The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

I RECEIVED an olive branch the other day. It was during one of the most lovely culinary experiences I have ever had. Every dish was crafted with excellence. All of the love and passion for the story behind the food, came out in dish after dish. It told the story of the people of Greece... their respect for the land, their resilience in the face of adversity, and their love and care for the family. This masterpiece was crafted by Events by Alexandra.

On the day I received the box, it was a special occasion. I could have been anywhere celebrating the day. But once I received the time that the box would arrive, I decided to stay at home, to make sure that I was in place for its arrival. The smartly-dressed delivery driver arrived on time with the box.

We cracked open the Events by Alexandra seal, and found a beautiful olive branch, a Greek flag, several documents with rich historical information, and a menu inside. It was a pleasant introduction into a wealthy cultural experience through food.

We removed the beautiful white cloth with crosses and a silky, navy blue cloth to reveal a buffet of traditional Greek food. The theme: “Celebrating Oxi Day with Greece”. It was the 104th dinner in the “Variety is the Spice of Life” series.

Dinner included leg of lamb that was roasted to perfection, served with Tzatziki sauce; a hearty piece of Grouper fish, grilled with Ladiolemono and a parsley-lemon-onion-olive oil sauce; and baked shrimp with feta cheese and a festively-seasoned rice.

There was Baked Pistachio - layers of cinnamon-flavoured Greek meat sauce, macaroni, mizithra cheese - topped with a crema.

This was a family hit because it reminds you of a good lasagne. Stuffed grape vine leaves, potato pie, and chicken soup with orzo pasta and lemon were also delightful residents on an unforgettable menu.

There was a Greek Village salad with the freshest ingredients, including tomatoes, cucumbers and Kalamata olives, perfumed with threbe from Kalymnos.

Everything was delivered still warm, as if they had not too long been dished up from a Greek Grandmother’s kitchen. Grilled pita bread and warm Tsoureki celebratory bread made wonderful accompaniments to the meal. It was topped off with the best Baklava I have ever had - made with crunch phyllo, walnuts, cinnamon, honey, sugar, cloves, orange and lemon - all in favour of Oxi Day.

Oxi Day is a day that will be forever remembered in the history of Greece. At 3am on October 28, 1940, in the early days of World War II, an ultimatum was presented to the Greek Government. The Fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was demanding that Greece immediately allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy key locations, or face war. At this time, all of Europe was already under Axis occupation.

Greek Prime Minister Iohannis Metaxas, refused to bow. Italian Ambassador, Emmanuel Grazzi handed him the fateful letter. After reading the letter, Prime Minister Metaxas responded, “Well, this means war!”

Grazzi described the legendary scene in his memoirs: “I gave him the letter and watched the emotion in his hands and in his eyes. With a firm voice and looking me directly in the eye, Metaxas said, ‘This means war!’ I replied that it could be avoided but he again said, ‘No’. I added that if [the Greek] General Papagos... Metaxas immediately interrupted me and said, ‘OXI - NO!’ I then gave a deep bow, leaving with an even deeper respect for this elder who preferred to be sacrificed than enslaved.”

Greeks have everything to be proud of when it comes to Oxi Day. Two-and-a-half hours after Prime Minister Metaxas made his defiant decree, the larger, more modernized and better equipped Italian Army crossed over the Greek border, and plunged the country into World War II.

They fought for 219 days driving the Italian army out of Greece and straight back past the borders of the southern third of Albania.

The battle embarrassed and enraged Mussolini. He had to acknowledge that his grandiose vision to show Hitler how Italy could easily conquer Greece was a complete failure. He was forced to ask for German assistance before the Greeks could do any more damage or advance further. Hitler, furious that Mussolini had attempted to invade Greece against his orders, now had to rescue the defeated Italians. Greece lost 580,000 best-of-the-best of its pre-war population, and 100,000 were wounded - but they were victorious.

The three months of fighting were said to be pivotal in changing the trajectory of World War II. Joseph Stalin said he would not live long enough to thank the Greeks, “whose resistance decided World War II.” Winston Churchill said “until now, we used to say that the Greeks fight like heroes; now we shall say, the heroes fight like Greeks”. Hitler said that “only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us, fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death”.

For Alexandra Mailis- Lynch, founder of Events by Alexandra, this Oxi Day meal was personal, as it told the story of her rich, Greek heritage.

“This box is truly not about the food for me,” Alexandra said.

“This is traditional Greek comfort food that you have eaten over and over. This is about a pride for the Philotimo that drives all Greeks - from Greece and from the Diaspora. That sense of duty and love of honour, hospitality, dignity, pride, ethos and faith.”

She speaks of the bravery of the clergy of the Greek Orthodox Church in the face of the Italian invasion.

She shared the story of the women of Crete, who continued to fight bravely after all their men were either still fighting or already killed. One thousand women from Crete were killed by the Nazis, and 500 women were deported to Germany for taking part in the defense of their island.

“Today, we are inspired by our forebears as we celebrate their courage and honour their memory,” Alexandra said.

“They said ‘No!’ to those who advanced power and control at any cost. They stood firm against an ideology and its forces that would only separate them from their freedom, their faith, their rights, and their way of life.”

Alexandra is also an advocate for women here in The Bahamas, her home. As a part of Women United, she speaks out and takes action for the rights and protection of women and girls. She is the immediate past president of the Board of the Ranfurly Home for Children.

For more information, email alexandra@ eventsbyalexandra.com, or Whatsapp 557-3557.