Kathara Deftera ΚΑΘΑΡΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ & ΣΑΡΑΚΩΣΤΗ Sarakosti
Today, March 6th is the day that marks 40 days of the Lent. Lent of the Orthodox Christians (ΣΑΡΑΚΩΣΤΗ.. Sarakosti saranda- 40) starts today what the Greeks call Kathara Deftera. Meaning Clean Monday or Shrove Monday.
In the next few hours, the Greeks will be driving to the country side to be with their families. Athenians will go to Filoppapou Hill opposite the Acropolis where people picnic and dance. Children fly kites.
I had no intention of adding a new post but about 2 hours ago I got into a wrong bus. My bus would normally turn right a block from the main market. The one I took passed the market and the traffic at 1130pm was so bad. Then I noticed that the inner court of the market which I call Neptune’s Lair was so bright.
What the market is open?
The fish market is open till wee hours today to sell fresh seafood for tomorrow festivities. At this time yes is still is.
So I got off. I knew my camera is dead but I was crossing my fingers it would let me snap few photos.
I managed a few shots.
I normally love to take photos of the ongoing buzz but honestly it was a nightmare where hundreds of people were jostling.
They were so fresh. Clams, mussels, shrimps, trouts, octopus. Outside the market there were few gypsies selling fresh cos lettuce and onions for the maroulosalata.
I bought a kilo of mussels for 6euro (dreaming of moulles frittes). I nearly got tempted for buy clams for heavenly pasta vongole.
The batteries finally gave up, I wanted to go to the corner where stalls were selling dried bacalao, sardines, tarama (fish roe for taramosalata), dolmades (vine leaves wrap), olives, feta, halva and dried fruits.
Today’s bread is called lagana, unleavened.
Well next time. I make sure my batteries fully charged. It’s now 0139am Athens time and after few hours sleep… we are off for a walk, join the crowd (nah I got no kite) and then for a seafood meal. Most likely for fried bacalao (cod fish).
As the Greeks will say KALI EBDOMADA, have a good week.
hello sha!
are those langostines? ano ba tawag sa atin nun? i love seafood, shrimps, squids, crabs, clams…yummy! have a good week! ;D
ahhh sea foods! I’ve actually been missing Philippine seafoods,they’re so fresh & nam nam when cooked like no other…..
hey sha!
i’m still scared to try out my guns in cooking seafood but if you post a good recipe…i just might!:)
off topic dear..would it be possible for you to make baklava? hehe..i need the recipe…my aunt in Florida is asking me if i have..told her i have a friend from Greece!:)who knows i’ll try it myself!
thanks in advance!!!
Are those baby octopus? All these seafood will look good simmering in my pan…
Hmmm, mussels, clams,langoustine, shrimps, salted dried cod… sounds like my favourite Portuguese cataplana dish!
Fish, fishes, shellfish.. I smell something “fishy”. I love fish, inihaws, kinilaws, prinitos, ginataang isda, tinapa, GG’s (Galung-Gung), binabad sa suka at pinatuyu sa bubung ng bahay, pinausukan, ginisang isda, steam fish….
Those shrimps look incredibly delicious. Patikim ng maasim na sabaw ng bangus pls.
We were at the in laws last Sunday for dinner. They invited us because they knew I miss the seafood. They were cooking mussels! I don’t buy them here because the pack is always good for 2 and I cant even finish half of this. Sadly Dutchman doesn’t eat any seafood.
Sometimes I don’t like this loooong dinners. We started with tea and chocolate biscuits. Aperitifs and some toasts with cheeses, thin slices of meat, nuts and pickles followed by the fireplace. After which we had soup at the dinner table – I passed. Then finally the main course arrived, ah lovely mussels in white wine…. salad and French bread with garlic butter on the side. I almost passed for the dessert [ice cream with bitter cookies and some fudge] but they convinced me to take just 1 scoop without the rest. Final closing was coffee.
Man, we arrived 3:30pm and left 10:30pm. My sides were hurting and I could not breathe properly. Sometimes I hate eating… but the mussels were really yummy.
Oh, I miss the dried pusit – grilled too!!!!
By the way, we do not really have something like this kind of fish market here in Holland. The fish stalls we have in the Centrum are not even there everyday. I think only 2x or 3x a week and its really small… very few choices and expensive.
What we have here is haring [herring] and paling [they look like eels, maybe they are] and garnalen [tiny shrimps]. They are made into typical Dutch delicacies… but the haring is usually eaten raw with onios and many even with bread, lol.
That looks like a market I would really enjoy! Enjoy the bacalao!
the bus was meant to take the other turn..hehe. great shots!
sarap naman sha. when i go to a town or city, i always check the markets. it tells you much about a certain place doesn’t it? and visiting the market is a must for foodies like us. enjoy your week:)
Such abundance of seafood! Makes my mind race as to what to buy and cook!
langoustines nga I dont know in tagalog dear,, thanks for mentioning CRAB there were NO CRABS that day.. M said its not in season
we FILIPINOS have seafood on the our favourite food eh
BAKLAVA can i just take you to my favourite shop 😉
i have not made one before but I have helped a friend make it… got to ask a greek chef i know his recipe.
yes baby octopus..only had chicken since Lent started just eating seafood fish did not even take photos just cook eat them asap
its lent dear some greek still adhere to the religious way of fasting so all fishy fishy I dont really mind either i love it
I dont think I will survive the dutch dinner then.
I cooked my mussels with herbs and wine then served them with salad.
At least I can get mussels by kilo
even 1 kilo was more than enough for 2 people.