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I have been trying to reconnect with Greek cooking for a while now, and the thing I am working on now are the phyllo dishes - like pita and baklava. Phyllo is delicious, but it can also be tricky. During the whole process I have been curious - where did phyllo come from? I found some sources, but it's hard to really understand the true origin:


Many seem to claim that it came from different places. I have heard theories about it coming from Ancient Greece, Byzantine Empire, Medieval Turkey (but wait wasn't this Byzantine?).... What do you guys think?
 

JayJayT

New member
Since I love the history of Ancient Greece - I am inclined to think it came from that time period. I read somewhere that the Ancient Greeks did have thin layers of dough that they used in dishes, and I believe it to be likely that over the centuries, the technique for making this dough was refined until eventually it became the phyllo dough that we have today. The fact that the word comes from a Greek word is what helped me lean into this theory.
 

k_tsoukalas

Moderator
You know, I have never given it too much thought but I think that it is possible that there are a lot of influences that led to its creation.
 
I never really thought about it either, but I've been obsessing over phyllo lately as I try to learn how to work with it with more confidence! I did some additional research - it really looks like it's hard to know exactly where it came from. It's possible there have been many influences.
 

Favorite Philosopher from Ancient Greece

I love studying philosophy - I have some favorites - do you have yours? Here is a short list:

I like each of them for different reasons...
  • Plato
  • Socrates
  • Epicurus
  • Zeno of Citium
  • Aristotle

History of the tradition of decorating boats for Christmas

One of the most interesting Greek Christmas traditions to me is the one where people decorate boats. So, I started to research the history. Here's a bit of what I discovered:

The roots of the tradition of decorating boats in Greece for Christmas can be traced back to the country's longstanding ties with the sea. In Ancient Greece, people would often looked to the sea for both sustenance and inspiration, and it was not uncommon for ships to be adorned with religious symbols and decorations.

It also has ties to early Christianity in Greece. According to Greek Orthodox beliefs, Saint Nicolas (aka Santa Claus) was a sailor, and he is the patron saint of sailors. Decorating boats is often seen as a way to honor him.

Over time, this practice became associated with the Christmas season, and the boats began to be decorated specifically for the holiday.

People also make paper boats to decorate. Some call these the "yule boat" or karavaki. One of the most famous examples of this practice is the Yule boat, or karavaki.

The earliest known evidence of decorating boats for Christmas in Greece dates back to the 19th century. During this time, sailors would deck out their boats with lights and tiny boats. These tiny boats were often placed inside the larger boat, symbolizing protection from harm while at sea.

Does anyone have anything to add?

What is considered Modern Greece?

So, I always assumed that Modern Greece referred to the time period starting with the War for Independence.

Then, Ancient Greece, I always assumed, ended in BC times.

What about all those periods in between? Is this too simplistic of a way to look at it? How do people classify all the phases of Greek history?

Greece Seeks 'win-win' Solution For Parthenon Sculptures, Rules Out Loan, Says PM Mitsotakis.

For Ancient Greeks, Our Modern Democracy is an Oligarchy.

Share and discuss Greek history!

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