Theseus at the table

The ancient Greek meal unfolds in two parts. First, the deipnon, the nourishing meal: a barley flatbread (the maza) serves as the base, accompanied by opson — what "accompanies the bread": olives, cheese, fish, and more rarely meat, especially after a sacrifice. Then comes the symposion, the time for wine mixed with water, honey sweets, and shared conversation among hosts. Separately, provisions for travel and offerings placed on the altar for the gods are prepared.

Two pillars of the archaic Greek table: roasted then ground barley, the base of daily maza and the kykéon drink, and the fragrant honey from the hills of Attica (Hymettus, near Athens), which sweetens offering cakes and preserves fruits. No sugar, no butter: everything relies on olive oil, barley, and honey.