Cooking in Ancient Greece - Recipes from Archaeological Research

Over ons

The course takes place in a 300 year old olive grove, 5 km from the city of Chania. 

It may be available on request - when time permits.

A brief introduction to food, cooking methods and trade routes of Classical Greece will be followed by a dipping back into its cuisine. Using Athenaeus’ Deipnosophistai* and archaeological research data as inspiration, the class will enjoy learning how to reproduce ancient Greek recipes both in modern kitchens and according to experimental archaeology.

After the cooking the team will eat what it has been prepared.

*Deipnosophistae is Athenaeus's compilation of the banquet conversations of learned men, written in about 200 AD, which contains much information relating to ancient food and wine and food etiquette.

Menu

Cookings Session 1

• Lentils with coriander, leeks and honey. 
• Two more dishes (will change depending on the season)
• Bread baked in a replica of an ancient Greek portable oven.

Cookings Session 2

• Thrymatis, a kind of cake which when broken open reveals a small roasted bird. 
• One more dish (will change depending on the season)

Cookings Session 3

• Plakous, a kind of sweet bread. 
• Tragemata, the foods that accompanied wine

Red wine mixed with water

Schema

• 10:00 am: Welcome beverage and introduction to ancient Greek food, cooking methods and trade. 
• 10:15 am: Get a taste of black olives cured in honey and cheese made according to ancient information.
• 10:30 am: Cooking session 1 and 2.
• 12:00 am: Cooking session 3.
• 1:15 am: Time to enjoy  what it has been prepared.