Anastasia

Green Monday's Greek Recipes

Green Monday, also called Clean Monday, is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus as it marks the beginning of Lent. It is celebrated with family picnics in the countryside, kite-flying and  Greek Lenten foods consisting of shellfish, vegetables and various greens. For many Greeks, this day also marks a 40-day fasting period which ends on Easter Day. Here are some of my favourite recipes for Green Monday's Lenten menu.

Lettuce, fresh Spring onions and radish

Lagana - Azyme Bread Baked on Green Monday

The Starters: taramosalata, tahini, houmous, aubergine salad, olives, carrots and radishes

Pickled Vegetables

Baked Okra in Tomato Sauce

Μπάμιες στο Φούρνο - Baked Okra

Ingredients

• 1 kilo okra
• 2 onions, coarsley chopped
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 cups ripe tomatoes, grated
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup hot water
  

Directions

• Rinse the okra and spread on a kitchen towel to dry.
• Trim stalks but do not remove cone-shaped tops.
• Place the okra in an ovenproof dish and mix with all other ingredients.
• Bake in preheated moderate oven (160*C - 170*C) for about an hour stirring occasionally.

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B. Wholegrain Rice with Mixed Vegetables and Ouzo

Wholegrain Rice with Mixed Vegetables and Ouzo

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholegrain rice (brown rice)
• 3 cups hot water
• 3 zucchini, chopped in rings
• 3 aubergines (eggplant), chopped in medium-sized pieces
• 2 red peppers, chopped in thick strips
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup parsley and mint, coarsely chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2  cup ouzo
• salt and pepper

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the zucchinni, aubergines and red peppers over medium heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the ouzo and keep cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Add the parsley , the mint and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Boil the rice till all the water is absorbed and add it to the vegetables stirring gently for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and serve.

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C. King Prawns in Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Sauce

King Prawns

King Prawns in Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 king prawns
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• fresh lemon juice to taste
• salt to taste
• pink pepper

Directions

• Boil the king prawns in salted water till they turn pink.
• Keep boiling over low heat for 5 minutes.
• In a shaker mix the olive oil and the lemon juice with some freshly ground pink pepper.
• Peel the prawns while still warm and serve with the olive oil and lemon juice sauce.

The Carnival in Lemesos

The Carnival in Lemesos dates back to antiquity and is closely related to the history of the Greeks. as it is linked to the Dionysian Festivals called the "Dionysia". During these festivals, a contest was held amongst the three great dramatists of Ancient Greece : Sofocles, Aeschylous and Euripides. Whether it was drama or comedy, the actors had to wear a mask, hence the habit of disguising oneself in modern times.

Photo Credit

The word "carnival" derives from French and Italian -  meaning the end of the meat-eating period. The Greek word for carnival is "Apokries" and is celebrated by the young and the old alike, regardless of age, sex or social status. It is the time of year when people forget all about routine or conventions and follow their passions. It is, above all, a day to relax and have fun.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

In Cyprus, Lemesos - the second largest city after capital Nicosia - is undoubtedly the Carnival Queen! For the people of Lemesos, it is a festival they look forward to every year and an integral part of our customs and traditions. This year, Sunday 17 marks the end of the Carnival with the grand parade in Lemesos. On Monday - called "Green Monday" - the Greeks observe the beginning of Lent which ends on Easter Day - the greatest celebration of the year for the Greek Orthodox. 

Tsiknopempti - Fat or Burnt Thursday

Tsiknopempti (Burnt Thursday)  is the Greek equivalent of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). It is  celebrated eleven days before the start of Lent. The "Burnt" part refers to the grilling of meats (barbrcue), a big part of the celebration of this day.

Photo Credit

The weekend following "Burnt Thursday" will also have parties and other events such as  the Carnival. Technically, that Sunday is the last allowable day for eating meat and is sometimes called "Meat-eating Sunday" .  In Cyprus it's called "sikoses" from the greek verb "sikono" literally meaning "to rise" , but , as a metaphor it means to be up and dance and be merry and eat to your heart's content ! Right now, all the Greek restaurants and tavernas are literally packed and the Greeks party, eating grilled meats, drinking wine, ouzo or retsina and dancing. Many Greeks also paint their faces black ...to match them with the spirit of tsiknopempti (Burnt Thursday).whereas others prefer to make their own barbecue at home and invite their friends and family.

