ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF AIGAI NECROPOLIS OPENS TO THE PUBLIC

 

 

 

An archaeological park consisting of 530 ancient burial tombs has opened to the public in Aigai, the ancient kingdom located near the modern town of Vergina.

 

The ancient necropolis includes the royal cluster of the TEMENIDES tombs, which consists of 21 tombs dating from the 6^th century to the 3^rd century BC.

 

“We must pass on to the next generations – with the principle of sustainability – our monuments and cultural heritage that are directly connected our National Identity,” the Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni said during the site’s recent inauguration.

 

“The park was created by the Imathia Ephorate of Antiquities under Central Macedonia's regional operational program, for the protection and promotion of the cemetery of tumuli and the royal burial cluster of the TEMENIDES (2012-2015,” the Minister said. 

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST COVID - 19 SO THAT YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES, FRIENDS, THE WORLD AND YOURSELVES ARE HEALTHY AND SAFE

GREECE IS A FURNACE - SCORCHING TEMPERATURES HIT THE LAND

           

 

A terrible heatwave is hitting Greece with very high temperatures reaching 45 C (113 F) in some parts of the country.  I heard the cicadas at 9 pm this evening!

 

Be very careful, drink plenty of water, stay in air-conditioned homes and eat light meals.

 

Here are a few recipes for dishes suitable for eating during a heatwave:

 

 

                                                     CUCUMBER SUSHI

2 cucumbers

½ red capsicum, cubed

½ an avocado, peeled and cubed

½ cup of rice

1 tsp of soy sauce for serving

 

Finely slice the capsicum and avocado.  Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, strain, and allow to cool.

 
Use an apple corer to hollow the centres of the cucumbers.  Pat dry with kitchen paper by pushing it through.

 

Stuff about 2 tsp of rice into the cavity of one cucumber and press with a knife to make room for the cubed vegetables.  Repeat the same procedure with the second cucumber, then slice thickly, cover, and refrigerate overnight.  Serve with soy sauce.

 

 

                                                      CHICKEN SALAD

2 chicken fillets, trimmed

½ a cabbage

4 spring onions

2 carrots, scraped

1 cucumber, peeled

½ bunch mint

½ bunch parsley

 

Dressing:

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

¾ cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Boil the chicken in salted water, with a celery stalk, 1 peeled onion, a few cloves, and a lemon slice until tender and remove from the heat.

 

Slice the cabbage and spring onions thinly, cut the carrots and cucumber into matchsticks and strip the leaves off the herbs and place in a large bowl and toss the salad together.

 

Place all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves,

 

Remove the chicken from the pan and using two forks shred it into bite-sized pieces.  Place chicken over the salad in the bowl, drizzle with the dressing, toss, and enjoy.  (Use the delightful broth for preparing a tasty soup).

 

 

                                    WATERMELON JUICE WITH FETA CREAM 

1 watermelon, juiced

1 apple, peeled and cubed

2 oranges, the fillets halved

1 cucumber, peeled and cubed

Salt, freshly ground black pepper, and vinegar to taste

 

250 g (¼ lb) feta

250 ml (1 cup) cream

 

Place the watermelon juice with the fruit and the cucumber in a large bowl, season with salt, pepper and vinegar. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

 

When ready to serve blend the feta with the cream.  Ladle the watermelon soup and the fruit and cucumber into bowls, place a tablespoonful of feta cream and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.        

 

 

PRIESTESS PYTHIA THE ORACLE OF DELPHI SPOKE TRUTH TO POWER

                           Lykourgos Consulting the Pythia by Eugene Delacroix
 

In a time and place that offered few career opportunities for women the role of a priestess at the oracle of Delphi was enormously influential.  The priestess Pythia was asked about everything, from warfare to love to public policy. Her position was the peak of the most powerful religious institutions of ancient Greece.  The competitive city-states had few authorities, political or otherwise, so her voice should not be underestimated.

 

Indeed, there is some evidence to suggest that Pythia was more than what we call today “knowledge economy”.  Her role may have involved the gathering, repackaging, and distribution of information with the intent of providing proper advice on the trivial and not-so-trivial questions of life in ancient Greece.

