November sowning seeds. Manuscript, 1346, Vatopedi monastery Religious rituals and symbolic practices in which food is used to secure the future harvest are still important in Greece. Their parallels are found in very ancient times, when fertility and food security…
New Year’s Stuffed Foods
In the Greek world, wrapped and stuffed foods are prominent features at Christmas meals and New Year’s banquets. In pastoral and agricultural societies stuffed foods link human and agricultural fertility, the life of the individual and the cycle of the…
CHRISTMAS BREAD
Christmas breads from Mani Greek Christmas breads, known as Christopsoma (Christ’s breads) appear to have their origin in the ancient Greek festive breads and bloodless sacrifices that were given to the gods to earn their favor. They are made the…
HAPPY NEW YEAR BREAD
Vasilopita (St. Vasilio’s pie) is a powerful new year’s symbol of fertility and good luck for the rest of the year.If nowadays in many occasions, we have transformed it into a big, sweet cake there are still Greek women who make…
CHRISTMAS FOOD TRADITIONS IN ASIA MINOR
“On Christmas Eve, the women who had lost loved ones made 3 breads, baked them and censed them on behalf of the soul of the dead. The same night they boiled beef and cooked rice pilav. Very early in the morning- the church…