Cooking in Ancient Greece

Would you like to try roasting meat  using age-old techniques and bake bread using replicas of ancient  equipment? Would you like to learn about the ancient material culture and  the meaning of ancient cooking as physically experienced by the cook?

The "Cooking in ancient Greece" lesson by Mariana- an experimental archaeologist - food historian, Gourmand World Cookbook Award winner-  deals with the culinary legacy of the ancient Greeks, offering seductive interpretations of ancient dishes while giving a glimpse into the lives of ancient cooks.

It lasts 4 hours and  takes place in a 300 year old olive grove, 5 km from the city of Chania.

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.

 It will focus on popular food profiles of the time using techniques, herbs and spices that are  almost forgotten nowadays.

Bread baked in a replica of an ancient Greek portable oven and thrymatis, a kind of cake which when broken open reveals a small roasted bird, are only two of the delicious recipes that allow us a glimpse into the ancient Greek world.

After the cooking the team will eat what it has been prepared.
*''Deipnosophistai" is a  compilation of hundreds of ancient Greek works on food, drink, manners and customs.