 

“Pythia” is the official position-title known of several women by name who, during the long history of this institution (from ca 800 BC to 390 AD) held that role including Phemone and Aristoniki.  Indeed, at some stage, Delphi became so busy that 3 Pythias were appointed to serve the role simultaneously.

 

The oracle was consulted by influential people of ancient Greece with a diverse range of problems.  This meant the opportunity to comment on many issues of public and individual concern: cult matters, warfare, the relationships between city-states, and the foundation of new ones.

 

Many personal questions were also put to the oracle on matters of lovesickness, careers, childbirth and how to get offspring at the right time.  So by all standards, this job was demanding yet also rewarding, a position powerful enough to change the course of history.

 

From the very beginning, efforts to deprive Pythia of her power prevailed, particularly in older classical times.  Surely a woman, especially in a paternalistic society as ancient Greece, could hold this very powerful position. 

Some scholars suggested that Pythia actually talked unintelligible gibberish and her words were later put into beautiful and meaningful hexameter verse by male priests.

Yet, according to ancient sources, there is nothing to suggest that it was any other than Pythia herself who came with responses to the country: She is named as the one and only source of the prophecies delivered at Delphi.

 

The position of Pythia seemed to have angered those in power in Sparta and Megara and other city-states in ancient Greece.

 

Who became Pythia? Unfortunately, ancient sources are vague. The Nobel prize-winning author, William Golden in his famous book “The Double Tongue”, written about Pythia sees her as a local girl, unable to get married took on the role.

 

The kind of skills required to be successful in the role were easy to reconstruct. The sanctuary of Delphi served as a marketplace of representatives from all over Greece who came for the oracle and various other reasons.

 

In addition to the oracle, Delphi housed regular athletic competitions, the Pythian Games which were analogous to the famous Olympic Games. With its numerous temples and monuments, the site was a popular tourist destination.

 

So perhaps the key to Pythian success was simply to listen carefully.  The most frequently asked questions were: “Shall we win?” “Shall I marry?” “Is it the right time to sail?” “Should I take up farming?”

 

In this  case, it  would have been possible to find the information necessary to answer any particular inquiry from the conversations of those queuing to consult the oracle, to watch or participate in the games or visit the monuments.  Pythia must have truly erupted the knowledge of economy millennia before the arrival of “big data” and the invention of the Internet.     

       

 PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST COVID-19 TO SAVE YOUR          BELOVED FAMILIES, THE WORLD, AND YOURSELVES SAFE AND HEALTHY 

FOOD FOR SCORCHING WEATHER

                                    

                                                      YOGURT CUPS

                                    

Greek yogurt

Various nuts, chopped

Fresh fruit

Fruit jam

 

Place Greek yogurt in glasses intercepted with nuts, fresh fruit, and fruit jam. Cover and refrigerate before serving.

 

 

                         SHRIMP AND RICE SALAD WITH PEAS AND CELERY

1 ½ cup rice

500 g (1lb) shrimp

½ cup threaded celery, thinly sliced

2 spring onions, trimmed

2 tbsp red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup green peas, boiled in salted water until tender and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 sprig celery

1 sprig dill

 

Boil the rice following the packet instructions, Remove from the heat, drain and cool completely. 

 

Shell the shrimp, devein, wash them thoroughly, and pat them dry and simmer in salted water for 2  minutes until they change colour and become opaque and drain, cool and chop them coarsely.

 

In a serving bowl combine the shrimp, celery, spring onions, peas, and red bell peppers and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Add the shrimp to the rice mixture, the mayonnaise, chopped dill, and parsley, and mix well.  Cover with cling film and ice before serving.  

 

 

  

                          HONEY CARROT PITTA BREAD WITH BASIL PASTE

Basil Paste:

2 quarts + 2 tbsp (8 cups + 2 tbsp) water, divided

2 ½ tbsp salt, divided

1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds, roasted

 

Carrots:

750 g (1 ½ lb) carrots, scraped and thickly sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ cup honey

½ tsp Espelette pepper to taste

 

Additional Ingredients:

1 ½ cup ricotta cheese

4 pitas, warmed

Salt, grated lemon zest, and ground black pepper 

 

Slice white and green parts of the spring onions, simmer in salted water and cook for 10 seconds.  Drain, place in a bowl and immediately transfer to an ice bath.  

