flipMacedonian Wine with Honey and Water (Banquet Kykeon)
Macedonian Wine with Honey and Water (Banquet Kykeon)
Why this dish? Macedonia distinguished itself by drinking wine almost neat, scandalous in the eyes of southern Greeks. At Alexander II's symposion, the krater where wine was mixed with water and honey sealed the alliance of guests and the favor of the gods.
A red wine sweetened with honey and diluted with water in the krater, scented with a hint of resin or thyme — the shared drink that opened the Macedonian banquet.
They say in the southern cities that we Macedonians drink like barbarians, wine barely wetted. Let them chatter! Into the krater I pour the wine of our hills, a measure of honey, spring water, and I stir before filling the phials. The first cup goes to the gods, the second to the heroes, the third to friendship — and only then can the night sing. Drink with measure, stranger, for wine too pure confuses even kings.
- •Red wine from Macedonia or Thrace — one measure (base)
- •Spring water — two to three measures (dilution)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
- •Thyme or pine resin — a pinch (fragrance)
Macedonian Wine with Honey and Water (Banquet Kykeon)
A red wine sweetened with honey and diluted with water in the krater, scented with a hint of resin or thyme — the shared drink that opened the Macedonian banquet.
Why this dish? Macedonia distinguished itself by drinking wine almost neat, scandalous in the eyes of southern Greeks. At Alexander II's symposion, the krater where wine was mixed with water and honey sealed the alliance of guests and the favor of the gods.
They say in the southern cities that we Macedonians drink like barbarians, wine barely wetted. Let them chatter! Into the krater I pour the wine of our hills, a measure of honey, spring water, and I stir before filling the phials. The first cup goes to the gods, the second to the heroes, the third to friendship — and only then can the night sing. Drink with measure, stranger, for wine too pure confuses even kings.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine from Macedonia or Thrace — one measure (base)
- Spring water — two to three measures (dilution)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetener)
- Thyme or pine resin — a pinch (fragrance)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine — 25 cl (base)
- Cold water — 50 cl (dilution (ancient proportion))
- Honey — 1 tbsp (sweetener)
- Fresh thyme — 1 sprig (fragrance)
Method
- Warm a small ladle of wine and dissolve the honey in it.
- Pour this mixture into a large vessel (the 'krater') with the rest of the wine.
- Add cold water while stirring: about 2 to 3 parts water to 1 part wine.
- Add the thyme sprig, let infuse 5 minutes, then remove.
- Serve chilled in cups, the first splash poured as a libation.
How it was made : Greeks drank wine diluted with water in a krater; drinking it neat was considered barbaric excess — a reputation that the Macedonians, heavy drinkers, indeed carried. Honey, resin (whence modern retsina), and aromatics corrected often harsh wines. The symposion always began with libations to the gods.
The contemporary twist : Serve very cold over ice in a wide cup, an 'ancient spritz' style, with fresh thyme garnish (for adults, with moderation).
Sources : Athenaeus of Naucratis, Deipnosophistae (the krater and mixed wine) · Plato, Symposium (ritual of the symposion)
Alexander II of Macedon · Charactorium