Photo Credit

Such a pity Tsiknopempti always falls on a school night! I'll sign off wishing you "Kales Sikoses" - a traditional wish we exchange in Cyprus on Tsiknopempti.

October 1st: Cyprus Independence Day 2012 - The Long Road to Independence

The first day of October greeted us here in Larnaca with unusually dark skies, some rain in the morning and hardly any sunshine so far. This is also  the first day  I've turned the air-conditioning off since the beginning of June. Autumn lingers in the air today - a special day as we celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus .

The recorded history of Cyprus stretches back more than 9000 years. Many excavations have provided ample testimony to the existence of human settlements from the Neolothic to the Bronze  Age Periods. Around 1300 BC, the Greek Mycenaeans settled in commercial centres along the coast, and Cyprus enjoyed a period of great prosperity. In about 1000 BC, Greek Achaean colonies were established on the island. Undoubtedly, this testimony is the sound proof that Cyprus is an entirely Greek island. 

However, these Greek settlements were later followed by a wide range of foreign invaders who envied Cyprus's strategic location in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The island stands at a cross-road in the Mediterranean, where Europe, Asia and Africa meet. For this reason, it has been sought after and invaded by all kinds of peoples, such as the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Persians  and the Egyptians until Cyprus became a Roman colony in 58 BC.

 

Archbishop Makarios III - the first President of the Republic of Cyprusc

 

From 330 AD, when the seat of the Roman Empire was transferred to Constantinople, Cyprus became part of the eastern Roman Empire, from which the Byzantine Empire grew as the Roman Empire declined. In the meanwhile, between 649 and 965 AD, Cyprus was plagued  by Arab raiders. The Byzantine Empire went into decline and in 1191 Cyprus fell into the hands of the Crusaders and King Richard I of England known as the Lionheart. A year later, King Richard I offered Cyprus as a ...present to the French king  Guy de Lusignan to compensate him for the loss of the kingdom of Jerusalem to Muslim hands.

Thus began the period of  the French domination, under the Lusignans, which lasted until 1489. In the meantime, the Genoese had already occupied some towns of the island, and they were followed by the Venetians who secured and maintained dominion over the whole island until 1571 - the year in which Cyprus was annexed to the Ottoman Empire and Turks came to live on the island of Venus. 

 

Saint Lazarous Church - Larnaca

 

The Ottoman Empire was in steep decline when, in 1878, the Sultan of Constantinople and the British Government of Disraeli agreed that in exchange of British support against the threat from Russia, the Sultan would hand over control and administration of Cyprus to Britain. This gave Britain a military base close to the Suez Canal, which was opened in 1869. From 1878 to 1959, Cyprus remained a British colony, despite constant calls for Union (Enosis) with Greece from amazingly large sections of the Greek Cypriots and politicians from 1931 onward.

In 1950, the newly- elected Archbishop Makarios III became a political spokesman for the Greek Cypriots and their aspirations which were backed up by an armed struggle on the part of 95% of the Greek Cypriots belonging to the EOKA ( The National Oraganisation for the Struggle in Cyprus) resistance movement.  EOKA began a guerilla war against British rule in 1955. When after three years of armed struggle, it became clear that all hope for annexation to Greece was in vain, Makarios agreed to the independence of the country and became the first President of the newly-born Republic of Cyprus on August 16th, 1960.

Right now, the 52-year-old Republic of Cyprus has been facing  the most serious economic crisis since its birth in 1960! Despite the crisis and all the foreign invaders that claimed control over Cyprus, the truth is that the Republic of Cyprus remains to this day a Greek island even though the annexation to Greece has never occurred officially. We are Greek and we will survive as we have already survived throughout the centuries and our many conquerors.

This said, I would like to add that most of us Greek Cypriots dearly love the Turkish Cypriot population of the island even if they are a minority.  They are our brothers and our sisters just like the Greek and Turkish population in Constantinople, Xanthi or Komotini. But every single Turk citizen or soldier in the illegally occupied area of Cyprus should go back home!

A Midsummer's Night Dream at the Golden Bay Beach Hotel

Apart from being one of the most prestigious hotels in Cyprus, the Golden Bay in Larnaca  aspires to preserve our customs, folklore and traditions. Every summer, the management team of the Golden Bay organise a special Cyprus Night featuring traditional folk dances, the making of baskets, flutes and, of course trahanas,  halloumi cheese and loukoumades   .  Naturally, the Executive Chef prepared a wide variety of traditional Cyprus dishes and desserts which we enjoyed under the stars  by the beach.

