Orthodox Lent Suggestions

As the most encylcopedic source for eating in Chicago, I'd like to turn to you all for suggestions...

Orthodox Christians (Greek, Russian, Serbian, Arabic, Coptic, Armenian, American, etc.) are asked to follow a rigorous fast during the 40-day Lenten period. We do not eat meat (red, white or otherwise), dairy (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.), and on somedays are not allowed to have oil; we can eat fish and shellfish on certain days. We are also asked to be mindful of how much and how often we eat, to remind us of what we have and what others too often do not.

The easiest way to follow the fast is to prepare food at home, but there are many of us who find that we often have to eat out. The purpose of the fast is not to eat extravagantly, but to find repast when needed.

Given these parameters (essentially vegan), I'd like to ask you all for suggestions, especially for lunch places. Rather than limit it to my own geographic area (Rogers Park/Evanston), I'd like to open up the discussion more broadly, since there are surely others across Chicago with the same question.

My go-to options are often falafel and Indian; I'd be appreciative to hear about your ideas.

Thank you in advance.

Dr. K

The rules actually differ a little for different orthodox denominations — for example, Russian Orthodox rules traditionally allowed for the consumption of beer throughout Lent (I'm not sure if that's still the case but it was for a long time), whereas in the Greek tradition, all alcohol is banned on the strictest days. A more significant difference regards the use of oils — in the Greek tradition, the use of olive oil is not allowed at all on the strictest days, when 'xerophagy' is required, while in the Russian church all oils are banned on strict days of fasting. In practice, most Greeks do not extend the ban to vegetable oils other than olive oil, and so sesame oil (and tahini) and other nut or seed oils are allowed.* That said, from a traditional standpoint, frying in any medium is something one should avoid on strict fast days. The overarching directive that one refrain from eating rich foods on strict fast days seems to speak against the consumption of fried foods.

On strict days, when xerophagy is required, olive oil and wine are out, as well as (of course) all animal products (meat, cheese, eggs); also prohibited are fish with backbones. Mollusks and shellfish are allowed... I would guess that insects are okay too but that doesn't come up in discussions too often. Olives themselves as a food are also allowed, just not the oil.

So then, for eating out on days when xerophagy is required, one is faced with the problem of having to avoid olive oil. If the falafil is fried in something other than olive oil, well, that's good, but some would say that fried food is not really appropriate on general grounds, as mentioned above. Bread, olives, a salad with no dressing (at least not with olive oil), boiled grains and vegetabes, and fruit, honey, nuts... that's what it's supposed to be, and I find it rather hard to eat out and stick to that regime... For less strict days, I find Middle Eastern places always a good option; on strict days, one can request that dishes such as hummus are not finished with the usual bit of olive oil. Dolmades filled with rice are a typical fasting dish but again, the issue of olive oil might come up secondarily. So then, for example, pita with olives and hummus works well, as long as no olive oil is used to finish the hummus.

Since for those following Greek Orthodox traditions olive oil is an issue, I think that Asian restaurants are a particularly good option, as long as one sticks to non-fried dishes and focusses on boiled and steamed vegetables, rice and, for protein, one eats only tofu or the appropriate seafood varieties, so long as they're grilled or boiled... Or raw... Sushi could work too, so long as one avoids fish with backbones on days when xerophagy is required.

At last year's symposium in Oxford I presented an historical account of Greek Orthodox and (old fashioned) Roman Catholic rules for fasting along with an analysis of some of the differences between the two traditions; the article will apppear in the forthcomiing volume of proceedings for 2011 (Celebrations), due out in July.

Στην ὑγεία σασ!

Antonius

* Indeed, in practice, many of the old rules for fasting in Greece are no longer observed very carefully by broad sectors of the population, just as among Roman Catholics fasting rules have over time been increasingly ignored and even officially reduced to a piddling few... and even those piddling few are broadly ignored.

Antonius,

Thank your detailed and illuminating response. I'd love to have access to your article -- will the proceedings be available on-line?

