The time is coming for this year's celebration of Tsiknopempti and the grills will be on fire... literally and figuratively.
However, "Tsiknopempti" is not only a Greek custom. In areas of southern Germany and Switzerland, for example, Schmutziger Donnerstag ("dirty" Thursday) is celebrated.
It is the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent for Catholics. This Thursday was also the last day of slaughter before Easter and offered another opportunity for extensive feasting before the church’s command to abstain from meat. In the past, meat products could only be preserved to a limited extent during the 40 days of fasting. The meat ban also included all animal products such as eggs, milk and lard.
The term "Schmotz" therefore refers to fat. Fat from slaughtering pigs and geese was abundant on that Thursday and since this day was also the usual day for baking, fritters and pancakes in fat were equally popular dishes in the Middle Ages and are still popular today.
In the same way or with variations, Tsiknopempti is also celebrated in other European countries. The French celebrate Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). A day on which they traditionally eat crepes accompanied by fatty foods.
In Spain, the corresponding day is Jueves Lardero, while similar traditions are observed in other countries with Christian populations, such as Poland and Hungary.
Source: newsbomb
