Tsiknopempti is on Thursday during Carnival, the Greek Mardi Gras. It takes place 11 days before the beginning of the Greek Orthodox Lent. In 2019, Tsiknopempti is February 28 and Greek Lent begins on March 11. Tsiknopempti marks the beginning of the last weekend that observant members of the Greek Orthodox Church can eat meat before fasting for Lent.
Naturally, everyone is rushing to prepare and enjoy their favorite meat dishes for Tsiknopempti, which gives it one of its other common names, “Smoky Thursday” or “Smoky Thursday.” Some also call it “Barbecue Thursdays” or “Grilled Thursdays.” It is a popular day to go out to eat and enjoy as many different meats as possible. It can also be jokingly called the “Carnivore Party.”
This is definitely not the day for sensitive vegetarians to visit Greece’s “restaurant lines.” They say that the Greeks try to consume enough meat on this day to carry it for the full 40 days of Lent. Therefore, there is a lot of smoky air, reminiscent of the aromas of cooking meat everywhere.
By the way, the day is celebrated on a Thursday because, for observant Greek Orthodox Christians, the traditional fast days, when they abstain from meat throughout the year, are Wednesday and Friday.
Tsiknopempti for visitors
This is one of the few times of the year that it is a good idea to make a reservation, even in the most casual tavern, as families come into force to consume large quantities of grilled meats and it will be packed everywhere. And if you are a vegetarian or vegan planning your Greece vacation, why not put off a few weeks and plan to travel during Lent? Almost all taverns, cafes and restaurants will add particularly appealing vegetarian dishes to their already vegetable-rich kitchen for abscess month.
Meaning of Tsiknopempti
In English, Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday,” which is why Tsiknopempti is sometimes also called “Fat Thursday.” In Greek letters, Tsiknopempti is Τσικνοπέμπτι. In Greek, Thursday is Pempti (Πέμπτη), which means the fifth day of the week, since the Greeks count Sunday as the first day.
The word tsikna (Τσικνο) refers to the smell of cooked meat, however “Smelly Thursday” has not caught the translation.
Tsiknopempti typical recipes and menus
Meat is king, with an emphasis on grilled meats, although a pot of stew will occasionally be seen.
Some hotels and practically all taverns will offer special menus for Tsiknopempti. By far the most common item will be some variation of souvlaki – meat on a stick. These will be available everywhere along the streets in the tavern areas; be sure to walk carefully to avoid hitting an unexpected grill on already narrow streets and aisles. Souvlaki skewers in the hands of the inexperienced can also be causes of minor injuries.
Since eating is the main activity in Athens at Tsiknopempti, it can actually be a good time to visit the museums and monuments, which will be quiet even by low season standards, especially later in the day.
Tsiknopempti outside of Greece
Greek communities around the world celebrate Tsiknopempti, and Greek Orthodox church groups can organize special events. Greek restaurants catering to local Greeks will also add specials for the day or weekend; This is less likely in a restaurant with a primarily non-Greek clientele.
Cities with ‘Greek villages’ are also likely places to get a taste of Tsiknopempti outside of Greece. Some of these include Chicago, Illinois; Toronto Canada; and Melbourne, Australia.
Cyprus also vigorously celebrates Tsiknopempti, with parades and other events. You can read an account of Tsiknopempti in Cyprus.
Non-Greek Tsiknopempti Celebration
An equivalent of Tsiknopempti is also celebrated in Germany and Poland, but there they adhere to the western Easter calendar, so the date is different.
Most of the calendars of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox churches will be aligned for Tsiknopempti and the rest of the Carnival, Lent and Easter seasons, but there are some exceptions for religious groups that adhere to a different variant of the above calendar as well. be sure to check.
Greeks seem to have an affection for holidays that fill the air and make it difficult to see or breathe; The popular flour dumping festival is a less fragrant holiday but still coughing.
Pronunciation: Tsik-no-pem-ptee, with the “p” sounding soft, almost like a “b” or even a “v”.
