Happy Epiphany (with a lead in to Carnival!)

The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation" and is commonly linked in Western Christianity with the visit of the wise men (Magi) to the Christ child.

Customs are unique in different parts of the world, but I'll give you my favorite ones from customs I am familiar with...

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Ireland:
Little Christmas (Irish: Nollaig Bheag) is one of the traditional names in Ireland for January 6, more commonly known in the rest of the world as the Celebration of the Epiphany. It is so called because it was the day on which Christmas Day was celebrated under the Julian calendar, before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. It is the traditional end of the Christmas season and the last day of the Christmas holidays for both primary and secondary schools in Ireland.

Little Christmas is also called Women's Christmas (Irish: Nollaig na mBan), and sometimes Women's Little Christmas. The tradition, still very strong in Cork and Kerry is so called because of the Irish men taking on all the household duties for the day. Most women hold parties or go out to celebrate the day with their friends, sisters, mothers, and aunts. Bars and restaurants serve mostly women and girls on this night. Children often buy presents for their mothers and grandmothers.



Belgium:
The Dutch and Flemish call this day Drie Koningen, German speakers call it "Dreikönigstag" (Three Kings' Day). In the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, children in groups of three (symbolising the three kings) proceed in costume from house to house while singing songs typical for the occasion, and receiving a coin or some sweets at each door. They may each carry a paper lantern symbolizing the star. [26] In some places, especially Holland, these troops gather for competitions and present their skits/songs for an audience. As in France, Koningentaart (Kings' tart), puff pastry with almond filling, is prepared with a bean or coin hidden inside. Whoever finds the bean in his or her piece is king or queen for the day. A more typically Dutch version is Koningenbrood, or Kings' bread. Another Low Countries tradition on Epiphany is to open up doors and windows to let good luck in for the coming year.


Greece:
In Greece, Cyprus and the Greek diaspora throughout the world, the feast is colloquially called the "Phōta" (Greek: Φώτα, "Lights") and customs revolve around the Great Blessing of the Waters. It marks the end of the traditional ban on sailing, as the tumultuous winter seas are cleansed of the mischief-prone "kalikántzaroi", the goblins that try to torment God-fearing Christians through the festive season. At this ceremony, a cross is also thrown into the water, and the men present clamour to retrieve it for good luck. The Phota form the middle of another festive triduum, together with Epiphany Eve, January 6 (and eve of January 5), when children sing the Epiphany carols, and the great feast of St. John the Baptist on January 7 (and eve of January 6), when the numerous Johns and Joans celebrate their name-day.

In the USA:

There are many customs, but I like the one in Louisiana the best as it segues into my last bit of information on the holiday....

Epiphany is the beginning of the Carnival season, during which it is customary to bake King Cakes, similar to the Rosca. It is round in shaped, filled with cinnamon, glazed white, and coated in traditional carnival color sanding sugar. The person who finds the doll (or bean) must provide the next king cake. The interval between Epiphany and Mardi Gras is sometimes known as "king cake season", and many may be consumed during this period.

The Carnival season begins on King's Day (Epiphany), and there are many traditions associated with that day in Louisiana and along the Catholic coasts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. King cakes are first sold then, Carnival krewes begin having their balls on that date, and the first New Orleans krewe parades in street cars that night.

And, as a heads up to all of you out there, mark your calendars for making party plans!!

2011 Greek Carnival Dates

Triodion: Sunday, February 12th
Tsiknopempti or "Burnt Thursday": February 24th
Tsiknopempti Weekend: Friday, February 25th - Sunday, February 27th
Main Carnival Weekend: Friday, March 4th - Sunday, March 6th
Clean Monday: Monday, March 7th

March 9 - Ash Wednesday
April 17 - Palm Sunday
April 21 - Maundy (Holy) Thursday
April 22 - Good Friday
April 24 - Easter Sunday (Western Christianity - Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, Protestant Churches, etc.)
April 24 - Easter Sunday (Orthodox Christianity - Eastern Orthodox Churches)

40 days before the beginning of Lent, Carnival begins on a Saturday evening with the opening of the Triodion, a book containing three sacred odes. This is a religious moment not generally observed outside of the church itself, so don't expect a sudden party to erupt.

The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday preceding "Clean Monday" usually offer vigorous parties, parades, and traditional events wherever Carnival is celebrated. In larger towns or cities "known" for Carnival, such as Rethimno or Patras, the previous weekend will also be filled with activities.

The last Sunday of the Carnival period is known as "Cheese-eating Sunday" or Tyrofagos as no meat products are allowed at this time. Macaroni is often served on this day. Surprisingly enough, the word "macaroni" is not Italian, but comes from the Greek words macaria or "blessed", and aeronia or "eternal". Thus, "macaroni". The preceding day, Saturday, is a special service for the dead in Orthodox churches, and part of the rites includes the making of grain dishes, probably a survival of the ancient rites of Demeter. Thus, "macaroni".

