The Delicious Legacy The Delicious Legacy

Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, who hailed from the Roman province of Baetica (now Andalusia) in southern Spain writing in 43AD, he described the Ireland and Irish people as “a people wanting in every virtue, and totally destitute of piety”. And yet this country was so “luxuriant in grasses” that if cattle were “allowed to feed too long, they would burst”.
Hello! The ancient Greek geographer and explorer Pytheas of Massalia while exploring north west Europe named the land of Ireland "Ierni" and from there Claudius Ptolemaeus ("Ptolemy") called the island Iouerníā . The Roman historian Tacitus, in his book Agricola (c. 98 AD), uses the name Hibernia. It meant "land of winter", and he modern name Eire derives from here.
So today's episode, part 1, is all about the food history and food culture of ancient Ireland. I've talked with food historian Regina Sexton who is based in Cork to give me all the fascinating details of the rich ancient food history of Irish people.
Regina Sexton is a food and culinary historian, food writer, broadcaster and cook. She is also a graduate of Ballymaloe Cookery School holding a Certificate in Food and Cookery. She is the Programme Manager of UCC's Post-graduate Diploma in Irish Food Culture. She has published widely at academic and popular levels. Her publications include A Little History of IrishFood (Gill & Macmillan, 1998) and Ireland’s Traditional Foods (Teagasc, 1997)
I hope you'll enjoy my discussion with her and join me soon for part 2!
See you soon,
Thom & The Delicious Legacy
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat,
It is (like) the onrush of the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Hello! The lines above are from a brilliant Assyrian hymn to the Goddess of the brewing process: Ninkasi. Also a good set of instructions on how to make beer!
Aside from beer, there are many other inventions that Sumerians are credited with. But there is not enough time in my lifetime to write everything about Mesopotamian food!
From Sumerians, to Akkadians to Assyrians and Babylonians, we're talking about civilizations and empires that lasted roughly four thousand years. 
More time has elapsed from the first cuneiform clay tablet in 3200BCE -when writing was invented- till the last tablet around 1st century AD, than from the last until today. 
What were their recipes? How do we know? And what about their food production systems and first documented agricultural practises?
Enjoy!
As you usual, if you want to contribute and help me do this podcast you can support me on Patreon.

Music by the amazing Pavlos Kapralos!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzgAonk4-uVhXXjKSF-Nz1A
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deep in a mountain in the Pontic Alps, North-East Turkey, there's a monastery reminiscent of Tolkien's Minas Tirith; the seven-walled fortress city built on the spur of a mountain. Nestled in a steep cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and facing a beautiful wooded mountain valley is Panayia Soumela Greek Orthodox monastery, dedicated to Virgin Mary. This is the heartland of the Pontic Greeks. And my journey today begun from a church with the same name, near my home town of Veria, in Northern Greece, 1800 Km away from Trabzon, deep in a forested mountain on a similar altitude...
Hello!
The Pontic Greeks lived in the region of northern Turkey roughly in the areas of Trabzon, Samsun and Gerishun, Sinop for about 2 millennia before their forced expulsion and genocide.
But their food and culture remains still alive luckily for us, and even their unique Greek language which traces its lineage to ancient Greek!
So what did they eat? How they cooked their foods? And how does their cuisine differ from other Greeks, and the similarities with other Black Sea nations around...
Some spectacular videos of Panagia Soumela Monastery and countryside in Trabzon region mountains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQb3UJVvbmM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynLcqCxCh0s
For traditional Pontic produce in Greece today go to Thessaloniki and find this guy:
http://ragian.gr/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=4
Google map link for the Thessaloniki shop:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QJGjFiEBW4YN7W369
The farm were they age cheeses in caves, smoke their own meats and produce their pasta:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yVQHg9HVdGDcEyWdA
More information about history and culture of Pontic Greeks:
https://pontosworld.com/index.php
And the Guardian article that inspired me to do this episode today:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/apr/03/endangered-greek-dialect-living-bridge-ancient-world-romeyka
With music from Pavlos Kapralos
Enjoy!
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello....!
Who hasn't heard of feta cheese among us?
Now I'm not saying that you necessary need to like it, but most of us know about this white, tangy & salty Greek cheese served with your Greek salad on your favourite holiday destination.
But is the feta cheese we eat a "fait accompli"? (or feta accompli?)
What is Sfella or "Feta of the Fire"?
On today's episode we look at the facts currently and finds out that this is by far not the truth.
A lot of deception happens from the rugged mountains in the north west of Greece till the final product reaches your table in faraway lands...
Here's some great PDO fetas and other delicious goat and sheep milk cheeses from Greece.
Moiras Cheesemakers Geraki Lakonia: (Μοίρας Τυροκομικά, Γεράκι Λακωνίας) tel: +30 27310-71.378
Traditional Cheesemaker Tsatsoulis Levidi Arkadias (Παραδοσιακό Τυροκομείο Τσατσουλή, Λεβίδι Αρκαδίας) www.tsatsoulis.com.gr
Goat cheese with character: www.tousias.gr
Another great Feta cheese: https://chelmos.gr/
https://www.maltbyandgreek.com/chelmos-feta-pdo-4kg-in-100g-slices
Thanks for listening!
The Delicious Legacy
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helloooooo...!
Easter in UK and Western Europe (Catholic or otherwise) is nearly upon us!
Traditionally the most important celebration of Christianity.
On this episode from the archives, from April 2020, I'm re-publishing the episode about Eastern Orthodox Easter where I describe in some general terms what is happening during the Lent and Easter Sunday.
As is the most important date of the religious calendar and as such, is celebrated in style!
The Lent lasts 40 days and then follows the Holy Week (another lent period) and the the Easter Sunday celebrations!
What is tsoureki?
What do the Greek eat on Palm Sunday?
Do they really paint red the hens eggs? Why?
And what is "mageiritsa" that's eaten after the midnight mass on Saturday to Sunday morning?
Centre piece of Easter Sunday is a whole spit roast lamb on charcoal, or two (or as is the case with my family 3)...and kokoretsi...
If you're nostalgic (as a Greek that's stuck abroad and missing it this year) tempted and hungry do have a listen!
Music by Pavlos Kapralos.
We will back next week with a new episode...!
Much love and happy Easter!
The Delicious Legacy
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello!
What is Greek Cuisine today?
How do we define the food of the modern Greek nation? Clear and in many ways transparent cuisine.
can it be defined from the simplicity and freshness of the ingredients, and her frugal, austere or thrifty nature?
Is it just this though?
And how Greek is mousaka, a dish that is considered so Greek throughout the world?
These and much more, I explore on today's episode on the origins of creation of the modern Greek Cuisine and how this is a problem of definition
for many national cuisines and the myth that is essential in their story.
Enjoy!
The Delicious Legacy
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy.
If you love to time-travel through food and history why not join us at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-delicious-legacy.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.