HOME LEAVE 1956 PART I I (Continued)

A Kifissia Tree-Lined  Street

The House in Kefalari, Kifissia

Keeping Kifissia as our base, we started visiting several regions and islands in Greece.  It was April 1956 and we were on home leave.

With our little Fiat Cinquecento, we first toured the Peloponnese.  We drove through beautiful, flowered countryside to Mycenae to see the archaeological site, located 90 km south-east of Athens.

A Map of Ancient Mycenae During its Heyday

The name of Mycenae was given to one of the greatest Greek pre-history civilisations.  According to the traveller/historian Pausanias, the founder and first King of Mycenae was Perseus, a demi-god, son of Zeus and Danae.  His descendants reigned for three generations.  Later the Myceneans chose Atreus, son of Pelops, father of Agamemnon and Menelaos, as their king.

Hellen the Most Beautiful Woman in the World by Evelyn de Morgan

Homer in his epic, the Iliad, describes the cause of the Trojan war.  Helen of Lakonia, the most beautiful woman in the world, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta was abducted by Prince Paris of Troy.   Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, the sovereign of Mycenae, to sail with 1.185  ships and over 142.320 men from all the cities and islands of Greece to fight against Troy, destroy it and bring Helen back to Sparta.

The Mycenean culture dominated mainland Greece, the Aegean and the shores of Asia Minor during the late Bronze Age (circa 1600-1100 BC).  The Mycenaean Era occupies the end of the Helladic Civilisation, which flourished in mainland Greece since 3000 BC.

The Lion Gate Mycenae

The first specification of Mycenae, took place in 1700, during a survey by Francesco Grimani, for the  Despotate of the Morea, who used Pausanias' description of the Lion Gate, to identify the ruins of Mycenae.

The first excavations began by the Archaeological Society of Athens in 1841 AD.

Heinrich Schliemann, during his 1876 excavations in Mycenae, discovered "the rich in gold" Shaft Graves with luxurious jewellery, items in gold, silver and bronze and also precious stones and crystals like lapis lazuli, imported from central Asia.    This unforeseen discovery "changed the history of Aegean prehistoric archaeology".

The Golden Death Mask of Agamemnon

Ulysses Crown 

 Mycenean Jewelry 

Mycenean Gold Goblet

Apparently, from 1600 BC there is evidence that there high-quality pottery and paintings were found on the Mycenean acropolis.

Circa the 14th century BC the first large palace (Megaron) was built, on three levels, decorated with stonework and frescoes.   At the same time, the famous tholos (beehive) tomb, the treasury of Atreus, was constructed, "a monumental circular building with a corbelled roof" approached by a 36 metres long unroofed corridor.   Fortification walls (the north wall still exists today) roads and structures to prevent flooding, such as dams were constructed, linear B tablets were found, all of which indicate that Mycenean culture was then, at its highest peak.   A secondary hall, private rooms and workshops were also built during this period.  Moreover, a  monumental entrance, the Lion Gate, was constructed, with an "18-ton lintel topped by two 3 metre heraldic lions and a column altar".

The Monumental Tomb - The Treasury of Atreus

Details of the Heraldic Lions on the Lion Gate

A Mycenean Tablet in Linea B Script

Linea B Logogram

The first palace of Mycenae was destroyed during the late 13th century BC, probably by monster earthquakes.   A second palace was built with a monumental staircase.  The North Gate and a ramp were added to the Mycenean acropolis and the walls were extended to include the Perseia Spring (named after the city's founder) within the walls.  This second palace was later destroyed by fire.

There was an attempt for a brief revival during the Hellenistic Period, but unfortunately, the decline of this powerful city was evident.  After the fall of Mycenae, Argos became the most powerful city in the region. The reasons for the city's decline are much disputed amongst archaeologists, such as natural disasters, overpopulation, social and political turbulence, and invasions from alien tribes.




After our very interesting tour of ancient Mycenae, my husband and I enjoyed the most delicious meal at a tiny taverna in the small village, called what else Mycenae!

