Today on Saturday at Csányi, we literally got a taste of another chapter in the “What the Greeks gave us” theme, Greek gastronomy. The day started at the usual time, with breakfast as always. But this time, of course, we built this meal around the theme. A variety of antipasti were waiting for us on the table alongside the toast, which we used to make snacks. We found a cream with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, aubergine spread, cream cheese enriched with feta and peppers, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. We created sumptuous sandwiches of typical Greek dishes. Before we started listening to the presentations, we prepared the lunch we presented to ourselves today. Gergő Rutai made a pizza dough, we prepared a big batch of tzatziki, peeled the onions and made a pizza base with the addition of tomatoes, basil, oregano and marjoram. In the meantime, Amber, our American developer, arrived and we always have the opportunity to talk to her and practice our English. We then listened to Bella’s presentation on Greek agriculture, which she incorporated literary elements as she herself does. So we heard about the goddess Demeter, to whom the Greeks thanked the Greeks for their good harvests and offered sacrifices in his honour. We also learnt how the ancient Greeks believed that winter came into being. Hades kidnapped Demeter as a wife, but his pact with Zeus freed the goddess from the underworld. However, he fed her a pomegranate first, and if one takes food in hell, one must return there from time to time. When it is winter in our world, it means that Demeter is in hell.
Meanwhile, the group was hungry enough to start preparing lunch, pre-baking pizzas and adding a variety of toppings. We even made gyros to accompany the pizza, which we learned was originally Greek. The pies were reheated and filled with the prepared salads, meat, vegan meatloaf, cheese, tzatziki and vegetables. The next programme was a high quality, interactive presentation on gastronomy by Gergő Rutai and Dani Zombori. They included Greek music, Greek phrases about food, geography and a little game. Our journey led us back to the kitchen where we sampled baklava with sesame and almond slices, ate almonds rolled in caramelized sesame, hazelnuts and tasted koum kouat in syrup, which was met with mixed reactions – it’s an amazingly sweet fruit sweetness.
After another feast, we learned about Greece’s trade from Gábor Berta. The main transport routes were by sea, with the dangers of pirates beyond the reefs, but the silk road, overland transport, was not without its dangers. At the end of the day, we left each other with full bellies and lots of new knowledge.
Hanna Faragó and Bánk Kohári, Szeged Group 3