 

The good old traditional way of making halloumi cheese

 

 

The Final Product - Halloumi

 

 

This lady is showing us how to make halloumi in the traditional way - when factories and technology did not exist.

 

 

Cooking trahanas

Trahanas - just delicious for a soup on cold winter nights

 

 

Cyprus Night - Golden Bay

Traditional Cyprus Baskets

This lady is showing us how to make traditional Cyprus baskets.

The making of a flute

Traditional Cyprus Baskets

 

 

A midsummer's night dream at the Golden Bay

 

This fabulous night ended with folk dances from Greece and Cyprus.

 

Ο Χορός της Στάμνας - The Dance of the Clay Jug

 

Syrtaki (Zorba the Greek)

Weekend at Protaras and the Fire Show at the Golden Coast Hotel

 

Situated on the east coast of Cyprus, Protaras covers approximately 5km of the golden Famagusta Coastline. Protaras flourished into a charming tourist resort in the 1980s as a more sophisticated alternative to the buzzing and wild atmosphere of its neighbouring town; Agia Napa (located 7 km west of Protaras).

Saint Nicolas Chapel

Before becoming a tourist resort, Protaras was essentially uninhabited; the area was mostly covered by a multitude of windmills, some of which still stand, adding to the character of the Protaras landscape. Artefacts uncovered during recent excavations dating back to the Greco-Roman era (58 BC - 395 AD) suggest the land where Protaras now exists may have been the ancient town of Lefkola, notable in those times for its hustling port.

The Fishing Harbour

Protaras became an idyllic holiday resort largely due to the beautiful sandy beaches in its vicinity. There are several excellent beaches, each developed to appeal to a particular type of holidaymaker. For instance, the main beach “Fig Tree Bay”, regarded as one of the most popular beaches on the island, offers a wide range of water-sports, while to the north of the coastline, the tranquil waters of Skoutari Beach, make for great snorkelling.

The Fishing Harbour

Protaras is particularly apt for package-holidays owing to the impressive array of hotels that have been built in the area since not many people actually reside in this town. Some hotels are enormous comprising several swimming pools and have been purpose-built to fulfil their guests’ every need. The "All-inclusive" deals at these hotels often cover the use of deluxe sports facilities such as tennis courts, gymnasiums and spas.

The Golden Coast Hotel Beach

The Golden Coast Hotel has been my favourite hotel in the area since it was built in 1986. Every summer, I spend at least a weekend there. Following tradition, I spent this weekend at The Golden Coast which also boasts one of the island's most attractive bays. This is where I look forward to having the first swim of the year in early June which marks the beginning of summer.

The Golden Coast Beach

It was a quiet and peaceful weekend during which I had the chance to relax and unwind after a hectic week at work.  Last night, after dinner, Alkis and I had the pleasure to watch the fire show right on the beach. It was an impressive show with real fire and excellent dancers. I really can't wait to go back to the Golden Coast Hotel, hopefully soon.

Fire Show on the Beach - The Golden Coast Hotel

The amazing fire show at the Golden Coast Hotel

Photos and Video by Anastasia Marou

Sunday Stroll in Larnaca

 

Sunday Stroll along Finicoudes Promenade

 

I sometimes take for granted the beauty of the town I've been living in for the last 28 years. When Alkis and I first moved to Larnaca back in November 1984, I could hardly call it home.. We both missed our hometowns - Nicosia and Serres.  Living in Larnaca wasn't easy for either of us, but very soon we both fell in love with the beautiful city of Zenon to such an extent that we no longer miss our hometowns as much as we did when we first came to live here.

The Medieval Castle at the end of Finicoudes Promenade

 

Last Sunday, we had the pleasure to meet up with some good friends from Thessaloniki and enjoyed a stroll along Finicoudes Promenade which boasts probably the best beach in Larnaca. Such a pity the sea was too cold for us to swim! Finicoudes means little  palm trees in Greek. The seafront was named after the palm trees that were planted there hundreds of years ago. Now they are tall palm trees that have survived time and often adverse weather conditions. After our leisurely stroll, we had lunch at Meze-Meze - a Greek restaurant I strongly recommend. There's great food, excellent service and good value for money. 

Larnaca-Finicoudes

 

During our stroll, we noticed that Larnaca has already started the preparations for the country's greatest summer festival called Kataklysmos   - or the Flood Festival -  which marks the beginning of summer and attracts thousands of visitors every year. 

