We have a mini interview from Athens 🙂 and a wholesome bowl of tahini & lemon chickpeas.
Head straight to the recipe.
A few words about you and where did the quarantine find you?
My name is Athina and I live in Athens, that’s where it got me. On the 11 of March, just a day before the closedown of theatres and all entertainment venues, I was out for a theatre play and then for drinks. If I knew that clapping would later be only a balcony bound activity, I would have clapped my heart out after the play, I would have certainly drunk a lot more and I would have given my fondest goodbyes even on the bar stools before I left the bar. Not that we are not going to go out ever again, but still…
What did it change for you ?
As it happened, I quit my post in the bank last December and the quarantine found me at a time I had consciously chosen to get some rest and fill the batteries. So all was quiet work-wise, because when it comes to going out only Zozo Sapountzaki can second me. What changed the most was a sharp limit on socializing and debauchery. Grocery shopping is quick and not without stress (the queues are huge here), the once eye candy galore, erratic purchases and food indulgence are long gone.
How many loo-rolls can you count in your cupboards?
Only 6, but as I get a nasty sinusitis I have about a dozen packs of tissue boxes, I cannot complain. I hope that’s not cheating.
Comfort food: Lemon tahini chickpea soup
Lemon tahini chickpea soup
Ingredients
- 500 gr chickpeas
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 1-2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- Garlic
- Salt pepper
- Paprika
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas from the night before in soda water, just so they boil quicker and we don’t feel that we shallowed rocks the next day.
- Wash off better than your sins and boil for ten minutes. Skim off the foam as it appears, strain and rinse your pot.
- Add in the chickpeas and saute with the same ferocity (no discriminations please).
- Pour warm water in the pot just so the chickpeas are covered and your breaddunking needs shall be dully satisfied. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer (otherwise you will be looking into a mighty mush – with no need for blender). 40 minutes will see the chickpeas nice and soft.
- Season with salt and pepper towards the end of cooking time.
- Once the chickpeas have boiled, add in the rest of the olive oil, the tathini and the lemon juice. Stir well.
- Enjoy!
How do you cope?
More than anything, I enjoy waking up without the sound of an alarm. I cannot meet and greet with friends or go out as much as I wanted but I have the luxury of time to decide on my career, and the perfect excuse as I didn’t look for a job straight away, in all honestly I just wanted to be lazy in Athens for a few months. The days go by with things I would hardly tackle without so much free time, see storage cupboards clearout, thorough wardrobe & gadget clearout, gardening. As well as reading, exercise, phone calls, cooking etc.
Where will you go eat once this madness is over?
Everywhere if possible. I so hope along with the newly found vaccine for coronavirus teleportation will also be available, I long to see and squeeze my friends, all of them at the same time in houses, in restaurants, and I will travel, travel like I’ve never done before.
Share a wish, just so we can finish on a happy note.
Many wishes, I’m a generous person: may this free & compulsory seminar of washing all body members not be futile for Mass Trasport passengers sake, may we see with love and appreciate people, situations and things alike. May we see the funny side of things, let’s hope for overnight patisseries and night clubs for the elderly. All in good health and positive thoughts.
from Athens with love,
Athina
PS: If you wish to be part of my quarantine cuisine diaries and share your experience on Eat Yourself Greek (EYG), please drop me a line here. Thanks, Eugenia
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