"Clean Monday" or Kathari Deftera, is the actually the first day of Lent (Sarakosti). While a holiday atmosphere still prevails, the foods consumed are all "pure", without the shedding of blood. But this allows cuttlefish and squid, fish roe, and other items. "Lagana" is a flat bread traditionally served on this day.

"Burnt Thursday" or Tsiknopempti is celebrated eleven days before the start of Lent. The "Burnt" part refers to the grilling of meats, a big part of the celebration of this day. The weekend following "Burnt Thursday" will also have parties and other events; technically, that Sunday is the last allowable day for eating meat and is sometimes called "Meat-eating Sunday". The best Greek restaurants will be crowded on this day - but seafood places are a safe bet to have tables available!

In Greece, Carnival dates are tied to Greek Orthodox Easter, which is usually different from Western Easter. Every few years, both calendars will coincide, this seems to be one of those years!

The most vigorous Carnival partying is on the weekend prior to the end of the Carnival season. This is followed by Clean Monday or "Ash Monday", a generally family-oriented day where, picnics and kite-flying prevail. "Clean Monday" is the last day of Carnival for the Greeks. "Fat Tuesday" does not exist in Greece - Burnt Thursday is its closest parallel.

The Greeks pretty much invented Carnival. Most carnival-related events are connected with the ancient worship of the Greek god of wine and divine intoxication, Dionysus. The processions, costuming, and feasting all derive from ancient ceremonies honoring him and other Greek gods and goddesses, though some claim parts of it, including the carrying of models of ships in processions, date back to similar rites in Ancient Egypt.

Catch up post

Ah time just flies by when you're not paying attention!

This past week has been "computer connections issue week" On Saturday we had a lightening storm and a flash of lightening must have hit the telephone lines, as my router (which IS plugged into a UPS) nevertheless was fried dead in a little flash of oops. I happened to be online at the time and let out a big shriek when I saw the flash!

Fortunately I have a wireless connection so my computer wasn't hurt. But I was without the internet for most of the weekend. This was actually good as I have perfected my spicy meatball recipe, and also managed to clean up a large swathe of my piggy-ness in my study/library and small pockets of my careless mess-making throughout the house.

I was planning to make a post over the weekend and include a few pictures of "things we did in Corfu" So a couple of highlights:

The outdoor mask and costume market (a far cry from the one in Venice, but still fun and packed with odds and ends.)

There are masks and feather boas and plastic swords and hats with feathers. There are capes and confetti and noisemakers and streamers.

It's a hodgepodge of sillyness but fun to pick over. We bought stuff for a few of the favorite small children in our lives.


We also went to our favorite crepe restaurant, Crista's. It was all decorated for the carnival.

Of course we had dinner at about 9 pm, and it was mostly empty, but as we were getting ready to leave the crowds were beginning to arrive.

My leftovers were great the next day!


While waiting for our router to be tuned by our computer tech guy, we had lunch at our favorite little place on the end of the "cordon", The Nautilus which has a great view of Garitsa Bay and the old fortress from inside.

Usually in the summertime we sit outside and feed the fish or sit in the shade, but in the wintertime they have a small seating area that almost always is full of locals.

The treat here is the fresh seafood meze. Excellent pieces of fresh fish, octopus, cuttlefish, calamari, mussels, whitebait and a few whole shrimp very lightly battered and freshly deep fried crisp and hot piled together with a few black olives, tiny hot pickled peppers and a fresh lemon cut in quarters. With a cold beer it's heaven on earth.

And the view through the window of the old fortress and town is lovely no matter what the weather.


There have been a few carnival parties and charity functions for raising money for Haiti, and special needs children, but we have been caught up in the vortex of our own little world and its peripheral problems.

This weekend is the last of carnival for this year and Monday is the start of the drabness of Lent. There are many things planned for Sunday, and on top of Carnival it's also Valentines Day!

The good news is that spring is coming and Easter will be its official launch.

Spicy Meatball Recipe

(My take on a recipe by Romeo Salta and his Pleasures of Italian Cooking)


2 slices white bread
1 cup water
3 T dried onion flakes
3/4 lb ground beef (no fat)
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup oatmeal

2 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t basil
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t celery seed
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t crushed dried red chili peppers
chopped fresh parsley (about 3 T. chopped)


Preheat the oven to 350F or 165C. I add the dried onion to the bread and water and soak it for about 10 minutes. Drain off the excess water and then add everything to a bowl, and mix with your hands. Roll the meatballs between your hands but make them small-ish (mine are about the size of a teaspoon.) Put the meatballs on a baking pan lightly brushed with olive oil and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently (with a spatula) make sure they're not sticking, and roll them over to bake for another 5 or 10 minutes. Drop them into your favorite red sauce.

(Keep it simple though. The meatballs have a lot of flavor. I use 2 jars of Barilla Basilico and 1 can of chopped tomatoes. I season it gently with the same seasonings as above only just a hint.)

