Marinated Fish (Savoro)

Peel the onion and keep the whole of it, don’t chop it. Then, peel the small onions. Put the octopus, the wine, the vinegar and the large onion in a pan. Let the octopus boil until it gets all its water out. When it boils and gets tender, cut it in pieces and remove the onion. Add the tomato juice (or the tomatoes), the oil, the garlic, the spices, 2 cups of water and the small onions. Let it simmer until its sauce thickens.

Peel the potatoes and scoop them, removing much of the pith. Boil them so they soften slightly, but be careful not to melt. Beat the eggs in bowl and stir them with the cream cheese and the milk cream. Fill the potatoes and bake in oven until they get brown. On top of the potatoes, you can pour various spices. Serve warm.

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.