What would you do with your 'kouranbiethes'?
By katerina
@thea09 (18305)
Greece
December 17, 2009 9:02am CST
Everyone must have something similar to this. Each year around this time everyone suddenly appears with kouranbiethes. They are thrust upon you whether you like them or not, it's one of those Greek things which every Greek loves and I don't like at all. They are biscuits, or cookies, so sweet they make your teeth scream, yet at the same time dry so they take hours to chew. They are liberally covered in icing sugar.
Yesterday at the cafenion was the first time I'd seen them appear this year and I was unprepared. Luckily my friend was with me and she ate mine as well. When I first came to Greece I learnt it is impossible to say no to these things and not wishing to offend anyone I used to carry a bag within my bag to pop them into when no one was looking and to dispose of later. So next time I'm out and about I'll be ready for them as it will be impossible to pass some houses without them rushing out with them.
So what edible delight appears around this time which you are expected to eat against your will and how do you deal with it?
6 people like this
15 responses
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Dec 09
There's not much in the way of food at any time of Year that I take exception to..If You go visiting round friends and family here in Ireland,at the very least You'll be pressed to take some Tea (or coffee..) and nibbles that could range from a Biscuit to a plate of sandwiches appearing out of nowhere,to a full on table load Meal!(How long it's been since your last visit doesn't seem to be a factor..am still gathering data on this..) At this time of Year (Christmas,for those cheecking this discussion in 6 months!) it's time for the Shortbread and Mince Pies on the Menu..with Me,it's not that I don't like what I get,it's the scale of it! They've gone to all this effort for you and it seems impolite to wimp out..
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Dec 09
The Pies and Shortbread are only seasonal examples I thought of..the Home Made Christmas fruit cake comes out too,but it isn't until after the 26th that the Leftover Turkey Sandwiches make an appearance!
2 people like this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Now I like leftover turkey sandwiches with lots of English mustard and heaps of silverskin onions sliced up inside it. Even some cold stuffing. I find chicken much more tasty than turkey though as its not as dry. But there again I can make that any old time.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi Shepherd spy, I thought the Irish might do better offerings than the usual mince pies. I bet they offer you home made ones though and not Tescos own.
Here it would be considered more than just the height of bad manners to wimp out, they'd be insulted, fussing about your health, bringing you double of whatever you try and get out of eating.
Look on the bright side though, as you don't actually mind any of the offerings it will save you cooking for days.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
20 Dec 09
people try to push that godawful fruitcake on you here this time of year.
it would make a better brick than a food.*bleh* i've never liked it.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
22 Dec 09
yup,one and the same.
i don't know! it seems to be a joke or something..i've heard some people actually do like it,but i'll be darned if i know why.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
22 Dec 09
And that presumably is the same cake with plastic fruit (as described earlier) which is actually presented above in all its visual awfulness and most commonly used as a door stop.
No one likes it so why do people keep making it and other people keep on buying it?
No one likes it so why do people keep making it and other people keep on buying it?1 person likes this
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
17 Dec 09
If I was there I'd try "Thank you so much. I've just eaten/cleaned my teeth/... Do you mind if I save it for later?" If that didn't work, I'd have a disposal bag in my pocket/bag and slip it in.
What appears here? Fruit cake and mince tarts, of course, and I like both - well, depending on the cook, but I love a dark, rich fruit cake and a rich fruit mince on a short pastry.
Pavlova is a favourite pud and who can refuse a pav?
The thing I would not be able to tolerate is the candy canes - YUK!
However, nothing is forced. It is always possible to politely refuse and no offence is taken.
1 person likes this
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
17 Dec 09
Yes, I remember Brighton Rock - and no doubt all the other "Rocks" were the same.
Brighton Rock was peppermint. Were they all?
Candy canes are sickly sweet, red and white stripes, YUK!
They are sold by the millions every Christmas and I can't figure WHY!
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi Cloud, well if you were over here you'd be relying on the disposal bag in your pocket which is my preferred way. A polite refusal here would cause offence and I remember turning up once to collect my son from his friends house and really trying to decline what was on offer from a little party they'd had and his friends mama pushing away and even offering to cook something else. Of course if I cook up some vile foreign muck they have to eat that too but you should see the horror on their faces.
Is candy cane the same as rock? You must remember an English stick of rock. A long stick of solid sugar guaranteed to rot all teeth.
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
18 Dec 09
Hello, Thea. We have the same sort of things here, and they're called 'polvorones.' They're not so sweet as yours, but they are rather dry. I love them, but Tony hates them. The only drawback is, you never know what flavour you're getting until you bite into them, so I've come unstuck with the coffee flavoured ones. Love the smell of coffee, can't stand the taste.
