Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!

Christmas is just around the corner and I thought I should share with you some of our customs for these holly days.

As Thornton B. Edwards a folklorist married to a Greek girl says:

“The Christmas tree is a recent innovation and formerly a Christmas ship was decorated and had the place of the tree. It is usually little children who sing the “kalanda” or carols holding triangles very early on these mornings for a few coins.

Greek families leave a fire burning to keep away the Killantzaroi. The Killantzaroi are goblins that emerge from the center of the earth and slip into people’s homes through the fireplace. They are more trouble makers then harmful. They are believed to do things such as extinguish fires, ride on people’s backs, braid horse’s tails, and sour the milk.

It is really the 1st of January (St. Basil’s Day) which is the most special day for children since this is when they receive their presents. This is because Father Christmas is Ayios Vasilis or St. Basil and so New Year’s Day is also St. Basil’s feast day (and the name day for anyone called Vasilis or for girls called Vasiliki. Early in the morning on New Year’s Day a child (invariably a boy) does the “podariko” or first-footing.

Also on New Year’s Day there is the interesting custom of breaking a pomegranate on the door for good luck. A special cake is eaten on this day called the “Vasilopita” or St. Basil’s Pie in which a “flouri” or lucky coin has been baked. The one who finds the “flouri” in their piece will have good luck all the forthcoming year.

The Greek Christmas celebrations conclude with the festival of “Ta Phota” or “The Lights” as Epiphany is called. In the Orthodox Church this feast is important as the baptism of Christ. On the day of Epiphany there is the great “Ayiasmos” service in the church. In the port of Pireus and in most islands the priest throws the cross into the sea and a few young men will dive in to retrieve it – the one who catches the cross is being blessed.”

Christmas Day and the following day are both holidays. Since nobody works we are all able to enjoy some time with our families and friends.

On Christmas we make very specific and unique sweets to share among us. These sweets are made only during these days and you don’t see them circulate all the other days of the year. Kourabiedes I showed you in my previous post is one of them. Diples I am sharing with you today is yet another Christmas treat.

Next week I am going to talk to you about islí. Islí are little sweet treats coming from the Greeks who came from Asia minor. My grandmother used to make them and I was devouring them as a kid.

 

Diples

Ingredients

4 eggs

4 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

3 tbsp cognac

½ tbsp. baking powder

450 gr. to 500 gr. 16 oz to 18 oz. all purpose flour

 

1 lt corn oil for frying them

Honey and crumbled walnuts for garnishing them

 

 

Instructions

Put all dry ingredients in your mixer bowl.

Pour the eggs and the cognac and mix in medium speed until a soft dough is gathered around the hook.

Divide the dough in balls in the shape of a lime.

Take your pasta machine and open each one of these balls in sheets thin as a photographic paper.

Cut the sheet in pieces about 10cm X 10cm / 4 in. X 4 in.

Take a deep pot and pour the corn oil.

Put the pot in high heat and when the oil is hot start throwing the sheets not all of them but in batches of three to four.

They are done really fast so be careful to not over fry them.

Repeat the procedure with the rest of the diples.

Let them drain their oil and cover them with honey after you have scalded it and crumbled walnuts.

I am going to take a few days off blogging to spend sometime with my family. I will try to visit and share some wishes with you but in a more casual way. I have scheduled my next post so I can take advantage of these holly days and see some friends and spend a little time out of the house and work.

I would like to wish to all of you a very Merry Christmas.  May all your wishes and unfulfilled dreams come true this coming New Year.