Saturday Night Out at Ktima Georgiadi

Located on the old road Nicosia-Limassol, between Skarinou and Kofinou, at about 25 km from Larnaca, Ktima Georgiadi is probably one of the best options in Cyprus for a night out with good friends or family. The well-known Greek Cypriot singer Stella Georgiadi and her brother Pieris have made their father's dream come true: the return to innocence, the return to their roots, the return to tradition far away from the bright lights of the city. 

Ktima Georgiadi - my friend Andreas Morfitis on the dance floor.

Stella Georgiadi Live

My friend Andreas Morfitis who invited us to a great night out at Ktima Georgiadi.

My friends Stavros Rossos and Andreas Morfitis - alias "gerondas" - wise man.

Pieris and Stella have turned a traditional, old mansion into a Greek taverna  where you can let off steam, eat, drink, dance  and sing with Stella and her band.  In the summer, you can enjoy the show under the stars and the orange trees where Stella and her siblings played when they were kids.

Stella Georgiadi and her daughter Eleftheria who had her b-day yesterday. Her gorgeous mum sang Happy Birthaday to Eleftheria.

Stella Georgiadi who did not hesitate to give up on a bright career as a singer in Athens and return to her roots.

My husband Alkis

Last night, Alkis and I had a great time there with good friends. After a long week at work, it was THE perfect night out. Stella will welcome you to her mansion with an old Greek song which she sings amongst her guests without music or micro. A big hand follows and then the show begins with Stella and her band.  Prices are reasonable, yet the food needs to be improved. 

 

Photos and video by Anastasia Marou for Anastasia

 

Carnival Fun

The Limassol Carnival is one of the most important events in Cyprus, related to the Dionysian Festivals of the classical antiquity. It is a joyful and colorful event that attracts both young and old, locals and visitors, making Limassol the carnival center of Cyprus.

The festivities begin on Shrove Thursday (February 16th) with the entrance of King Carnival in town and  last for ten days. The Limassol Municipality organizes various events such as open-air parties, children’s parades and serenaders evenings.

Τhe Grand Carnival Parade on Sunday, February 26th, is the culmination of the carnival events. It will start at 13.30 from St. Nicholas roundabout and will proceed along Makarios III Avenue.

For the detailed programme click here

via www.cyprusevents.net

In Nicosia where I was born and reared, the Carnival was certainly not as popular as it has been for years in Limassol. As a child, I never used to dress up or go to fancy dress parties. Having been to the Carnival in Limassol about 10 years ago, I had so much fun that I decided to dress up for Carnival and go to fancy dress parties in Larnaca! Neredless to say I had a great time! But just like in hometown Nicosia, the carnival isn't very popular in Larnaca either, so I haven't been to a fancy dress party since 2008!

Funky Nurse in 2006

Crazy hippie in 2007

Brazilian Girl in 2008

Is Carnival popular in your area?

 

Giorgos Hadjinasios & Stavros Sideras: Music Nights

Stavros Sideras at the piano

Every year, especially in the summer, many Greek artists gig in Larnaca. The truth is I don't often go to gigs. They're usually too crowded and too noisy. But when I heard that one of Greece's greatest musicians, Giorgos Hadjinasios and my good old friend Stavros Sideras organised three music nights in the luxuariant gardens of  Mousio Theasis in Larnaca, I got tickets at once!

Giorgos Hadjinasios at the piano

This truly amazing performance started with four young artists - Dalida, Christos Hadjinasios, Pambina Kontea and Andronicos Lefkaritis and later 16-year-old Rafaela who is an opera soprano. They are all very talented and have great voices and I'm sure they will all make a dazzling career with such great masters to guide them and advise them. I was also impressed by the violinist's incredible virtuosity.

From left to right: Christos Hadjinasios, Pambina Kontea, Andronikos Lefkaritis, Dalida

Last night, Giorgos Hadjinasios and Stavros Sideras brought together almost all kinds of music with a strong emphasis on Greek music. For almost 3 hours, Mousio Theasis was filled with the sound of music and, of course we sang along! If you are in Cyprus, don't miss this event. A bottle of whiskey or a bottle of vodka or 2 bottles of Lazarides wine are included in the price for every four people together with a variety of finger food, nuts and fruit.

Last but not least, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart Giorgos Hadjinasios - it was such a great honour to have him here in Larnaca - and my great friend Stavros who is not just a great friend but also a great composer, singer, songwriter and a very successful  musical theatre writer.