On the stroke of New Year, you're supposed to eat a grape on each stroke, for good luck. Last year I only managed 7, but it's still been a pretty good year. As soon as I get to my favourite market on Sunday, I'm going to buy a big bag of grapes and practice like anything. I'll be ready for the grapes this year!
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
19 Dec 09
Fancy 7 grapes being hard work Sandra, what are you like.
We're not fortunate to get the bisucits in different flavours, they all taste same, no coffee ones at all. I just saw your bit about marzipan. Well they never normally have it out there except for the chocolate covered bars ever December in Liddle, which are scrummy. But another shop had the same thing in the other day, without the chocolate, but it hardly tasted of anything which is probably why I only got through half a bar.
We're not fortunate to get the bisucits in different flavours, they all taste same, no coffee ones at all. I just saw your bit about marzipan. Well they never normally have it out there except for the chocolate covered bars ever December in Liddle, which are scrummy. But another shop had the same thing in the other day, without the chocolate, but it hardly tasted of anything which is probably why I only got through half a bar.1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
19 Dec 09
Hello, Thea. Yes, I like the LIDL chocolate covered marzipan - rum and raisin is my favourite. As for the grapes, I find them easier to take in liquid form! Just try it - it sounds easy, but you have to chew and swallow a grape on every stroke of the clock.
On a completely different subject, nip over to Pikefish's discussion called 'Season's Beatings.' It's brilliant.
1 person likes this
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hi thea
How are you doing this fine day? Great I hope. I hadn't heard of this and was delighted to learn some new things that are in your country.
Here in the states it seems to be the famous Fruit Cake. I know that to some degree it sounds good but to my taste buds it is nasty..LOL
It is a cake that is filled with all kinds of dried fruit including dates dates. I just don't like the taste. Then there is the chocolate covered cherries. I don't the cream filling that is inside of them. Theses boxes of chocolate covered cherries seems to be the gift that we get. I end up passing my on to the hubby. He will eat anything....LOL...
Keep smiling.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi rose, I'm fine, hope all is well with you today too. I used to have an aversion to fruit cake too until I made my own Irish brack bread, but if it's too stuffed with unknown things it would be heavy going.
Are you seriously saying they haven't banned chocolate covered cherries yet? Oh they are vile. I used to get a box of them every christmas from someone, it really makes me glad we don't do christmas here just to avoid those chocolates. At least you've got someone who'll eat what you don't want.
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Hey I like that ideal of banning the chocolate covered cherries....LOL
I will have put a request to that for next season. I just hope that no one remembers them when they are out shopping for me..lol
Keep smiling.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
18 Dec 09
I have never heard of those, but I get the picture. I would be terrible, because I would never refuse one. I am very weak at refusing special food treatrs.
I dont think we have one particular food treat at Christmas. More like a whole lot. I guess mince pies are very popular, rum balls, chocolate slices, lots of nuts, etc.
I love my treats, and thats why I never have them in my home, because I cant resist them. I on,y buy treats like this if I know Im getting visitors.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
18 Dec 09
Hi jenny, well it's all well and good never refusing them if you like the things as you appear to do. They'd like you over here if you didn't look dubious like I do whenever these biscuits are revealed and they all say theirs aren't very sweet when they are so sickly sweet. Saying that I did devour half a bar of marzipan yesterday but managed to resist the other half.
They'd like you over here if you didn't look dubious like I do whenever these biscuits are revealed and they all say theirs aren't very sweet when they are so sickly sweet. Saying that I did devour half a bar of marzipan yesterday but managed to resist the other half.2 people like this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
18 Dec 09
More Sandra/ Thea Synthesis! I love marzipan. My friend made me some marzipan sweets with the leftovers from her Christmas cake and I hid them so nobody else could share them. I'm not usually selfish, but keep your hands off my marzipan if you value your life!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Dec 09
hi thea all during my childhood we always got this box of white crumbled candy which my Aunt from Nebraska sent to us, my mom always said its the spirit that counts as we all tried to eat the stuff, mom said it was called fondant, but to me it was glue poured into a big batch of powdered sugar, and stirred up. any way it made my teeth hurt even as a child. The only thing that was at all edible in that so called confection were the pieces of pecans. those were tasty if a bit dry.During my adult years its always been Fruitcake. some are really moist and delicious and a lot are hard and would serve as door stops easily. Someone saw me eating a piece of fruitcake a friend had sent me and he went into shudders at the idea, then I cut a piece for him, and boy did he change his mind. its one of those things that have to be made correctly or they are just awful. made righti they are moist and chewy and really delicious.
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Dec 09
Yep..fruitcake's not an easy thing to keep moist enough to be edible,yet consistent enough not to crumble apart beforehand!
