Posts
Summer is the time for lots of celebrating. But then so is winter, spring and autumn here.
The Nemean Games took place over 24-26 June this year. If you want to take part in an ancient athletic competition then make a note for 2024. The runners are grouped by age and gender and run, or walk, a 90 metre course. Competitors come from all over the world and anyone from 8 years to 'whatever' can enter. There are no medals, just a fun day knowing you have run, barefoot, 'on the same earth where ancient feet ran some 2,300 years ago'.
For more info look up neameangames.org
Meanwhile on the little island down in the Cyclades called Schinousa the split pea festival was taking place. Split peas in greek are called 'fava'. The island is famous in Greece for its yellow split peas. My traditional person loves them and they are an important part of our summer menu. His mother used to make fava puree on days when she was making the weeks bread. Slices of her bread, hot from the communal oven, dipped in the families fresh olive oil and smothered in fava was the order of the baking day. And you needed it after carrying great heavy pans of bread to and from from the local bakery. The sourdough had been rising since the previous evening and she got up well before dawn to knead the loaves. When they had been formed and then left to rise it was the job of all the women to and children to haul them off to be baked and make sure they went into the big oven before they had over proofed.
Visitors to the festival on Schinousa can sample the split peas of course along with wine. This year everyone was encouraged to bring their own glass so no plastic glasses would pollute the environment. As at any greek festival there was music and dancing for anyone to join in.
You didn't think you'd get away without any religion did you? July and August are just one religious festival after another especially on the islands.
June 24 - St John of the Fires (mid summer elsewhere)
June 28 - Agioi (Saints) Anargyroi
June 29 - Petros and Pavlos (Peter and Paul)
July 1 - Kosmas and Damianos
July 1 - One of our local churches dedicated to the Holy Belt has a small celebration
July 7 - Saint Kyriaki. There's a fiesta on the nearby island of Angistri
July 17 - Saint Marina
July 20 - Profit Elijah. Another small church near us has its fiesta
July 23 - Saint Pelargia
July 25 - One of the fiesta days of Saint Anne
July 26 - Saint Paraskevi. Another small church near us.
And there are more fiestas to be sure. Every island, town, village has its own Saint and its special fiesta.
.jpg)
I seriously would be exhausted from all the partying going on
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the split peas.
I do add it to soups but it’s in a pre mixed soup blend, so it’s got lots of different legumes and grains. This way you can’t actually taste one particular ingredient
And the split pea puree has to be eaten with half a ton of olive oil. Full of calories. But so healthy lol
DeleteOooooh, I would so be into the sourdough! And the split pea spread with olive oil….yum yum. I would love to experience those parties!!!
ReplyDeleteThat dense bread and fava is wonderful and it has to float in olive oil!
DeleteIt sounds like one long party over there.
ReplyDeleteFortunately most of these parties do not happen here!
DeleteYour Mother in law must have spent her life cooking and preparing food. So many festivals over there.
ReplyDeleteThere was always plenty to do thats for sure. But she didn't read, watch tv or knit so being busy was her hobby
DeleteI like the sound of the Fava purée. I think I'll have a go, it would make a good alternative to Humus or Paté.
ReplyDeleteI just made some, very plain, the local way. I prefer it to humus
DeleteAlso known as or similar to Pease Pudding.
ReplyDeleteGreat with ham or cooked with a hock for pea and ham soup.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pease_pudding
I’m not sure I’d make it as a Greek mumma - cooking isn’t my favourite pastime - now eating is a different matter, I excel at that 😊
My mother always used to put split peas in soup along with that hock of ham. A good nourishing winter soup. I'm not sure they were used for anything else.
DeleteIt was traditional in Ireland to light bonfires on St John's Eve. Supposed to keep the potato blight away.
ReplyDeleteSo many fiestas and religious days. I suppose the difference there is that people actually celebrate the days whereas growing up a Catholic most of the days were just mentioned in passing at mass.
ReplyDelete