 

Blend the spring onions mixture, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and remaining salt.  Process for about 45 seconds, adding about 3 tbsp of water, ½ tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Toss carrots with olive oil, honey, salt and pepper and place in a dish lined with baking parchment and roast for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Spread the ricotta over the pitta bread, top evenly with carrots and any remaining honey from the dish.  Drizzle each pitta with 1 tbsp of basil paste and garnish with salt, black pepper, and grated lemon rind. Serve with extra basil paste. 

    

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST COVID-19 TO KEEP YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES, THE WORLD, AND YOURSELVES HEALTHY AND SAFE.    

SCORCHING WEATHER IN GREECE

                                          

 

Athens, end of July 2021, scorching weather hits Greece, prompting the Acropolis, which houses the 5^th century BC Parthenon to temporarily close. It sends people to beaches to escape the peak of the heatwave that has baked the country for more than a week and will remain for 10 more days according to the National Meteorological Service of Greece.  Temperatures reached 42 C according to the above weather service.

 

Civil protection authorities have advised against sunbathing and movements in congested places, drinking more water than usual, and looking after the infants, children, and the aged during this fiery weather.

 

We must be patient and listen to the advice of the experts, during this severe heat wave.  It will eventually pass.  

 

DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO THAT YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES AND YOU REMAIN HEALTHY AND SAFE.    

GREECE LAUNCHES 140 CULTURAL EVENTS OUTDOOR COUNTRYWIDE

 

 

 

 

A total of 140 concerts, art shows, theatre and act performances are scheduled to take place across the country in the next few months, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture.

 

Budgeted at 2.23 million euros the “All of Greece – One Culture” program, to be overseen by the Greek National Opera feature 70 new productions to be staged at 66 sites and landmarks across Greece, including churches, chapels, castles, forts, ancient towns, islands, as well as museums in attempt to link the past with contemporary culture, the ministry said during a press conference last week.  The events are scheduled to start on Wednesday and run through to September 15^th.

 

Citing the country’s vaccination drive the Greek Minister of Culture, Mrs Lina Mendoni, expressed confidence will run as planned, despite the rising COVID cases during the last week.

 

For a second year, held in difficult COVID-19 pandemic conditions the “All of Greece – One Culture” program organised in collaboration with local authorities is aimed at boosting regional activities and cultural developments and at the same time has created more than 1000 jobs, the ministry said.

 

This year’s shows will include art shows and happenings for children and adolescents.  The production was selected from a large number of applicants who participated in the ministry’s call and are inspired by the following themes:  mythology, tragic fragments, Byzantium, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classism, Romanticism, world and Greek literature and the City.

 

The ministry underlined that all the evets are open-air and carried out with strict health protocols.

 

                                                               Delphi

                                                              Olympia

                                                              Delos

                                                          Monemvasia

                                                              Mystras

                                                             Palamidi

The events will be held in such culturally important places such ancient Olympia, Delphi, Delos island, Monemvasia, Mystras and Palamidi, among others.         

 

   

PETER ANTONIOU THE PSYCHIC TALENT WHO READ SOPHIA VERGARA'S MIND

 

 

 

Is your mind safe? The American press speaks to Peter Antoniou, of “America got Talents”, the psychic comedian who was able to read Sofia Vergara’s thoughts in an exclusive interview.

 

Is it moral to read other people's minds, despite the tremendous charisma? I should like to have your opinion, dear Reader. 

 

Obviously, during a period of war, it is useful to know the enemy’s intentions.  Otherwise, one should have the right to think and feel whatever one pleases, be it love, pleasure, jealousy, frivolity, pity, remorse, suspicion, disdain, or hatred.  It would certainly change human behaviour.

 

I am very happy and I feel blessed that I cannot read the minds of my precious daughters-in-law, sons, grandsons, granddaughter, and great-granddaughters.  

