In brief: “Greece became independent in the early 1830s, after a prolonged war of liberation/secession from the Ottoman empire. Like the contemporaneous revolts of the Carbonari in Italy and France (1820, 1821) and the victorious uprising of the anti-monarchist Spaniards (1820–3), it was a war fueled by the ideas of the French Revolution, which the diaspora Greek merchants of the secret society Philiki Etairia (Association of Friends) had enthusiastically espoused* in order to bring down the Ottoman ancien régime. It was a war carried out by the “damned of the earth” (mostly landless peasants) in the poor and inconspicuous southwestern corner of the sultans’ possessions that had fired the imagination of liberals and radicals all over post-Napoleonic, counterrevolutionary Europe. An eight-year confrontation with the Porte** (1821–9), with many ups and downs and considerable infighting, ended in the defeat of the radical elements that had started the revolt. Territorial expansion was the compensatory mirage offered by the new rulers, King Otto and his Bavarian army, since Greece, as the first Balkan nation to achieve statehood, was allowed to exist only as a monarchy, and it ventured into the modern world under the watchful eyes of the three Protecting Powers – England, France, and Russia – who carefully monitored the first steps of this energetic newcomer into the china shop of the Eastern question.”*** (Yanis Yanoulopoulos)
Not long after the establishment of the modern Greek state, Athens, the new capital city, had become « a heterogeneous anomaly; the Greeks in their wild costume are jostled in the streets by Englishmen, Frenchmen, Italians, Dutchmen, Spaniards; and Bavarians, Russians, Danes, and sometimes Americans. European shops invite purchasers, by the side of eastern bazaars, coffeehouses, and billiard-rooms; and French and German restaurants are opened all over the city» (1838, J. L. Stephens, Incidents of travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland ). The cosmpolitism and modernization had begun to affect Greek urban centers as early as the eighteenth century. At the same time, food began to be transformed into a matter of prestige.
The first modern cookbook written by Greek author was printed in Constantinople in 1863.* It was almost entirely French oriented, since the writer N. Sarantis created it responding to the impact of the French gastronomy on the Greek society of Asia Minor.
What is important about the cookbook is that in addition to recipes taken or adapted from French cuisine, Sarantis overturned a few French recipes with Greek nationalist ideologies. Inspired by ancient and contemporary history, he also created dishes named after Kleopatra, Archestratos and important figures of Greek War of Independence, in order for us “not to forget those brave men”. Three fish dishes were designed in honor of three Greek Admirals of naval forces in the Greek Revolution.
Food can certainly define a national identity. Sarantis, using recipes and ingredients of French haute cuisine, probably imagined the emergence of an elite Greek cuisine which could be high, almost as much as French cuisine, but fundamentally related to national character. Did those recipes survive for a long period of time? Sarantis’ dishes had no future. It seems that it was too early to construct a cuisine where particular foods would be considered emblematic of the nation.
ADMIRAL’S MIAOULIS SEA BASS
Andreas Vokos (Miaoulis) (1768 – 24 June 1835), Greek admiral and politician, who commanded Greek naval forces during the Greek War of Independence. (commons.wikimedia.org)
Sea bass, lard, egg white, champagne, butter. Served garnished with lobster tail, ragout of mussels, shrimps and mushrooms, cuttlefish ink, green cucumbers, fish jelly and crayfish butter.
ADMIRAL’S SACHTOURIS SEA BASS
George Sachtouris (1783 – 1841). Greek admiral.
Sea bass, lobster butter, 1 egg white, green cucumbers, lard, butter. Served garnished with ragout of oysters, crayfish tail, sauce made with lobster butter, sauteed red mullet fillets. The fish head is filled with lobster which is garnished with lobster croquettes and sardine butter.
ΑDMIRAL’S KANARIS FLOUNDER
Konstantinos Kanaris (1793 or 1795 – 2 September 1877).
Greek admiral, freedom fighter and politician.
(commons.wikimedia.org)
Flounder, farce ink, 1 egg white, green cucumbers, mushrooms, lemon juice. Served with pea ragout, bechamel sauce and oysters.
*Sarantis N., Singrama mageirikis is tin aploellinikin… 1863, Constaninople.
so Mariana are we to see these dishes recreated here by yours truly?
I am jealous that Greece gained independence from the Ottomans a full 100 years before we did and we are actually still mired in regional protectorships!
Well, Mariana, it seems that Sarantis must have been pretty imaginative on a dish [combining varieties of sea products with cucumbers…obviously potato still out of consumption those days]…at least for his readers who could afford to buy his cookbook!
Really, was this book ever republished as a facsimile reproduction?
Going to Hydra for easter, I will look out for ADMIRAL’S MIAOULIS SEA BASS!
Oh Joumana, foreing interventions,zones of influence and protectorhips: the Great Game in eastern Mediterranean. 😦
Giorgo, many of Sarantis’ extravagant preparations are found in contemporary French cuisine which was still affected by Marie Antoine Careme.
In his book potato is used for croquettes, puree and in vegetable / meat soups. It is never served or cooked with fish.
The book was republished in 1886 for those who could read and could have a cook and enough money to buy the expensive ingredients.
Tobias, I am really curious if any restaurant has ever made that recipe!
I would love to have a copy of this book. Sounds so interesting… the first modern Greek cookbook!
If his food had any similarity to Careme’s(especially his desserts) then it would have been REALLY extravagant!
Καλή Ανάσταση Μαριάνα και Καλό Πάσχα!
Μάγδα
Δυστυχώς Μάγδα το αντίτυπο που βρήκα ήταν σε πολύ κακή κατάσταση… φωτογράφισα ένα μέρος, αντέγραψα ένα άλλο, γιατί για φωτοτυπίες ούτε λόγος. Οι περισσότερες συνταγές προέρχονται από τη γαλλική κουζίνα αλλά βέβαια έχει ενδιαφέρον η πρώτη προσπάθεια δημιουργίας εθνικής λόγιας κουζίνας.΄
Όσο για τα γλυκά, είναι κυρίως γαλλικές συνταγές που προσαρμόζονται στα ελληνικά δεδομένα. Ο Σαράντης είναι επηρεασμένος από τον Careme αλλά μη ξεχνάμε ότι την εποχή της πρώτης έκδοσης του βιβλίου ο νεαρός Escoffier έχει δώσει στο στίγμα του στο Παρίσι και στην Κων/πολη, τόπο της πρώτης έκδοσης- η γαλλική μόδα διαδιδόταν αμέσως.
Και Καλό Πάσχα Μάγδα μου, να περάσεις όσο γίνεται πιο καλά! 🙂