form. (more…)