Because only they should choose how to organise their lives, how and where and how much to work, who would be their friends, with whom to fall in love and marry, what schools their children should go to. Obviously, I am not referring to young children.   

 

 

PLEASE BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO THAT YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND YOURSELF REMAINE HEALTHY AND SAFE.

GREEK DESSERTS

                                                

 

                                                  LEMON BOUGATSA

750 ml (3 cups) milk

3 tsp finely grated lemon rind

1 vanilla

2 eggs

430 g (2 cups) sugar

130 g (2/3 cup) semolina

375 ml (1 ½ cup) water

62.5 ml ( ¼ cup) Metaxa brandy

3 strips lemon strips

Olive oil

10 sheets phyllo pastry

 

Place the milk, lemon rind and vanilla in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer.  Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and half the sugar until pale and fluffy in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the pan.  Gradually stir in the semolina.  Cook stirring until the mixture thickens into a custard and transfer to a bowl to cool, then cover with cling film and chill.

 

Meanwhile, place the water, brandy, lemon rind, and remaining sugar in a saucepan, over low heat.  Cook stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil until the syrup reduces and thickens.  Discard the lemon rind and set it aside to cool.  Then cover and store in the fridge.

 

Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) and line a 16x24 cm tin with baking parchment. Brush the parchment with olive oil. Place a phyllo sheet on the tin and brush with olive oil and repeat the procedure 3 times.  Spoon in the custard and smooth the surface.  Cover with 4 pastry sheets brushed with olive oil.  Tuck the sheets into the side of the tin to enclose the filling.   Brush lavishly with oil and bake for 35 minutes or until crisp and golden.  Pour the cold syrup over the hot bougatsa, and serve with vanilla ice cream

 

 

                                          GALCTOBOUREKO (Custard Pie)

800 g (1.8 lb) sugar

450 ml (1.9 cup) water

1 cinnamon stick

1 rind of lemon

75 g (2.6 oz) honey

 

For the custard:

4 eggs

200 g (7 oz ) sugar

500 ml (1 fl lb) milk

Pinch of salt

1 vanilla

170 g (6 oz) semolina

100 g (3.4 oz) butter

 

500 g (1 lb) phyllo pastry

220 g (7.4 oz) melted butter

 

Place the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon rind in a saucepan and stir simmering until the sugar dissolves.  Then add the honey and remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool. 

 

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Whip the eggs with half the sugar until pale and fluffy.  Place the cream, milk, and the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla and bring to a boil.  Add the semolina stir constantly for 3-4 minutes until a thick custard is formed.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and continue beating. 

 

Ladle all the custard into a bowl.  Whip the cream and milk until cold.  Mix the custard with the butter and allow to cool. 

 

Butter a baking dish.  Place a phyllo sheet in the tin and brush with a little butter repeat the procedure for 4 more pastry sheets. Spoon in the custard and smooth the surface.  Cover with 5 buttered pastry sheets and tuck them neatly into the sides of the tin.  Cut into 12 portions. Brush lavishly with butter and bake for 1-1 ½ hours.  Remove the galaktoboureko from the oven and pour the cold syrup on top. 

 

Allow to cool and absorb all the syrup before serving.

 

 

                                                       WALNUT PIE

400 g (14 oz) sugar

400 ml (14 fl oz) water

½ a lemon

1 cinnamon stick

 

For the walnut pie:

250 g (8 oz) butter at room temperature, cubed

300 g (10.6 oz) sugar

4 eggs

120 ml (4.2 fl oz) milk

1 vanilla

500 g (1lb) self-rising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

 150 g (5.3 oz) walnuts thickly ground

50 g (1.7 oz) almonds, roasted

150 g (5.3 oz) chocolate, thickly chopped

½ tsp salt

 

For the icing:

200 g (7 oz) chocolate, thickly chopped

100 ml (3.5 fl oz) cream

Boil the water, sugar, lemon, and cinnamon stick and stir. When the sugar dissolves remove from the heat and allow to cool.

 

For the walnut pie, preheat the oven to180 C (350 F). Whip butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time until they are well combined.