Dr. K

A couple of friends and I have compiled a list of vegan-friendly restaurants around town. Most of the places listed are not strictly vegan, and some are not even vegetarian, but have nice vegan options. I live in Bucktown/Logan Square so the list tends to skew toward that area, but it's a place to start:

The Green Zebra
Mana Food Bar
Native Foods
Quesadilla La Reyna Del Sur
The Chicago Diner
Soul Vegetarian East
RAW
Ethiopian Diamond
Uru-Swati
Victory's Banner
Blind Faith
Uncommon Ground
Karyn's Fresh Corner
Karyn's on Green
Karyn's Cooked
Urban Vegan
Sultan's Market (Vegetarian combo is vegan)
Belly Shack (Tofu boricua)
Bleeding Heart Bakery
Handlebar
Bangers & Lace

Good luck!
-John

Dr K,

Thank you for your kind words and the interest in my article! The proceedings are not available on-line but are published each year by Prospect Books in England. The last couple of years, the volumes were ready in July and I assume that will be the case again this year. I'll get a precise reference and send it to you in a pm (not sure if I'm allowed to post such things in the thread).

I never thought of trying Indian food for a fast day and it could work but I would be worried that they use ghee in the cooking of many dishes. Some Indian restaurants now use vegetable oils in place of ghee and in that case, with their emphasis on vegetables and legumes, that could indeed be a great option,

A

Man, I should be the last person to answer this, being one of the numerous LTHers in the "Jews who eat pork" category, but I do have two suggestions/ideas:

At least in the past (at least), Artopolis presented a daily Lenten meal.

Now, I've enjoyed that Lenten plate, not for religious reasons, but because I happened to enjoy the items on the plate, including tarma, and especially, halvah.

In fact, that's my second point. See, your fasting may be hard, but you do seem to be with one very tasty treat: halavah. I love halavah. I know you can get it at various Russian & Eastern European shops, e.g., Produce World, Fresh Farms, etc., but I'll put in a plug for the big chunk for sale at Onion Roll in Oak Park.

I can vouch for halvah being available at most of the independent markets in Skokie - Oakton Market, Village Marketplace, Hungarian Kosher, etc.

Speaking of kosher, you can avoid dairy and meat if you chose a vegetarian item at a kosher meat restaurant, also known as "parve" - the word origin is unknown (see: http://www.balashon.com/2006/06/pareve.html), but it basically means you can eat the item with either a dairy or a meat meal for those who keep the Jewish dietary laws. So check out...Taboun, Mizrahi Grill, Ken's Diner (they have a very good non-dairy milkshake!!), or Great Chicago Food & Beverage for their vegetarian options. You can be absolutely sure they will have no dairy in them. I have no idea whether they are as tasty as some of the veggie/vegan specialists listed above, that I can't vouch for. As an (erstwhile) kosher diner, when I eat at one of these places, I go for the kosher meat.

Edited to add, in case it's not clear, "Parve" means that it does not contain either milk or meat products (which would include poultry, lamb, beef, etc.). "Parve" also includes fish. Don't ask me why, but fish is considered neutral. It's also worthwhile to look for the kosher certification (i.e., "OU", "CRC") - there are some manufacturers who print "PARVE" on the products without a kosher certification. And not be confused with the "P" often printed on packages this time of year, which will mean Kosher for Passover. Ah, we Jews and our crazy dietary laws.

It occurred to me that you can also try the kosher dairy restaurants, such as Slice of Life, Bagel Country, etc., although I'm not sure how much of their menu would be parve. I think you're likely to find dairy in nearly everything at those places.

I didn't know about Artopolis' lenten plate -- many Greek places do have lenten dishes, sometimes on the "secret" menu, or will accomodate if you ask.

I had no idea about the meaning of "parve", although I've seen it on menus and labels -- thanks for the info.

And halvah -- ahhh, yes. One does need to indulge on occasion, even during Lent.

Dr. K wrote:Orthodox Christians (Greek, Russian, Serbian, Arabic, Coptic, Armenian, American, etc.) are asked to follow a rigorous fast during the 40-day Lenten period. We do not eat meat (red, white or otherwise), dairy (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.), and on somedays are not allowed to have oil; we can eat fish and shellfish on certain days. We are also asked to be mindful of how much and how often we eat, to remind us of what we have and what others too often do not.