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi Hatley, the spirit of the gift may indeed count but it the aunt isn't in the same room watching you try to force it down why didn't you just throw it out into the snow and explain it was bad for your teeth? Its one thing doing it to be polite because you're being watched but eating the stuff without the eyes on you I couldn't imagine.
With you on the fruitcake, I have to say I really only like my own version and wouldn't voluntarily eat it otherwise. But not to worry there's much worse things than fruit cake lined up over here.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I don't eat anything againist my will or do anything i don't want to either. I was taught to say no thank u when i was offered something i didn't want & i still remember how to do that.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
18 Dec 09
It's good i live in TENNESSEE, LL.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
17 Dec 09
Hi Aunty, that's all well and good but if these Greeks like you they won't take no for an answer. Now if they don't like you much they won't actually force you but if they do then they make it impossible to say no. They presume if you say no you must be ill so offer you an extra one to feed you up.
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
18 Dec 09
They do sound nice but it is a matter of taste. I feel a bit like that about the Italian ‘panettone’. I talked about this fluffy Italian delight which is a cross between bread and a fruit cake in another discussion recently. It is traditionally a Christmas treat and my family loves the stuff. I find it a tad too dry and not to my taste really but I can’t seem to make any of my relations appreciate that fact, they keep offering it to me and I can’t refuse without upsetting somebody!
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
19 Dec 09
Hi Paula, I remember in the wonderful book 'Extra Virgin' that every christmas the Italians gifted everyone the panettone but the same ones kept doing the rounds. I can't remember now what it tastes like but don't buy them when they are piled up in the shops. You should try toasting it when they force it on you, sorry, offer it.
@Louc74 (620)
•
19 Dec 09
For me, it's the mince pies, and I usually end up having to force at least one down. Yuck! They're dry, and too sweet, and just sickly, and if I do eat one, it ends up lying in my stomach for about 4 hours afterwards, making me feel queasy.
I'm ok telling friends and family I don't like them - it's when you're at someones house and you don't know them very well, and they keep saying "go on", for some reason, it seems incredibly rude, as if you're insulting their cooking.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
19 Dec 09
Hi Lou, that's it exactly, can't go insulting the food,they take it so personally if you don't want it or don't like it. Last night I ordered the chicken off the grill in the taverna, everything is off the grill at this time of year, and it was lovely but there was enough food there for 3 days. It reminded me to order a half portion again in future as I feel embarrassed leaving it because they start asking what was wrong with it. Luckily the Greek ate some too and my son requested the rest to take home for breakfast.
Aren't you jealous, no sight of a mince pie out here at all.
@artistry (4151)
• United States
18 Dec 09
......Hi thea, I am not a resident as you kmow but I am chiming in, because these cookies sound like our tea biscuits over here. Very hard and quite unchewable, you could lose a tooth filling if you were not careful. I think a doggie bag for keeping them until a later time for disposal or whatever, as you have been doing is a good idea. The people are very generouis there. The only complaint around this time over here about treats, are the fruit cakes that people find hard to deal with if they receive them and I have heard they "regift" them to other friends. Take it easy.
but I am chiming in, because these cookies sound like our tea biscuits over here. Very hard and quite unchewable, you could lose a tooth filling if you were not careful. I think a doggie bag for keeping them until a later time for disposal or whatever, as you have been doing is a good idea. The people are very generouis there. The only complaint around this time over here about treats, are the fruit cakes that people find hard to deal with if they receive them and I have heard they "regift" them to other friends. Take it easy.1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
18 Dec 09
Hi artistry, you aren't chiming in at all, all are welcome here. Your tea biscuits sound much different though as the ones we have aren't hard at all, just dry under the sweetness, a bit like trying to get through sweet wet cement.
Everyones suddenly bringing up these fruit cakes, in fact Bounce has just loaded a picture of one. I suggested regifting them as I'm sure that that way only one cake needs to go around and around.
1 person likes this
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
18 Dec 09
Like some of the responses here already, my vote is for the fruitcake.
I've had this going on during Christmas time when I was groing up...people exchanging fruit cakes in lieu of gifts. I never thought that it would still be going on now that I am all grown up.
One year, I think my dad even gifted one lucky friend of his a fruitcake which he also received a year before!
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
18 Dec 09
Hi bounce, now I know what plastic fruit cake looks like. Must say they don't look terribly inviting. If no one likes them why do they keep gifting them each year? I'm definitely all for wrapping the things up and passing them on again, I read thats a great tradition in Italy, regifting those panetonne cakes which come out each christmas there. Enjoy avoiding your cake.
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
17 Dec 09
last weekend at my family gathering I popped a homemade chocolate covered cherry in my mouth.....Had I been alone I would have spit it out....but instead I tried to swallow it whole without chewing it.....I hope no one saw the look of total distaste on my face!
1 person likes this