 

Blend the walnuts, the cloves, the cinnamon stick until the walnuts reach the desired size.  Place the above mixture in a bowl and stir in the flour baking powder and salt.  Whip the milk and dry ingredients for 2 minutes.

 

Brush a 25x32 cm tin with butter and sprinkle with flour.  Spoon in the walnut batter and smooth the surface. Bake for 40-50 minutes.  Remove from the oven and pour over the cold syrup.  Allow one hour so all the syrup is absorbed and serve with vanilla ice cream.    

                          VEGAN BUCKWHEAT CHOCOLATE  CHIP BISCUITS 

1 cup light couloured buckwheat flour

1/2  cup sugar

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 vanilla

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180 C and line a baking tin with parchment paper.  In a large bowl stir together, buckwheat flour, sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.   Then add the vinegar which will react with the baking soda and help the biscuits rise a bit. 

Fold in the chocolate chips, then with the help of a soup spoon scoop the dough into 12 mounds spaced evenly apart on the lined baking sheet. flatten each biscuit with your hands and bake until the edges are firm about 10 minutes and cool 10 minutes before serving.

 

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO BE INNONULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS TO KEEP YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES AND YOURSELVES HEALTHY 

     

SYVOTA, THE GREEK PARADICE WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR SEA AND SECRET COVES

           

 

Facing the south part of Corfu, Syvota is considered one of the most fascinating discoveries for tourists in Greece.  Syvota is a tiny village in Epirus and one of the best-kept secrets of the country.

 

Sandy shores, luscious green islets, yellow beaches, clear waters and secret coves are some of the small town’s many features.

 

The town is also rich in history and culture being a crucial player in many of Greece’s major  historical events as the Peloponnesian War in 433 BC.

 

The village was known as Sybota and was the site of the battle of Sybota.  a major battle fought between Corinth and Corfu in 433, according to Plutarch and Aristophanes.

 

Because Syvota is so small it is not known by the tourist industry.  Nevertheless, the town welcomes travelers who come to visit and find hidden treasures.  It is also a perfect stop for sailors in the Ionian Sea. 

 

Just a short distance from the coast you will find the small islands of Mavro Oros, Agios Nicolaos and Mourtemeno as well as other islets.

 

It is worth taking a boat to discover all the beaches and coves and let the magic overtake you.  One of Syvota’s advantages  is its small size.  You can discover remote and relaxing parts of the area that are unknown to tourists.

     

JULY 24TH 1974 THE DAY DEMOCRACY WAS RESTORED IN GREECE

  

 

 

The first days between July 29^th and July 24^th 1974 were the most turbulent and the most decisive in modern Greek history.  The illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the collapse of the 7-year junta, and the birth of the Hellenic Republic all took place within that short period.

One day later Constandinos Karamanlis, self-exiled in Paris arrived in Greece arrived on an airplane belonging to French President Valerie  Giscard d’Estaing, Karamanls immediately formed  a government of national unity to heal the wounds of the hated seven-year-old military rule, making some quick decisive moves.

 

It was the dawn of July 24^th when Karamanlis arrived with thousands of people waiting for him, holding lit white candles, chanting “Eleftheria” (Freedom).  People were dancing and celebrating all over Greece.

 

The 24^th of July is celebrated each year in Greece with pomp and show with parades and garden parties, but not for the last years  due to the coronavirus     

The President of the Hellenic Republic Mrs. Sakerallopoulou and Greek Prime Minster Mitsotakis meet for a quiet celebration.

      

THE GREEK GENOCIDE BY THE OTTOMAN TURKS

The Smyrna Catastrostrophe and many other acts of the Greek genocide by the Ottoman Turks, that took place in the early 1920s by the Ottoman Turks were witnessed by foreigners, including US Navy officers, and these diaries documented the devastation wrought during those atrocities although very little was done to help the victims.        

A new book called “The Greek Genocide in American Naval War Diaries,” edited by Robert Shenk and Sam Koktzoglu outlines the reports made and the protests engaged in by the US Navy commander in the fateful years 1921-1922.

 

Although technical neutral during the conflict, American ships were allowed to be in the sea off Smyrna and other areas of Asia Minor after World War I and the events unfolding on shore in 1921 and 1922 were recorded by horrified naval officers.

