The forty days are up! Since Clean Monday no meat, dairy, animal products, fish - except for 25th March, when it is allowed. How did we do? Well not badly. We had decided at the beginning not to be too precious about it. If we were guests somewhere we would do our best and in fact there were only two significant occasions where we simply ate what was in front of us. We did not miss meat as there were so many other options. The one thing I really missed was my morning cup of tea without milk. I tried fruit teas but they did not hit the spot. Strangely I did not have my "cuppa" till three days after Easter - I forgot - so that proves something.
How did we break our fast? In a very traditional way.
After the midnight service we managed to bring the lighted candles with the "Holy light" home and mark across on the door lintle. Then, as it was warm, we lit candles on the table outside.
We ate Magiritsa - lambs liver and offal soup with an egg and lemon sauce
Home made cheese pies
Aubergine and tomato salad
We drank local red wine
As we sat chatting we couple hear the sound of church bells and fireworks from villages around the area ( our church had it's service fairly early as the priest had to go to one or two other churches too) We began to wonder, as we listened to the distant bangs and crashes whether this was what it was like during the war, sitting at home, seeing the sky light up and the sound of a battle in the distance.
Breakfast in the morning consisted of smoked salmon and myzithra ( a local cheese) in spinach wraps. Enough to keep us going until the main event of Easter Lunch.
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