Short day today. Out of bed around 10:30 and the only thing on the books was to do some grocery shopping ahead of the weekend.
Grocery shopping today finally felt like I was paying American prices (despite that fact that I went in shopping hungry, bought like 20 euro worth of sliced meats, and like two days worth of actual food). Things found in the SKL* grocery store today: refrigerated croissants to bake, “nacho” flavored Doritos, maple syrup, some sort of fresh cheese that I bought because there were only two left and obviously everyone in town loves it. Things not found in the grocery store today: corn syrup, vanilla extract. The corn syrup I kinda get (because nobody in Europe wants that stuff anywhere near their bodies) but vanilla extract seemed like a slam dunk.
On the way out of town, we stopped at Zimi’s for pierlini for lunch. No chicken bacon today, so Heather had to suffer with a bolognese one (which she since has declared is in the running for her favorite flavor) and I picked one with a hamburger and mayo inside — this one was shaped a little different — less open faced and more round, like I guess you would expect a hamburger filled pastry to be. I also ran into one of the two bakeries that are at the end of the street and picked up some pastries to try, settling on the two we kept seeing that seemed to be holiday-specific. As a result, here is your Greek lesson for today:
melomakaronas | μελομακαρονασ | Greek Christmas honey cookies (top right)
kourabiedes | κουραμπιεδεσ | Greek Christmas butter cookies (bottom left)
The melomakaronas have an almost sandy texture, having no traditional baking binding ingredient and traditionally being dunked into syrup while still hot. They hold together but I’m not sure how, probably ancient alchemy of some sort. The kourabiedes are similar to Italian wedding cookies or pecan sandies. Both are traditionally only around during the holiday season.
We agreed that one kourabiedes with a latte would be very satisfying, and that you could roll a truck of melomakaronas round the house and eat them all day.
Cat count: 3 (a pair by the walkplatz, then another orange by the town square that looked like he worked out)