Apollo at the table

In ancient Greece, there was no separation of starter, main course and dessert: they distinguished sitos (the cereal staple: barley maza, flatbreads) from opson (the accompaniment: olives, cheese, meat, fish). The meal often began with a thysia, a sacrifice offered to the gods, part of which burned for them and the other part nourished the men at the banquet. Then came the deipnon (evening meal), followed by the symposion where they drank wine mixed with water and poured libations. For a god like Apollo, pure offerings were added: honey cakes and bloodless libations placed on the altar at Delphi.

The laurel is Apollo's sacred tree: the Pythia chewed its leaves before prophesying at Delphi, and the winners of the Pythian Games were crowned with it. Associated with the honey of the Greek mountains — a pure offering and the sweetness of the gods — it flavors both preserves and altar cakes. This is Apollo's fragrant mark in the kitchen.