On Tsiknopempti (Smokey Thursday) I asked you to watch this space and here we are…….! 

 Today we did justice to the best souvlakia, lamb chops (and boerewors !) this side of Athens. 

 We celebrated the no-more-meat rule for Great Lent that is fast approaching with a community lunch in our church hall. 

 It was one big chomping, chatting, drinking, laughing, crazy, chaotic happy celebration that made us cherish our community even more. 

 Let me tell you what it was like in the kitchen…. These awesome amazing women were like a well-oiled machine churning out platters of golden crunchy chips, stacks of moreish pita breads and never-ending bowls of glossy Greek village salads and tongue-tingling tzatziki. 

 Then they plated up the marvellous meats that the men of the moment were grilling over the coals outside. And they certainly lived up to the name of the day-Tsiknopempti – which is all about the drive-you-mad aroma and smoke of meat cooking on the coals. And remember we have Greek appetites so more is more ! 

 Just one little blip and it was not of our making…….. Of course the resurgence of load-shedding on steroids hit us this morning but those Mamas on a mission to feed us simply powered through it all and produced the most marvellous meal for almost 200 hungry tummies. 

And then to cap it all we managed to squeeze some space for dessert which was a truly tempting array of glorious homemade ravani- that golden syrup-soaked semolina cake served with ice cream. 

So yes, overload, but what a way to go! 

Best of all though was the fun we had just being together. Friends and families catching up, kids and oldies and everyone in between just having a ball. That’s what Sunday lunch after Church is all about. 

 But it doesn’t just happen and it takes a lot of planning, hard work and a driven desire to make others happy and lots of blessed helping hands. 

 Huge thanks is the order of the day and goes to: Mr Chris Yiacomis our Community President and the Committee who keep pulling out the stops to make things bigger and better; the absolutely fabulous Ladies of the Church group who could open and run a taverna on Mars, they’re that good; the great guys on grill duty who cooked up a storm and are braai masters deluxe; everyone who so generously donated produce and ingredients to create this fancy feast; all the wonderful willing backroom helpers who prepped and served and cleaned and washed up. 

 I guess you get the message – it was a winner! 

 But, of course, as with all good things we always want more. So keep watching this space! 

 Wishing you and yours a blessed and beautiful  weekend ahead. 

(Text and photos: Pepe Sofianos)