February 02: Candlemas

"Comfort Food"

When Persephone, young daughter of Zeus and Demeter went missing, it was a sad time for both the goddess and mankind. Demeter was beside herself with fear and sorrow. Her best friend Hekate, goddess of witchcraft, lent her two magical torches to enlighten her quest, and she dwelt around the world, looking in every cave and cavern. In vain. She forgot all about her duties as goddess of fertility and harvest, and a cold and harsh winter set in. The meadows laid barren under a cover of snow, the trees were leafless and on the frozen fields, nothing could be sown or planted. In an effort to help the goddess, the people on earth also lit their candles and joined her in her search. They marched in procession and brought sweet flat pastries to her temple as comforting sacrifices. Demeter didn’t find her daughter, because she had been abducted to the underworld. But millennia later, this time of year, people all over the world still walk in candle lit processions. And also, to the joy of many, they still bake Demeter’s comfort food. Back to February overview.​

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February 18: Global Drink Wine Day

"Cheers!"

According to the ancient writer Pausanias, “humans are as much raised up by wine,… as any bird is by its wings”. This rather rosy view on wine and its effects, was taken from Dionysos himself (Bacchus in latin). Wine was for him what duct tape is today: it solved everything. The god fought some battles in his lifetime, and one of his favourite tricks was to change a river in wine, and launch an attack, when the enemy was out cold. And when his beloved companion Hymenaios got fatally wounded, it was with wine that he brought him back to life. Dionysos would travel in the company of Methe, goddess of drunkenness. Yes, they had one, and today, her name is recognisable in even more addictive substances. Methe’s son, Botrys, is well known in vineyards, as the fungus Botrytis, that creates delicately sweet wines. At every party, the ancients would chant: “Let us sing of Bacchus… Thanks to him, drunkenness is brought forth, grace is born, pain takes rest and trouble goes to sleep.” Hmm, at least the grace-part is debatable. Back to February overview.