Donkeys, Saints, Lentils and summers gone by

Wise Eeyore fourteenth cousin twice removed, the wise Sophocles

For the past few days I have been awakened by what could be called an ‘island alarm clock’ – a beautiful brown donkey grazing in a field nearby braying away telling me to get up and enjoy the day, and the priest’s chanting in the little church of Aghios Nicholaos on the corner preparing the world for the celebration of the Virgin Mary on August 15^th – he is also reminding the world that there is another day to be thankful for!

Preparing for the Feast of the Holy Virgin - notice the Basil Plant!

Inside the Church of the Holy Virgin - notice more Basil plants!

I love both these sounds – there are so few donkeys around these days as they have been replaced by jeeps! When we first renovated our little ‘patriko spiti’ (family house) on Serifos – starting about 40 years ago and still work in progress – there were few roads on the island and no petrol station. I would come with my trusty Fiat 127 full of things inside and on the roof for the whole summer stay; we didn’t use the car much as there were few places to go by road and the best beaches were accessible by boat; however, sometimes, before we would all pile back into the car and on to the ship for the return to school, brown as berries and fairly wild, we might be in danger of running out of fuel on the drive home on disembarking at Piraeus. The only solution was to take the morning boat for a day excursion to the next island of Sifnos where there was a petrol station.

This was also a good opportunity to buy some (lots!) of the wonderful Sifnos pottery, their colouria biscuits (they look rather plain but with a distinct aniseed taste that go perfectly with ouzo or coffee), the traditional rag rugs that were still being woven on huge looms in the villages, have a swim and some delicious Sifnos specialities that are quite different from Serifos specialities that really only boasts one speciality, the zyno-mizithra – a soft white slightly sour goats’ cheese – there may be only one speciality on Serifos, but it is very good indeed!

Just some of my Siphnos pottery collection! All regularly used too!

Then at the end of the afternoon we would pile back into the car and ferry boat for the hour’s sail back home feeling as though we’d been to another country!

Down to Aghios Sostis, beach and church at dusk with a full moon rising

Other memories of the magical summers when people still used donkeys and the children ran free and wild with all the other summer friends with whom they grew up include the feast of Aghios Sostis on September 6^th, just before trying to rein them in for the return to school. This beautiful little church is on a beautiful beach and was only accessible then on foot or by donkey and mule over the thyme covered hills or by boat (the fishermen would all bring boat loads of people round to the bay, whatever the weather); the difficulty in getting there never deterred the faithful not least with the thought of bowls of Fava (yellow lentil puree) and Holy Bread after the service.

Our Serifiot Aunt would round up a herd of donkeys and mules for us all although she always insisted on walking with her cane with a green snake styled handle that she sill uses. The first time I mounted on my donkey, being a horse rider, I thought I would show off and sat astride and not perching on the side of the saddle like the yiayias (grannies) – BIG MISTAKE and talk about pride coming before a fall: I didn’t fall but I couldn’t walk for several days! There is a very good reason why no one sits astride on a wooden donkey saddle!

We  still go to the celebration at Aghios Sostis and often go to the beach there to swim as there is a road now although you still have to walk down the hill to get there, and UP at the end of the day with all the beach stuff! Tough but worth it as this beach and especially the little church have a special place in my heart – he’s a good chap, Aghios Sostis, Saint Saviour!

Inside Aghios Sostis Church with the Holy bread waiting to be Blessed

A full day's cooking, fava, goat stew, potatoes - all done by volunteers and FREE to the worshippers

See the bowls of fava and plenty of local wine for good measure!



As well as Fava, there is a goat stew that has been cooked slowly all day over the fire in huge vats and is so full of flavour - not the most attractive of dishes to look at, but incredibly good and sustaining (after a long day on the beach! And the walk to the church!).

Holy bread to take home

FAVA is very easy to make and when served with thinly sliced raw onions, lemon juice and extra olive oil is simply wonderful – a little bland for some tastes but it spells ‘island’ to me!

Wash the yellow lentils and then put them in a big pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil de-scumming any froth that forms. Do not put the salt in as they wont soften! Add some chopped onions and olive oil and cook until soft and mushy and thick. Now put the salt in, to taste. Serve warmish or cool with thinly sliced raw onions sprinkled on top, wedges of lemon and drizzle more olive oil over and around. Enjoy!

My friend from Skiathos (see previous Post about our sea urchin lunches) adds a little cumin and it’s delicious too.

'Skiathos' fava with a sprinkling of Basil leaves (my friend has a million more plants than I have - I counted them!

Wishing you sunshine and Blessings of all the Saints, especially Aghios Sostis and the Holy Mother, whatever the weather!

Aghios Sostis - my hero