As retired US Naval Admiral, James Stavridis says in the forward of the book, the Americans were in an exceptionally difficult position at the time.  “Shouldn’t you do something?  You are a representative of America after all.  And these are essentially slow killings of men and the heartless deportation of women and children, which will end with the death of many of them as well.”

American vessels were moored just outside the habour of Samsun Turkey from the spring of 1921 to September 1922 when the Smyrna the catastrophe took place.  The officers reported as well as they could to a  disbelieving world hoping that their accounts would have some impact on the devastation that they saw around them. 

A vessel from the Japanese navy, in contrast, took on some Greek refugees who were desperately trying to escape from flaming Smyrna that dark September day.

 

Stavridis asks “Could the US forces have done more?  Should they have taken bold and independent steps beyond what they did?   History would judge this and this volume of the primary source material would help.

In the spring and summer of 1922, the Nationalist Turks stated “that they were afraid that the Christian Greek population of Asia Minor would aid and abet an invading Greek force along the coast as well as join with their forces were already fighting in the western part of Anatolia.   Using this as a pretext the Turks rounded up tens of thousands of ethnic Greeks whose ancestors had lived in the area for 3.000 years, forcing them to take part in death marches, work incessantly which amounted to death.  Systematic rapes and sex slavery along with abductions and forced conventions, 

Similar brutal ethnic cleansing had been waged against the Armenians during World War I, with no repercussions levied on the perpetrators, unfortunately. And although aid workers from the American Near East Relief Society and others reported to the US Naval Commander and officers duly reported to their observations to their superiors, very little was done to help. 

In the end the American  Admiral in charge of Constantinople, Mark Bristol, actually obstructed any publications of the relief reports on the death of Greek deportees in the area  although the original mission of the trust force was to help teams of investigative and relief personnel in response to report the atrocities.

The rationale for this appears to be that he ended pressuring the Turks as they provided more commercial prospect for American interests in the region.

By 1921, reports were already filtering about deportations and other actions taken against the Greeks of Pontus in the Black Sea.

In a message sent by Captain Joyce of the vessel Fox, to the American Admiral  on May 24^th 1921, he states “There is definite policy here for the exterminations of Greek nationals. Everything indicates that hundreds of Greek villages have been completely devastated .”  Later that week on May 27^th he added in another message that the Turkish Military authorities had actually voted for the extermination of the Black Sea Greeks.

By late summer of that year, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal massacres, burning of entire villages deportation of Greeks into the arid interior of the country were commonplace.

Unlike Great Britain, France and Italy the Americans had not been invited to take part in the post-war occupation of Constantinople and therefore were obliged to be neutral. 

The admiral in charge in Constantinople was himself mainly a representative for the US’s commercial interest, which the authors of the book wrote bored ill for the Greeks as they considered the Turkish National Government as the most favourable for USA commercial interests.

Vary rarely did these naval officers who were reporting actions taken by Turks, with whom   Bristol was closely associated  succeed in helping the Greeks  of Asia Minor.

However the ethnic cleansing continued steadily and even after Sumsun itself.  Just after Kemal cause the hostilities against the Greeks, the US official diaries noted that Osman Aga and his Luz forces began four days of murder, rape and looting.

Later that year, the admiral himself reported to his wife  back home what women and children forced to endure in Sumsun what he called a “White Death”, death inflicted by winter cold, sometimes after taking Turkish baths exacerbated by starving

Terrible things were happening to people by the Turkish barbarians.  Why should they remain unpunished?  Does this remind you of modern Turkey?                                  

      

MILLE FEUILLES

                            

 

1 puff pastry sheet

Icing sugar

                                                                                                                                            

Rum Custard:

687.5 ml (2 ¾ cups) milk

125 ml (½ cup) rum

1 vanilla

3 egg yolks

100 g (½ cup) sugar

3 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp butter, cubed

 

1 cup hulled strawberries or

1 cup pitted apricots

 

Roll out the puff pastry, sprinkle it with icing sugar and prick it all over with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much and place in a tin lined with baking parchment. Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F) and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden then turn it over, sprinkle  with icing sugar and bake for 3 minutes more and set aside to cool.  Cut the pastry into equal pieces and set aside.

