Thanks fieldmarshaldj. Nice collection, I just finished an Atkins frozen meal. :^)
Posted on 08/12/2018 4:32:50 PM PDT by SamAdams76
The eating habits of ancient Greeks were developed after a deep and detailed study of the needs of the body and the spirit. Their diet, which was an important part of their philosophical vision, was based on rules that combined enjoyment with well-being.
Unlike what many modern nutritionists believe about the benefits of a hearty breakfast, the ancient Greeks, and especially the Athenians, used to start their day with a very frugal meal that included “akratisma“, a little barley bread dipped in wine. Sometimes they were adding olives and figs. More often, however, their breakfast was limited to a boiled barley drink flavored with peppermint or thyme, which they believed to have healing properties.
Dinner time for the ancients was different than that of modern Greeks. Today most doctors advise that our evening meal should be light and has to be consumed before 20:00. However, for ancient Greeks dinner was the main meal of the day, which they had strictly after sunset. Indeed, this meal was very rich and was accompanied by desserts, the so-called tragimata, which could be fresh or dried fruits, mainly figs, walnuts, grapes or honey-desserts.
At noon, Greeks used to eat fish, legumes, or snacks such as bread, cheese, olives, eggs, nuts and fruits.
Unlike today’s vegetarian trends, a food that was never missing from the table in ancient Greece was meat. Eating meat, even on a daily basis, was not considered harmful to the body at all. The ancients showed a particular preference for pork and beef, while they rarely ate goats and lambs. They also loved hunting, especially thrushes, quail and deer. In order to tenderize meats, they marinated them with herbs.
Seafood and shellfish were also favorites of ancient Greeks, but mostly affordable to the wealthier ones. They preferred the sea bream, mullet, sardines, the renowned eels of Copais Lake and fish from the Hellespontos and the Black Sea.
Legumes such as beans, lentils, chickpeas (peeled), peas and pureed beans also featured a lot on the ancient Greeks’ daily menu. Also, garden vegetables and fresh herbs were almost always on the table. Bulbs, lettuce, peas, artichokes, celery, dill and mint were greatly appreciated. However, cucumbers and figs were the most popular items. Mushrooms, fennel, asparagus, and even tender nettles, often appeared on the table.
Greeks also loved their breads. They were baking several kinds of bread, such as semolina bread, wheat, rye, millet and various other types, taking their names from the way they were baked as well. Bread was never missing from the table.
As far as cooking methods, most foods were baked in the oven or spit roasted, or boiled with various vegetables and spices. Condiments and spices used included dill, basil, mint, thyme, cardamom, coriander, capers, pine nuts, and imported pepper.
It was important for ancient Greeks to eat with company. Their dinners especially were also a way to socialize, and dinner time was closely linked not only to gastronomy but to social manners and activities as well. Every meal was accompanied with wine.
In any case, the ancient Greeks were light eaters, consuming a great variety of foods, but in very small quantities. The goal of a meal was to please the palate rather than to fill the stomach.
Spartans, on the other hand, were following their famous laconic austerity in their diet as well: their daily meal included a cup of “black broth” and a piece of bread, while in special occasions and celebrations they ate boiled pork and drank some wine.
Dinuguan is a Filipino savory stew of pork offal (typically lungs, kidneys, intestines, ears, heart and snout) and/or meat simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili (most often siling mahaba), and vinegar.
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You know the anus was in there too. I wonder what they did with the penis.
It was important for ancient Greeks to eat with company. Their dinners especially were also a way to socialize, and dinner time was closely linked not only to gastronomy but to social manners and activities as well. Every meal was accompanied with wine.
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That’s the way it was before TV, the Internet, and smartphones.
Thanks fieldmarshaldj. Nice collection, I just finished an Atkins frozen meal. :^)
I had an old book from the 1800s that listed the famous ancient Greeks and Romans and the age when they died. I averaged the age of 10 famous Greeks (over 70) and ten famous Romans, not including military men (early 50s). I don’t know if it might have been lead from the water pipes, or a less healthy diet, or less healthy philosophy, but a notable difference in life span.
Thanks for the post.
Modernity is not necessarily all that it’s cracked up to be,,,,
So how did this Greek diet translate into longevity and the prevention of diseases?
That shows the drawbacks of hard work.
Of course I would rather eat the Greek diet than to take my chances with stuffed dormice... ;^)
The Greeks had another favorite, I suppose it's like some people have a favorite recipe for punch today -- they made a mixed drink of barley beer, mead (made from honey, as if none of you knew that), and retsina (resinated wine, wine with pine resin in it). I suggested this combo to a friend at a Halloween party, and we found the best taste was 1 part retsina, 2 parts mead, and 3 parts beer. Oh, and it's an acquired taste. When the ancient Greek texts talk of "mingling wine", they don't mean wine and water. Mingling water with wine was (and in some places stil is) done to try to make the water safe to drink.
Akratisma, artichokes, asparagus, barley, basil, beans, beef, black broth, bread, bream, capers, cardamom, celery, cheese, chickpeas, coriander, cucumbers, deer, dill, eels, eggs, fennel, figs, figs, fish, fruit, goat, grapes, honey, lamb, legumes, lentils, lettuce, Mushrooms, millet, mullet, nuts, olives, peas, pepper, peppermint, pine nuts, pork, quail, retsina;mead, rye, sardines, semolina, shellfish, tender nettles, thrush, thyme, tragimata, walnuts, wheat, and wine.
Fortunately this was not made in Phillipines. Other than a bucket of pig blood I don’t believe she went to any effort to procure parts not typically on a 1st world european grocery shelf.
There is a belief that pork anus has been repurposed as calamari in restaurants across America.
I usually have a biscotti dipped in coffee!
Some thoughts on retsina. There are probably healthy properties in the pine resin. Taxol which is currently being used to treat cancer comes from pine. Arbor Vitae is a needle shrub which our ancestors used to use medicinally. A supplement called pycnogenol is a member of the Vitamin C family and comes from French maritime pines. A friend introduced me to that when it was new on the market and he was selling it. I tried a tablet and 15 minutes later my sinuses opened up fantastically (I’m allergic). I bought a bottle and started taking 1 a day. I had hurt my shoulder over 2 years earlier helping a friend move a garden statue. With my arms held out straight to the side (crucifix position) I could not raise the bad arm any higher. After a week I noticed I could raise it slightly more. After a month I could reach up and over to touch the opposite side of my head. Now I can reach as far as the other arm. I remember reading that when Cabot(?) ascended the St. Lawrence river his crew was suffering severely from scurvy. I believe that his crew was given a tea made from spruce needles and healed very quickly.
Very interesting, thanks for the ping. Does the medication have a name?
The supplement I used that fixes my allergies and cured my shoulder is called Pycnogenol. When I bought it 20 years ago it was first being sold by a company called Russeau or something like that. Now it is sold by a number of supplement companies as pycnogenol. I would suggest 100 mg. 1 to 30 times a day depending on the severity of what one is trying to fix. Taxol I think is a brand name for a cancer drug. Arbor vitae is a botanical name. All 3 can be researched at Google by those names.
Many thanks, I’ll do the Google...have a friend who might benefit.
Lemon ginger herbal tea can be good for the asthma and sinuses. We keep it around here for the residents, and they are otherwise quite a pill-seeking bunch at times. I’ll look up these supplements though.
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