                               

                   

                                 BREAD WITH ONIONS, OLIVES AND FETA

                                    

Warm, Crusty Bread

This is a lovely recipe for bread that keeps fresh for 2-3 days.  Try it also with celeriac or carrots instead of onions.  The best olives to use are the ones stuffed with sun dried tomatoes or pimentos.  This bread can be sliced and successfully dried into rusks, in a slow oven. 

500 g (1 lb) flour

8-10 g (1 tbsp) dried yeast

½ tsp salt

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

180 g (6 oz) or more feta, crumbled and halved

1 tsp honey, diluted in

250 ml (1 cup) tepid water

1 cup stuffed olives, sliced

In a large, warmed bowl mix the flour with the dried yeast.  Add the onion, salt and half the amount of cheese and mix well.   Then add the water and honey mixture and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic but remains soft. 

Place the dough in a clean, warmed mixing bowl, cover the whole bowl with cling film, tea-towels and a small blanket and let it rise, free from draughts until doubled in bulk (about 1 ½ hours).

Punch the dough down and knead it again, add the olives and the remaining cheese.  Shape 2 loaves and leave to prove, on an oiled baking tin, for about half an hour, or until doubled in bulk.  Slash the loaves and brush them with olive oil.    Bake in a hot oven, preheated to 200 C (400 F) for 40 minutes, until golden and crisp. 

                                  
                                         OCTOPUS COOKED IN WINE

Htapodi Crassato 

Octopus is one of the most popular kinds of seafood, in Greece.


1 1/2 kg (3 lb) octopus, trimmed and thoroughly washed
1 tsp peppercorns

125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
2 medium-sized onions peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
500 ml (2 cups) red wine, I use a deep red Nemea Agiorgitiko
1 tsp fresh thyme
5 medium sized tomatoes, washed, halved, de-seeded, grated, skins discarded
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional


Place the octopus in a pressure cooker and cook uncovered until the octopus releases its juices.   Lock the lid and simmer for 6 minutes.   Then uncover and turn the octopus over, add the peppercorns and about 125 ml (1/2 cup) of wine and cook 6-10 minutes more with the lid locked.  By this time octopus should be cooked, if not give it some extra time.  Reserve the cooking liquid for further use.  Let the octopus cool a little, remove the dark membrane (but not the suction cups) and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, saute the onions, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil until the onion is soft, pour in the wine, the grated tomato, freshly ground black pepper and Cayenne pepper, if using and just enough of the reserved cooking liquid to add taste and saltiness to the sauce.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes until the sauce is cooked and thick.  Place the octopus in the saucepan with the sauce, and simmer for a  few minutes more. and discard the bay leaf.  Taste the sauce and season accordingly.  Serve over rice or any pasta of your choice with a green salad and a glass of the same wine that you used for cooking.

                                       PICKLED BABY ARTICHOKES   

                                         

A Spring Delicacy 

Serve this pickle with fish, meat or poultry or only with fresh, brown bread.  If you like artichokes, do try preparing this very easy recipe.

750 g (1.5 lb) baby artichokes (stems and hard leaves cut off, and chokes removed) or, use frozen baby artichokes

500 ml (2 cups) water

125 ml (1/2 cup) good wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

Olive oil, mild tasting, please see below         

Lemon slices

Place the artichokes in a saucepan, pour in the water, vinegar and salt and bring to the boil.  Lower the heat and cover with baking parchment and the lid, and simmer gently until the artichokes are tender but not falling apart.  Then strain, cool and pat dry with kitchen paper.  

Pile the artichokes in sterilised jars, add 2-3 lemon slices per jar and pour in enough olive oil to cover, and seal.

                                       SPINACH AND CHEESE PIE

                                                       

Spanakopitta

 A traditional recipe for a tasty spinach pie.

