Giouvetsi

We put  the frozen shrimps in the boiling water  and then we add some salt. After the first boil, we strain the shrimps and let them dry.We heat the oil and we sauté the shrimps in it for 3 – 4 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the orange juice, the oil, the sugar, the cinnamon, the clove, the bicarbonate soda, the baking powder, the flour and the water, until the mixture is smooth enough. Oil a baking pan with a brush and spread sesame on its surface. Pour the mixture in the baking pan and sprinkle it with sesame and as many almonds as you want. Bake it at 180 degrees for about 50 minutes. As soon as the cake is cold enough, cut it in 40 small pieces according to the tradition. Sprinkle it with caster sugar if you wish.

Wine, as a blessed commodity, plays a predominant role in the life of the Athonite monasteries. The founder of the monastic state of Mount Athos, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, decreed that each monastery should have its own vineyards. Thus, since the 10th century, the founders of the monasteries, recognizing the value of wine, have numerous vineyards in their monastic properties. On Mount Athos, there were no large areas for grain, due to the geographical difficulty and the wildness of the place. However, the microclimate of Mount Athos as well as its special vineyards, are key factors for a distinct wine production, unique throughout the Balkan Peninsula and the Northern Aegean. Even today, a number of monks from each monastery are in charge of the cultivation of vineyards and the production of wine.