 

Simmer the milk, rum and vanilla for 5 minutes.  Whip the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour until creamy and thick.  Allow the milk to cool for 5 minutes and ladle it into the egg mixture, beating constantly as you add. 

 

Return the saucepan to the heat and simmer gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the butter, cover with cling film and set aside to cool.

 

To assemble, place half the pieces of baked puff pastry on a dish and spread with half the rum custard then repeat the process until there are 2 layers of pastry and 2 layers of custard.  Serve with hulled fresh strawberries or pitted fresh apricots.        

                                                      TOMATO JAM

500 g (1 lb) onions, peeled and finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

1 kg (2 lb) tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded

1 slice ginger, peeled and finely chopped

250 g ( ½ lb) brown sugar

125 g ( ¼ lb) white sugar,

150 ml ( ½ cup & 2 tbsp) vinegar

 

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

Wrapped in a piece of gauze and tied

 

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to s gentle simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the mixture tuns jammy and thick.  Discard the spice bag and blend until smooth.  Place in sterilized jars.  When open refrigerate until finished        

 

 

22ND JULY 1943

                                      

 

Yesterday was the tragic anniversary of the Greek revolt against the Nazis for Macedonia.  All Greeks are very proud of their country, but Macedonia has a special place in their hearts because of Alexander the Great in antiquity and mainly because of their northern neighbour’s territorial expanding visions.

 

So, a massive protest took part in Athens against the German plans to expand the Bulgarian occupation zone in Macedonia.

                                            Bulgarian Troops in Thessaloniki

 

                              National Bank of Greece  re-Named N,B,of Bulgaria

Early in July 1943, Adolf Hitler asked the Bulgarian government to extend its occupation zone to encompass additional territory in Greece.  Bulgaria had already illegally annexed parts of Macedonia and Thrace on the 14^th of May 1941.  All Greek mayors, schoolteachers, judges, lawyers, priests and gendarmes were disposed and the use of the Greek language was banned.  Also, forced labour and economic restrictions forced many Greeks to migrate.

Obviously, the Greeks were furious so large general strikes were organized in Athens and in other cities and towns across Greece.  The protestors were fired upon by the nazis and fascists, leaving, unfortunately, 22 dead and several hundred wounded.  

Two of the persons who were tragically murdered were Panayiota Stathopoulou and Koula Lilly, sorry I could not find any more photos.  

Our sincere admiration for our brave compatriots who, in 1943, while resisting against the enemy, lost their lives and numerous others were seriously wounded.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS TO KEEP YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES AND YOURSELVES HEALTHY 

 

INTERNATIONAL DISHES

                                                              FOOD

 

                  MEXICAN CHICKEN RICE BAKE WITH PICKLED JALAPENOS 

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp pickled jalapenos, drained and finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

4 large chicken cutlets, skin on

4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 large red capsicum, trimmed and thinly sliced

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Combine oregano, coriander, garlic salt, finely chopped jalapenos and 2 tsp of olive oil in a large bowl.  Add the chicken and rub to coat. 

 

Heat the remaining oil and sauté the chicken for 5 minutes or until well browned.  Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

 

 

                                    CUCUMBER SALMON SUSHI ROLLS  

1 cup rice

½ cup sushi seasoning+

4 sheets nori seaweed, halved

1 cucumber cut into batons

200 g (6.2 oz) skinned salmon cut into batons

Soy sauce to serve

 

Boil rice al dente according to packet instructions.  Transfer to a bowl, with a flat spatula break up any possible lumps and set aside to cool.

Dip fingers into sushi seasoning to prevent the rice from sticking, shaking off the excess.  Spread  ¼ cup of rice over the nori sheet leaving a 1.5 cm border along the side away from you.  Place a salmon baton and a baton in the middle of the rice and roll the sheet to enclose the filling and press to seal roll. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets, rice salmon and cucumber to make 7 rolls.

 

Cut each roll in 8 small pieces and serve with soy sauce and any leftover cucumber batons and chill until ready to serve.

