Kykeon, the barley and cheese drink
A thick and nourishing drink mixing roasted barley flour, wine (or water), grated goat cheese and herbs. Halfway between a beverage and a light soup, it was drunk to restore oneself quickly.
A thick and nourishing drink mixing roasted barley flour, wine (or water), grated goat cheese and herbs. Halfway between a beverage and a light soup, it was drunk to restore oneself quickly.
When the body weakens but the mind must be alert, take the kykeon: it is the drink of Homer's heroes and of men who work. Dilute the roasted barley, grate a little cheese on top, add wild mint and stir until everything blends into one body. Drink it without haste. The mixture of opposites — dry and liquid, firm and fluid — engenders something new; the same, you see, goes for all generation in nature.
- •Roasted barley flour (alphita) — two handfuls (nourishing base)
- •Wine cut with water (or water alone) — a bowl (liquid)
- •Grated goat cheese — a shard (body and salt)
- •Mint or wild pennyroyal — a few leaves (freshness)
- •Honey — as desired (optional sweetness)
Kykeon, the barley and cheese drink
A thick and nourishing drink mixing roasted barley flour, wine (or water), grated goat cheese and herbs. Halfway between a beverage and a light soup, it was drunk to restore oneself quickly.
Why this dish? An ancient drink par excellence, already sung by Homer, the kykeon refreshed tired bodies. For a philosopher who observed living things and walked for hours, this fortifying mixture of barley, wine and cheese was the ideal pick-me-up between two lessons.
When the body weakens but the mind must be alert, take the kykeon: it is the drink of Homer's heroes and of men who work. Dilute the roasted barley, grate a little cheese on top, add wild mint and stir until everything blends into one body. Drink it without haste. The mixture of opposites — dry and liquid, firm and fluid — engenders something new; the same, you see, goes for all generation in nature.
Ingredients (period version)
- Roasted barley flour (alphita) — two handfuls (nourishing base)
- Wine cut with water (or water alone) — a bowl (liquid)
- Grated goat cheese — a shard (body and salt)
- Mint or wild pennyroyal — a few leaves (freshness)
- Honey — as desired (optional sweetness)
Ingredients
- Roasted barley flour — 3 tbsp (nourishing base)
- Water or diluted light red wine — 250 ml (liquid)
- Fresh goat cheese, crumbled or grated — 30 g (body and salt)
- Fresh mint leaves — 4 to 5 (freshness)
- Honey — 1 tsp (optional) (sweetness)
Method
- Whisk the roasted barley flour into the liquid (water or diluted wine) to avoid lumps.
- Stir in the crumbled goat cheese and mix until it partially melts into the mixture.
- Add the chopped mint and, if you like, a spoonful of honey.
- Serve immediately in a wide bowl: the drink should be creamy, neither too liquid nor too thick.
- Drink while stirring, as the barley tends to settle at the bottom.
How it was made : The kykeon (from Greek kykáō, "to mix") appears as early as the Iliad and Odyssey. Its simplest version — barley, water, herbs — served as a quick meal for peasants; enriched with wine and cheese, it became restorative. A ritual variant, without cheese, was drunk during the Eleusinian Mysteries.
The contemporary twist : Serve it "ancient bowl" style: in an earthenware bowl, sprinkled with fresh mint and a drizzle of honey — a savory smoothie before smoothies.
Sources : Homer, Iliad (Book XI) · Andrew Dalby, Siren Feasts
Aristotle · Charactorium