The easiest way to follow the fast is to prepare food at home, but there are many of us who find that we often have to eat out. The purpose of the fast is not to eat extravagantly, but to find repast when needed.

Given these parameters (essentially vegan), I'd like to ask you all for suggestions, especially for lunch places. Rather than limit it to my own geographic area (Rogers Park/Evanston), I'd like to open up the discussion more broadly, since there are surely others across Chicago with the same question.

Many Mexican restaurants and taquerias offer special Lenten foods, some of which may meet your requirements. Certain dishes contain dairy products and many are fried but a few might be acceptable even on the strictest days. I'm including even those that include some forbidden ingredients because other readers might be interested. Note that garnishes of grated cheese are common (eg, on refried beans) but you could request it be left off. I think these Lenten menus are most common in the more "authentic" restaurants serving a mostly Mexican clientele so there should be plenty to choose from in Rogers Park. Look for an "Especiales de Cuaresma" sign in the window (or just ask if they're not advertised).

Here's a shot of a few Lenten dishes (taken at at Las Esperanzas, 1758 W 47th).



Left to right: sopa de lentejas, flautas de papa, tortitas de camarón, sopa de abas.

Here's a partial list of Especiales de Cuaresma that I've come across in Chicago. Some can be found throughout the year but others are strictly seasonal. Taqueria Casa del Pueblo (1834 S Blue Island) can be counted on to have a good selection.

Sopa de lentejas (de abas) – lentil (or fava bean) soup
Tortitas de camarón – fried disks of egg and dried shrimp, usually served in a mild red chile sauce; an acquired taste
Caldo de pescado (de camarón) – fish (or shrimp) soup, usually with lots of vegetables, usually a huge bowl
Mojarras fritas – fried small fish (usually smelt); many other fried fish options (tilapia, shrimp etc) are usually available as tacos, tortas or platters
Flautas de papa – fried corn tortillas rolled around mashed potato
Tortitas de papa – thick fried cakes of mashed potato
Nopales con huevos – cactus frittata
Ensalada de nopales – cactus strips dressed with oil and vinegar
Calabacita rellena de queso – cheese-stuffed zucchini-like squash
Jalapeño relleno de sardina – deep-fried sardine-stuffed jalapeños
Enchiladas potosinas – cheese-filled turnovers made from chile-spiked masa
Capirotada – bread pudding (usually contains cheese)

I actually look forward to Lent so I can try different Mexican dishes unavailable the rest of the year.

Wow, Rene! This is fantastic stuff! There are a good number of excellent Mexican spots in Rogers Park, so I'm sure some will meet the bill. Do you know if these dishes are offered throughout the week, or are they available only on Fridays?

Dr. K wrote:Wow, Rene! This is fantastic stuff! There are a good number of excellent Mexican spots in Rogers Park, so I'm sure some will meet the bill. Do you know if these dishes are offered throughout the week, or are they available only on Fridays?

Good question. I think daily availability varies from restaurant to restaurant. Some places have the specials only on Fridays while others serve at least a limited menu throughout the week. I don't think I ever ate in Rogers Park during Lent so I'll be very curious to hear what you find out.

I forgot to mention Mike Sula's excellent Reader article from last year: Lent, Mexican Style.

I hope this will encourage a number of people to explore the interesting foods of Cuaresma.

Great conversation. I've never given anything up for Lent (though sometimes I diet during that period and pretend it's for spiritual reasons), though I'm always interested in the intersection between food and religion.

Jalapeño relleno de sardina -- sounds excellent!

David Hammond wrote:Jalapeño relleno de sardina -- sounds excellent!

Makes a tasty taco (though fairly fishy). That's the version from Taqueria Casa del Pueblo, 1834 S Blue Island. I forgot to mention above this is another dish that almost certainly contains eggs. A problem for some (not me) might be that certain of these especiales de Cuaresma are so delicious it takes away any sense of deprivation or sacrifice, the whole point of the 40 day fast.