1¼ kg (2½ lb) spinach, trimmed, blanched, drained and chopped

1 large onion,  peeled and grated

3 spring onions,  trimmed and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp chervil, if available, trimmed and finely chopped

2 tbsp Mediterranean hartwort, if available, trimmed and finely chopped

1 tbsp dill

2 cups feta (if salty soaked in water for 10 minutes), cubed

1 cup Graviera from Naxos or Cheddar, grated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

10 sheets phyllo pastry

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

180 g (6 oz)) butter, melted

2 tbsp olive oil to mix with the butter (optional)

Sauce:

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 bay leaf

1½ cup hot milk

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Little salt

Nutmeg, to taste

Sauté the onion and spring onions in olive oil until transparent.   Add the spinach and herbs, pepper and a little salt and simmer uncovered, stirring from time to time, until the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.   Stir the flour into the melted butter, add the bay leaf, and, stirring constantly, cook the roux for 4-5 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.  Pour in the hot milk and simmer, stirring until the sauce thickens.  Season with pepper, a little salt and nutmeg, simmer for 7 minutes more and set aside to cool.  Discard the bay leaf.    

In a big bowl, combine the eggs and the two kinds of cheese with the sauce and mix well together.  Stir in the spinach mixture until very well combined.  Taste and add salt, pepper and nutmeg, if necessary, and set aside to cool.

Line a buttered baking dish with five sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet lavishly with melted butter and sprinkle the last with bread crumbs.  Spoon in the filling, level the surface and fold the overhanging pastry over.   Place another five generously buttered sheets of pastry over the filling, trim the excess and tuck it neatly into the sides of the dish.     Score the surface of the pie into portions, sprinkle with water, and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about one hour or until the pie is crisp and golden.  

                                                 LEMON MOUSSE

This is a lovely light dessert.

250 g (½ lb) double cream, whipped stiff with

1 tbsp icing sugar or more if necessary and

A pinch of salt, and refrigerated

200 g (1 tub) thick Greek yoghurt

On 395 g (13 3/5 oz) tin sweet, condensed milk

150-200 ml (5–7 fl oz) lemon juice

The grated rind of 1 lemon

Extra grated lemon rind for garnish

Beat the yoghurt to make it creamy. Also, whip the condensed milk with the lemon juice and the grated rind until it resembles a glossy cream. Stir in the yoghurt until very well combined.

Finally, gently fold the whipped cream into the yoghurt/condensed milk mixture, until no white streaks are evident.   Spoon into small glasses and ice.  Serve sprinkled with grated lemon rind.

EASTER 2017

Red Easter Eggs With a Spring Sky Background

Lilacs and Matching Easter Eggs 

Warm Easter wishes to all those who celebrate!   May all the people in this turbulent world and of all denominations be healthy, happy, peaceful and sane....  



My daughter-in-law Elpida and my son Yiannis invited me to their beautiful home for Easter lunch.  I thoroughly enjoyed the good company, because, besides my children and my grandsons Alex and Chris (Joy stayed in London this year),  Elpida's parents and her sister Alexandra with her son Antonis were there.   We were offered fabulous traditional Greek Easter dishes with a modern touch.



                                                              MENU 
                                               
                                                   Easter Mushroom Soup
                                                                                               
                                                 Roast Lamb with Potatoes

                                                Elpida's Kataifi Cheese Pie

                                                        A Mixed Salad

                                                      Custard Cream Pie

                                                           Banoffee Pie

                                          EASTER MUSHROOM SOUP

                                             

An Easter Mushroom Soup

This can be a delicious vegetarian soup if prepared with olive oil and vegetable stock.  It has been inspired by “Mayiritsa”, the famous Easter soup, without “avgolemono”.

500 g (1 lb) fresh mushrooms finely chopped

6 dried porcini, soaked and chopped, soaking water strained and reserved

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, grated

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp flour

The tender leaves of 1 cos lettuce, shredded and finely chopped

2 tbsp dill or fennel leaves, chopped

3-4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

1.500 litre (6 cups) well-seasoned chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lemon juice to taste

2-3 mushrooms sliced and sauteed and fresh parsley for garnish

In a medium saucepan, sauté the grated onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter.   Add the fresh mushrooms, the porcini and the garlic and cook until all the liquid evaporates.   Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Then pour in half the wine and keep on cooking and stirring, until the alcohol evaporates.   Pour in 2 ladlefuls of chicken or vegetable stock and the reserved porcini liquid and simmer for about 15 minutes. It should have the consistency of a thick mushroom sauce.

