for the moment i cannot remember any identical "hilltop" barbecues (good title, it says it all, the smelling for the gods and the food for the people )

if i'm not mistaken, i have "heard" about such events in local communties around Greece, but didn't look further into it.
In cities such a possibility is not offered.
however,
A similar pan-hellenic custom nowadays is the one of Kathari Deutera, which is the day (always Monday) that marks the beginning of the Sarakosti (a 40 days fast, until Kiriaki -Sunday- of Easter).
During that day, it is a custom to go to hilltops -usually- and make a sort of barbeque, food must not be meat, fish, cheese/dairy products, drinks. That is, usually we eat that day laghana (specific type of bread for this day), vegetables, olives and other foods excluding those i mentioned earlier. When in Sarakosti, and you have chosen to fast, these foods are not eaten (otherwise you don't fast ). For those who fast, drinks (ouzo, wine etc) are permitted during the weekend or special occasions (like 25th march when during that day fish is also allowed)
also, this activity is accompanied by the flying of the kite. Many people gather together in these places (namely, a couple of them, the Likavitos hill in Attica and the forest of Thessaloniki)
Continuing, after these 40 days, the day of Anastasi and the end of Sarakosti [Easter's Sunday] we spit a lamb, a custom carried out usually in yards though (or streets )

Nje faqe Nje fare
IPIROS

Edited by: Xalvas  at: 4/8/06 3:21 pm