flipKykeon, the barley-and-cheese drink
Kykeon, the barley-and-cheese drink
Why this dish? Kykeon is Homer's meal-drink, given to the wounded and travelers to regain strength. For Andromache, whose life shifts between besieged walls and exile, it is the drink of urgency and comfort, the one handed to those who falter.
A thick beverage halfway between drink and porridge: barley flour mixed with wine or water, with grated goat cheese and honey. Fortifying, quickly prepared, it sustains tired bodies.
Drink this, you who stagger. In the cup I mix the roasted barley, grate the cheese from our goats, add honey and a splash of wine, then I stir, I stir until all is one. This is what is given to the warrior who returns breathless and to the pale-cheeked child. It is not a feast, stranger — it is strength drunk when there is no time to eat.
- •Roasted barley flour (álphita) — two spoonfuls (base)
- •Goat cheese — a piece, grated (body and acidity)
- •Wine or water — a cup (liquid)
- •Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
Kykeon, the barley-and-cheese drink
A thick beverage halfway between drink and porridge: barley flour mixed with wine or water, with grated goat cheese and honey. Fortifying, quickly prepared, it sustains tired bodies.
Why this dish? Kykeon is Homer's meal-drink, given to the wounded and travelers to regain strength. For Andromache, whose life shifts between besieged walls and exile, it is the drink of urgency and comfort, the one handed to those who falter.
Drink this, you who stagger. In the cup I mix the roasted barley, grate the cheese from our goats, add honey and a splash of wine, then I stir, I stir until all is one. This is what is given to the warrior who returns breathless and to the pale-cheeked child. It is not a feast, stranger — it is strength drunk when there is no time to eat.
Ingredients (period version)
- Roasted barley flour (álphita) — two spoonfuls (base)
- Goat cheese — a piece, grated (body and acidity)
- Wine or water — a cup (liquid)
- Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Roasted barley flour — 2 tbsp (base)
- Fresh goat cheese (or crumbled feta) — 40 g (body and acidity)
- Dry white wine or water — 200 ml (liquid)
- Honey — 1 tsp (sweetness)
- Fresh mint — a few leaves (optional) (freshness)
Method
- Toast the barley flour in a dry pan for 2 minutes for a nutty flavor.
- Finely grate or crumble the cheese.
- In a cup, whisk the flour into the wine or water to avoid lumps.
- Stir in the cheese and honey, mix vigorously until smooth and creamy.
- Garnish with chopped mint and drink cool, stirring occasionally as the flour settles.
How it was made : Kykeon (from kykao, "to mix") appears in the Iliad and Odyssey: Hecamede prepares one for Nestor with Pramnian wine, goat cheese and barley flour. It is also the ritual drink of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Sometimes a drink, sometimes a porridge, depending on the amount of flour.
The contemporary twist : An "ancient smoothie" version served very cold in a small glass, mint on top — a surprising balance between a salty lassi and a malted drink.
Sources : Homer, Iliad (Book XI, Nestor's kykeon) · Homeric Hymn to Demeter (Eleusinian kykeon)
Andromache · Charactorium