  

In a large saucepan, sauté the spring onions in the remaining oil or butter, add a pinch of salt and the lettuce and cook for 5 minutes more.   Pour in the remaining wine and let it evaporate.   Add the remaining stock and simmer, until the vegetables are almost done and combine with the mushroom mixture.

   

Add the chopped fennel or dill and cook the soup for a few minutes more.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, according to taste.  Correct seasoning with salt, if necessary.   Also, add a little hot water if the soup is too thick.   Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Serve immediately garnished with the sliced sauteed mushrooms and parsley. 

                                    

                           LEG OF LAMB ROASTED IN BAKING PARCHMENT

                                                

An Easter Must

This is one of our favourite meals and very easy to prepare.

A 2 kg (4 lb) leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

1 lemon, juice only

Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
4 fresh rosemary twigs 

50 g (1¾ oz) butter + a little extra (melted)

Place the leg of lamb on a large piece of baking parchment.  Make small insitions in the meat and fill them with salt and pepper and tiny pieces of garlic,   Rub the lamb with lemon juice and sprinkle all over with salt, pepper and thyme, cover with rosemary twigs, and dot with butter.   Wrap it, first with the sheet of baking parchment, then cover the packet firmly with a double layer of foil and place in a baking dish.

Roast the leg of lamb in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 1½ hours. Then uncover the meat. brush it with melted butter and roast for 15 minutes more or until it turns golden brown.   Serve with roast potatoes, mint sauce, apple and thyme sauce, mustard and a green salad.

                                                  

                                              ELPIDA'S KATAIFI CHEESE PIE

                                               

Elpida's Delicious Cheese Pie

 Kataifi derives from the Arabic word “Kadife”, which means velvet.   The original way of preparing this pastry was by pouring batter from a perforated tube on a very hot slab.   After a few seconds, the fine strings of pastry were pulled off, folded and packed for further use.

Today, pastry manufacturers in Greece, use the same concept as their colleagues did centuries before.  But today, with the help of sophisticated machinery and the appropriate “know how”, they produce an excellent kataifi pastry.

Usually, kataifi is used to make luscious sweets with custard cream or nuts and honey. Here is Elpida's modern kataifi recipe, with cheese.

500 g (1 lb) kataifi pastry, defrosted, fluffed out and covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out

250 g (1 cup) melted butter

2 tbsp melted clarified butter, optional

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs for the dish

250 g (½ lb) coarsely grated bland kasseri cheese or Emmenthal

250 g (½ lb) equal amounts of coarsely grated Graviera from Crete and Gouda

125 g (1/4 lb) finely grated kephalotyri or Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

625 ml (2½) cups milk

3 eggs

Salt to taste

Brush a 35x25 cm (14x10 in) baking dish with clarified butter or just hot, melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Also, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). 

Mix the three kinds of grated cheese, pepper and nutmeg together.  Spread half the kataifi in the baking dish and drench it with half the butter.    Cover lavishly and evenly with the cheese mixture, place the remaining kataifi on top and brush it evenly with melted butter.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk and a little salt and spoon carefully over the whole pie.   Cover, and refrigerate for at least three hours. Remove from the refrigerator an hour before needed.

Brush the surface with clarified butter, optional, and bake for about 50 minutes or until the kataifi is golden brown and crispy.    Serve immediately.

To clarify butter:

Melt 150 g (5 oz) butter very slowly over low heat, without letting it brown.  Remove from the heat and let it rest for a minute. Skim off the foam and spoon the clear butter into a bowl and set aside. Discard the solids from the bottom of the pan.

   

                                                     A MIXED SALAD

                          

The dressing of this salad thickens and tastes like a mayonnaise.  It keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days.

1 large Cos lettuce, the inner tender leaves only, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, diced and drenched with lemon juice

20 cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 hard-boiled eggs,  peeled and chopped

½ cup pine nuts, roasted

Salad dressing

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp evaporated or fresh milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

First whip all the ingredients for the dressing together, until it thickens.