 

 

                                         GREEK COURGETTES PATTIES

 

500 g (1 lb) courgettes, trimmed and grated

250 g (½ lb) feta crumbled

1 sprig of basil, finely chopped

¼ cup of dill, finely chopped

1 sprig of mint, finely chopped

Zest of 2 limes

A tiny pinch of Cayenne

2-3 tsp of olive oil

2 eggs

30 g (1 oz) plain flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Coriander sprigs and lime slices for garnish

 

Place the grated courgettes in a napkin with a little salt and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible and place in a bowl.  Add the feta, spring onions, basil, dill, mint, lime zest, olive oil, Cayenne, eggs, flour and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Shape the mixture into equal balls and flatten them out a little. Fry them on both sides until brown and crisp on the outside and juicy in the centre. Serve with the following sauce:

 

Sauce:

1 cup yogurt

Juice of 2 limes

Cumin, salt, pepper and honey to taste

(Mix everything well together)

 

Serve the courgettes balls with the above sauce, and garnish with coriander sprigs and lime slices.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INNOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO THAT YOU KEEP YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES AND YOURSELVES HEATHY    

             

GREECE AND CYPRUS CONDEMN TURKEY'S MOVE TO RE-OPEN VAROSHA

               

                                                           Varosha

 

Greece and Cyprus condemned on Tuesday the  announcement made by Turkey and its puppet regime, of northern Cyprus to re-open a part of Varosha in Famagusta despite the UN resolutions.

President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades said the announcement was an “effort to alter the status quo,” and added “that the unity and the continual efforts through the weapons provided by international law, the EU and the principals of justice are the way to avert Turkey’s pursuit.

The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis also issued a statement condemning the Turkish plans of re-opening the port of Famagusta.  Mr. Mitsotakis said that the latest announcement is in violation of the UN Security Council’s resolutions as well as the conclusions of the European Council, and the calls by the international community. “Turkey must immediately stop its provocative and lawless behavior and comply with international law,” he said,  He added that Athens will continue to work with Nicosia for “a just and sustainable peace settlement along with the principle of a bizonal, bi-communal federation.”

 

The Prime Minister called on Turkey to abandon the “meaningless policy of threats against Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot population.”  “These threats are also directed against the European Union and 21st-century values, this is why they will not be tolerated,” he said.

 

The Greek Premier said that 47 years since the Turkish invasion, have demonstrated that “only the enforcement of the UN resolutions and EU decisions can heal the wound at the heart of the Mediterranean,”  and called  for the resumption of talks for a united Cyprus on the basis of a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation, for a European state  of peace and progress for its people and its neighbours.

 

Earlier on Tuesday Tayyip Erdogan announced the partial re-opening of the ghost town of Varosha.             

 

 

THE TURKISH INVASION OF CYPRUS

                  

 

 

Today, the 20^th of July is the sad anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, following the Cypriot coup d’état on the 15^th July 1974.

 

The coup had been ordered by the military junta in Greece and staged by the Cypriot National Guard in conjunction with EOKA B.  It displaced the Cypriot  President, Archbishop Makarios III, and installed Nikos Sampson.  The aim of the coup was the union of Cyprus with Greece.

 

On that date, the Turkish forces invaded and captured 3% of the island before a cease-fire was declared. The Greek military junta collapsed and was replaced by a democratic government.   In August 1974, another Turkish invasion resulted in the capture of approximately 36% of the island.

 

The ceasefire line from August 1974 became the United Nations’ Buffer Zone in Cyprus and is commonly known as the Green Line.

 

Around 150.000 people were expelled from the occupied northern part of the island where Greek Cypriots constituted 80% of the population.  In 1975 60.000 Turkish Cypriots were displaced from the south to the north.

 

The Turkish invasion forced  the partition of Cyprus along the UN-monitored Green Line, which still divides Cyprus and the formation of a de facto autonomous Turkish administration in the north.

 

In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared independence, although Turkey is the only country that recognizes it.  The international community considers the TRNC’s territory as Turkish occupied of the Republic of Cyprus.  The occupation is viewed as an illegal occupation of European Union territory since Cyprus became a member.