Subverting ‘Greekness’

Olga Sella | Kathimerini | 31 January 2013 Lately, there has been much talk of various forms of Greekness. There is a constant bidding war over the degree of authenticity of various things, customs, places, etc. More often than not, what prevails are the thunderous cries, the possessive attitudes, and the utter disregard for the findings of scientists, historians and experts in general. A book that has just been published by ‘Ikaros’ Press invites us to do exactly the opposite of what currently prevails. To read carefully, to keep up with new evidence, and perhaps to consider that fanaticism leads nowhere. ‘The New Greek Cuisine’ is Epicurus’s new book, subtitled ‘On the Greekness of moussaka, our culinary identity and its renewal’. And it begins with moussaka, which “is the pre-eminent symbol of gastronomy in our country and the archetypal expression of the ‘Greekness’ of our national cuisine”. And it is here that the debunking of illusions begins. ‘And yet, this famous dish is not so Greek. (...) The renowned English food scholar, Alan Davidson, traces its roots to the Arabic word musaqqa, meaning that which has been moistened – in this case, with tomato juices. However, as he points out, “this dish does not originate from Arabia and it is almost certain that the name was first used in Turkey”. Clifford Wright (...) notes that it is possible that moussaka is related to the Palestinians’ favourite dish, musakhkhan (meaning ‘that which has been warmed’)...”. And of course, “the literal ‘cap’ of moussaka, the white, thick cream that covers it, is French; it is called béchamel and dates back directly to the time of Louis XIV and the marquis of the same name”.The well-known and beloved dish of moussaka alone reveals the interplay of cultures and customs, the assimilation of customs among peoples who, for various reasons, intermingle, and the elusive ‘nationality’ of everything that surrounds us and which we consider ‘our own’. Read this book. It will help us all to remain more level-headed in the face of the clamour and absolutes that surround us.