In a large salad bowl place the lettuce, avocados, cherry tomatoes and chopped hard-boiled eggs, drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with the pine nuts, taste and add a little salt if necessary, toss and serve.

                                                

                                             CUSTARD CREAM PIE

              

An Easter Specialty          

This traditional dessert can be found all over Greece.  The custard could, alternatively, be flavoured either with orange or tangerine peel or a vanilla pod.

10 sheets phyllo pastry

250 ml (1 cup) hot, melted butter

Syrup:

400 g (2 cups) sugar

500 ml (2 cups) water

Custard:

1 litre (4 cups) milk

A piece of lemon peel

5 eggs

200 g (1 cup) sugar
A little salt
100 g (2/3 cup) finely ground semolina

2 tbsp of butter

First, prepare the syrup.  Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.

In a large saucepan, heat the milk with the lemon peel, and keep warm.  Beat the eggs, sugar and salt in a mixer, until almost doubled in bulk.  Lower the speed, add the semolina and 2 ladlefuls of warm milk, and beat for 2 minutes more.  Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the warm milk and simmer gently, until the custard thickens, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Remove the custard from the heat, discard the lemon peel, stir in 2 tbsp butter until combined, and set aside to cool completely.

Butter a 32 cm x 20 cm (12 in. x 8 in.) baking tin and line it with 5 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet liberally with melted butter.  Pour the cool custard over, even the surface and fold the overhanging pastry over the filling.  Cover with the remaining phyllo sheets, again brushing each sheet generously with hot butter, and tuck them neatly into the sides of the baking tin.

 

With a sharp knife make parallel slits on top of the pastry, to allow the pie to breathe. Heat the remaining butter to the sizzling point, pour evenly over the pie and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F), for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and pour the cool syrup over.  Cut into portions, while still warm, and serve immediately.

                                                BANOFFEE PIE   

A Perfect Dessert 

Our Elpida's mother and my dear friend Lina prepares this luscious dessert, on special occasions.   Lina is a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother, a very nice person and a fabulous cook.  

Base:

129 g (4 oz) butter
300 g (10 oz) digestive biscuits, blended into crumbs

Caramel:
120 g (4 oz) butter
120 g (4 oz) brown sugar
417 g (one 397 g tin +  3 heaped tsp)  sweet condensed milk

Top:
4 small bananas, peeled and sliced

300 ml (10 lq oz) cream whipped to soft peaks with
2 tbsp icing sugar

Garnish: chocolate curls


Place the biscuit crumbs and the melted butter in a bowl and mix well together,   Spoon and press the mixture into the base and sides of a greased springform cake tin, with ridged sides. and place in the fridge for 15 minutes at least.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramel,  In a non-stick saucepan, melt butter and sugar, over low heat, stirring until the sugar melts.  Then increase the heat and add the condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly, until a golden caramel is formed.  Cool, spread evenly over the biscuit base and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours, at least.

Release the springform tin and place the tart, with the metal base, on a serving dish. Arrange the bananas, slightly overlapping, over the caramel.   Cover the pie, attractively, with whipped cream and garnish the centre with chocolate curls.

MASSACRE AND MOURNING IN SWEDEN

The Swedish Flag Flying at Half Mast

On early Friday afternoon, of the 7th April 2017, a man driving a stolen beer truck drove into a crowd in a popular shopping district in Stockholm and finally smashed into a store, killing four, injuring  15 innocent citizens and unleashing terror and grief in yet another European capital.

Moments after the attack, the Swedish Parliament was emptied, trains were canceled,  the police blocked off the affected aria, and people were "advised to stay at home and to avoid the city centre ".  The Prime Minister Mr. Stefan Loefven addressing his compatriots said that this terrorist attack aimed against democracy but these acts will never succeed in Sweden.  He also added, that  "the country's progressive values would triumph over terrorism".   A concert in a church was canceled due to the atrocious circumstances, the theme being "Your life is a gift.  Be careful of it."


There is very little information about the assailant.  Apparently, a 39-year old man from Uzbekistan was arrested.

Our heartfelt sympathy to the relatives of the victims, in their profound grief, and our deep admiration for the citizens of Stockholm for their valour and tolerance.