You can also freeze the meatballs, and use them in your favorite recipes. Just cool them down when you take them out of the oven (and don't add them to a sauce) then bag them up well and put them in the freezer.



This recipe came out of a craving I had for a REAL street food meatball sandwich.  (and it's pretty good- just fresh soft bread or a roll from the bakery, some meatballs cut in half, sauce and some shredded mozzerella cheese!  Melt the cheese in the microwave and ta-da! homemade street food!  I just had one for lunch and it was totally yum.)

Carnival time in Corfu begins

Years ago, before I came to Corfu, I fell in love with Venice and spent several days there during Carnival.  One would think that February was not a great time to travel, but it was fantastic.  I loved Venice and the fact that everyone wore costumes every day and there was a marvelous atmosphere of "play" in the air. 

Of course I decided at that point I wanted to live in Venice so I could enjoy Carnival for several weeks instead of just for a one time shot of "mardi gras"!

Then we found Corfu. 

Corfu owes its particular spin on Carnival more to years of history as part of the Venetian Republic. From 1386 to 1797, Corfu was ruled by Venetian nobility.  Still the island is a part of Greece so traditions are lifted from many sources and unique to the island alone.

Mixed in with the wonderful and sometimes wacky view of Carnival is of course the traditional religious overtones of Lent.  Harbored deep underneath all of that though is a long tradition in ancient times of the festivals of Dionysis. 

Friday evening we happened to be downtown and came across a marvelous launching party at the city hall of Carnival on Corfu.

Costumes and masks that would be familiar in Venice are seen on the streets here.  The people in costume pose as well, and they go about their business as if you were invisible. (It's like being inside of a play!)  There are also of course processions and fanfares and marching bands.

For the next three weeks Corfu will be a magical place where children will walk though the downtown wearing masks and capes and brandish plastic swords along side of ghosts and princesses.  It's a much happier and sillier celebration that Halloween ever can be.

small child in San Marco Square Venice- he was so cute I couldn't resist!

In Greek Carnival is called Apokries, referring to Lent and the abstention from eating meat.

Carnival here covers four Sunday's but only on the second (the Sunday of the Prodigal Son), third (couldn't find a name for this one - but I'm sure there is one!) and last are there public celebrations.  The final Sunday (called Tyrofagos or Tyrini - also called Cheese-eating Sunday) is a riot of color and confetti, a grand parade of church and people with the priests and the costumed school children and adults, and floats, all together,  to process along with marching band music and celebration.  At night - weather permitting- is a great fireworks display.

"Tsiknopempti" is the equivalent of Pancake Day and loosely translates as barbecue Thursday.  This is the Thursday of, as it's called in Greece, Meatfare Week.  Tsiknopempti is the evening that everyone is obliged to eat meat because the forty days of Lent are about to start.  Restaurants closed for the season, reopen for this day all over the island and families and friends gather round for a lovely eating and drinking spree usually to the sounds of live music. Wandering musicians play Kantades and Mantolinates in the streets of the old city of Corfu.

In Corfu there is a unique custom called "the Corfiot Petegoletsia" or "Petegolia"on the last Thursday of Carnival.  It translates to Gossip, which is actually related more to the old tradition of street theatre.  In the narrow streets of old town- called "kantounia" lined by ancient houses, women standing in their windows exchange scurrilous gossip about local affairs in an authentic Corfiot dialect.  Nothing is sacred, and everything is funny. (IF you understand the local Corfiot dialect!)  The performance ends with traditional songs and mandolin music. 

The climax of the celebration is the final parade and King Carnival is responsible for whatever bad things happened during the previous year.  He's brought to trial and sentenced to death by fire so all evil spirit are burnt with him.  At the end of the procession king Carnival is cremated, his will is read and a big party, with singing and dancing, begins. 

Finally the day after the excesses of Carnival is called "Clean Monday" (which is also the first day of Lent) The foods allowed must all be "pure" (without shedding blood).  Still this allows cuttlefish and squid and fish roe as well as beans and pulses. "Lagana" is a flat bread traditionally served on this day. 

(I love Clean Monday as, weather permitting, everyone goes to the beach to have a picnic, and fly kites!)

So the important Carnival/Easter dates for this year...

Easter is the same this year for both the Orthodox and the Christian Church.  April 4, 2010.

40 days before the beginning of Lent, Carnival begins on Saturday evening with the opening of the "Triodion", a book containing sacred odes.  This is a religious moment and not usually observed outside of the church (so no party!) Triodion Sunday, January 24, 2010

Tsiknopempti or Burnt Thursday, February 4, 2010.
Tsiknopempti Weekend: Friday, February 5th through Sunday February 7, 2010
Main Carnival Weekend: Friday February 12th through Sunday February 14, 2010.
Clean Monday (or Ash Monday): February 15
[Ash Wednesday: February 17, 2010.]
Palm Sunday: March 28, 2010.
Maundy (Holy)Thursday: April 1, 2010
Good Friday: April 2, 2010
Easter Sunday April 4, 2010.