Deprivation and sacrifice are not, as far as I've been taught, the purposes of Lenten fasting (although I can certainly understand why it might appear this way). The spirit of the fast is meant to be one of mindfulness and moderation. Being thoughtful about what we eat and why we eat doesn't mean that we cannot find pleasure along the way -- one of my favorite dishes in the world is gigandes, large beans in tomato sauce and onions -- and I look forward to the dish every Lent. But pleasure is not meant to be the purpose of eating during this period, even if it is sometimes a side effect.

I know it may sound strange, but when the fast is over and I can eat anything I desire at any given time (and I am an absolute omnivore), food often brings me LESS pleasure or at least a less full sort of pleasure....

Sorry to get so meditative....

Dr. K. Take a look at this post about Avli. I was lucky enough to share lunch with Ronnie and a couple of other friends that day. It later occurred to me that other than the gyros (and possibly the bass, depending on your definition of Lenten foods), it was a completely vegetarian meal. Of course, as Antonius points out, if olive oil is on your list of forbidden foods, Avli probably wouldn't be the place to go, since olive oil figures prominently in their cooking.

Thanks, Steve. I've been to Avli, but it's somehow fallen off my radar -- I'll take another look.

For those who are following this thread, today is Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), the first day of Lent (the Orthodox and Western calendars are not always in synch). The traditional dish of the day is lagana, a foccacia-like bread made with sesame. Here's a link to a recipe that my five-year-old daughter and I will be using this afternoon (she is an absolute baker ninja): http://www.kalofagas.ca/2010/02/15/laga ... %BD%CE%B1/

I'm not sure about other countries, but in Greece, Clean Monday is a national holiday, usually celebrated by families going out into parks, bringing baskets of fasting food and flying kites.

One thing reagarding Mexican restaurants that is worth noting is that many places, if they are making dishes in a very traditional way, use lard in a number of not so obvious ways. Both for Orthodox and Roman Catholic fasters who wish to follow the older rules, that's a problem. Refried beans, for example, are a potential problem... so too tortillas de harina... so too lots of other dishes... Obviously one can ask about the use of lard and so try to sidestep it but it is a definite issue for anyone who is taking the Lenten fast seriously.

@Dr K — Artopolis in Greektown makes lagana for Lent and usu. has it on offer not just for Clean Monday but thereafter.

A

My Grandparents on my mother's side were practicing Russian Orthodox. Aside from Easter, my mother was not observant. I know that most Serbs are Russian Orthodox. I know the owners of Sandy's Deli and Restaurant are Russian Orthodox, and I imagine many of their customers are also. I like their restaurant. It is rather upscale for a Serbian place. I don't know if they provide any kind of special menu for Lent. They have a popular Sunday buffet.

Sandy's Restaurant
7021 W Higgins Ave, Chicago, IL 60656
(773) 467-4700

Different families definitely interpret the customs differently... even in my extended family there are varying degrees of prohibitions. I grew up in a family where we were very strict with the oil - no oil (not just no olive) but with an exception for plain breads and bagels. But we only fast at the level of no meat (except shellfish), oil, or dairy for the six days before Easter not the full period, and my parents fast from meat on Wednesday and Friday year-round. But one aunt and cousin fast from meat and olive oil for all 40 days, and on the other extreme many of my cousins and friends just don't eat meat or olive oil on the two or three days before Easter.

My level of participation makes dining out that week a bit of a challenge, which makes it interesting when I have to travel for business or go out with co-workers or clients. I typically pick up a bottle of one of the fat-free salad dressings made with HFCS and no dairy (Catalinas and French variations), and take it into the restaurant with me. Also, because shellfish is acceptable as it is bloodless, I try and steer co-workers towards seafood options or a good steakhouse. That way I can just have a shrimp cocktail with lemon and a double tossed salad with no dairy and with my own dressing.

The other lifesaver for me if I'm on the road alone that week is Wendy's. I'll pick up a couple of baked potatoes and some of the hot sauce for the chili, and make due with that.

Timely information, which welcomes new information when available.

Regards,
Cathy2