Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving Sunday started with me in the underground kitchen. First on the agenda was baking a cake but before I could start, I had to find things. Everything had been moved. Baking powder was now purchased in a large plastic bag instead of small 2 tsp. packets. Vanilla was still in powder form in small vials. All of the baking supplies were in a box on the floor, under the counter. The cake tins were hidden in a drawer under the oven, measuring cups were hidden at the back of a shelf. Theo had cleaned the kitchen and stored everything away in preparation  for winter. I didn't even know how to turn on the oven in the new gas stove?!

Miraculously, the cake disappeared into the oven and reappeared 45 minutes later looking beautiful and smelling edible! John's sister had sent me a recipe for a basic cake which I adapted into a chocolate spice cake with sliced apples on top and drizzled it with rum/butter.

Meanwhile the cabbage and the rice were boiling and the potatoes were baked. I scooped the potato out of the skins, mixed it with yogurt, butter and herbs then scooped the mixture back into the skins and topped with grated cheese. There must have been 400 flies in the kitchen so my arms were constantly flicking them away. When the potatoes were ready, I covered the pan with a tea towel.

After peeling away the cabbage leaves and setting the rice in a bowl to cool, we decided to walk up to the windmills. This was the longest walk for John on this trip with the most uphill and downhill!! It was a challenge! His knees welcomed a much needed rest later in the afternoon.

Around 5pm, I headed back to the kitchen to make the stuffing for the cabbage rolls. This time I added ground meat, bacon, apple, raisins and fresh dill. By eight o'clock there were delicious aromas drifting up from the kitchen and everyone was gathered.

Our dinner group included five Greeks, one Swiss, two Italians and two Canadians. While the meal was not a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner, we did give thanks for friendships and for good food.

Shadows and priests

shadows lengthen

shaping memories

Church bells rang out an announcement just moments before the congregation of clergy emerged. 

They appeared in wind whipped black cassocks. 

Some wore tall black hats, daring the wind to tear them away. 

One hat was circled with red, worn by the chief priest of the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece. 

All ten boasted long hair and full beards.

Several locals had gathered to ogle, wondering why the head of Greece's church was on Amorgos. 

After they drove away in a variety of vehicles, we learned that he was here for a special wedding the next day in Aegiali. 

If it was an islander getting married, the entire island would be invited. 

This wedding must be for an outsider!!

We were sitting at Bayoko Cafe/Bar in Chora watching this spectacle. 

After they left, and the locals stood around gossiping, we returned to the pleasure of our meal, 

Bayoko Pitas stuffed with ham, cheese, tapenaude and grilled! Yummhhh!

Arkesini and south

Yesterday we headed to the southern end of the island to check out the beach. Cold wind from the north blew us along the beach as we wandered among the goats. No one else was in sight.

On the return, we stopped in Arkesini for a late lunch at Maruso. The owner was a friend and former student of Jehane and Molly's so we shared some of her stories (ie) she talked in Greek and I translated to John! How hilarious is this?! Because she simplified her stories, I was actually able to follow along!

We requested a small sample of wine from Arkesini that was made from sundried grapes! Too sweet!...but it would be very delicious as a dessert wine.

As I said before, the island is almost empty. Tomorrow I will make cabbage rolls, stuffed potatoes and a chocolate/apple/rum cake for our small group.

Farewell to Kalliroi

Windmills above Chora. 

Prophitis Ilias is just visible, a tiny white dot on the far peak!

The winds continue to blow but we haven't seen rain yet. The forecast promises warm winds from the south by Monday and a cloudy week ahead.

Last night's dinner included Phillippe and Lilou from Saint Quentin la Poterie, a pottery village in Southern France. Phillippe creates traditional earthenware while Lilou works with contemporary porcelain. There are 21 pottery workshops in the village, just west of Avignon. Wow! Marg would love to visit this special place!

After dinner we said farewell to our good friend Kallyroi. We will really miss her. She left this morning along with Dimitris and Antigone. 

The underground kitchen will take a two day break from communal cooking while I try to think of a Thanksgiving meal for Sunday. We have invited Julio and Simona, the Italian couple who created an amazing meal for us a week ago. It isn't possible to find turkey here and very difficult to find organic chicken so I am considering a Ukrainian Thanksgiving dinner with cabbage rolls, similar to the meal we prepared in Mexico!! Not sure that I want to make perogie dough in that tiny space, but, we'll see. Maybe a bread pudding for dessert with apples and raisins and cinnamon?!

The smoking situation was overwhelming last night. Cold winds forced them to close the doors to the Cafe. With 5 smokers inside, I was finally convinced to put on my jacket and move outside. Every night I hang our clothes outside to air.

Cats

Cats, cats, everywhere cats!

Most are homeless and struggle to survive.

Armelle has adopted this one.

Amorgian life - (cont'd)

The Philosopher!

On previous trips we have been told that Amorgos is the most expensive island.  Here are some of the prices that we have paid: Gas for our car = $2.40/litre, 2 apples = $1.20, white bread = E1.40, brown bread = $1.70, 500g oatmeal = $5.00, eggs = $.30 each, 1 litre milk = $2.50, cheese pie = $2.10, 200g yogurt = $1.50, 250g butter = $4.50. All produce prices are ridiculously high.

It is difficult to compare the cost of eating out because what ends up on the table is so different to what we expect at home. I will use last night's dinner as an example. Four of us shared this meal: two grilled fish(nothing else on the plate), two grilled pork steaks(each steak had a dozen french fried potatoes with it), one Greek salad, one bowl of briam(stewed veggies), one spinach pie(cut into one thin slice each), a bottle of Greek organic wine and a large bottle of water. The total bill was E51(about $70) before the tip. 

There are advantages to this type of meal. The pork was raised and slaughtered by the owner, the fish was also caught that day by a local fisherman, the misithra cheese on the salad, made from goat milk, was processed by the owner, the spinach pie and the briam were made that morning by his mother. We are fortunate to have Greek friends who know which tavernas offer locally grown meals.

Environmentally, Greece is making changes. On most islands, including Amorgos, there are recycling bins for paper products, glass and plastic. It is difficult to tell whether the average resident takes time to separate their garbage and who knows where the collections from these bins end up!

A smoking ban came into effect just before we arrived in Greece. It doesn't seem to have made any difference in the cafes and tavernas on the island. Who is going to police it?? This is considered another invasion of personal rights!

Apparently most of the islands are considering desalination. Plastic water bottles are the curse of these islands where no potable water is available.

Dinner at Michael Anne's

We arrived at Michael Ann's just before sunset. 

Her house is above Langada, at the north end of the island, along a narrow pathway. 

The view is spectacular!

The dinner was amazing, followed by a delicious cheesecake and a sweet kumquat liqueur! Whew!

The pathway was in total darkness for the return trip. 

Fueled by wine, good food, spirited conversation about the Virgin Mary 

and parthenogenesis (maybe you had to be there), 

we gazed at the stars and took carefully placed steps. 

The little flashlight on the end of the pen that my sister gave me 

cast a bluish light on the hazardous pebbles enroute.

The drive back to Chora was uneventful. 

The goats had chosen other spots to sleep instead of the middle of the road. 

Another fun evening!