At Coffee Island we have prepared the most cheerful drinks that you will enjoy under a rain of confetti.
If you are one of those people who take apart the Christmas tree by singing carnival songs, then know that you’re not alone! Carnival is that celebration that comes at just the right time – after the excitement of Christmas has faded and just before spring finally arrives with its optimism – to remind you what it means to have a blast. When you think about it, this word always evokes the carnival mood and contains a desire to let loose, have fun to the max and forget about everything that’s bothering you in your daily life.
Carnival season comes to prepare you for Carnival weekend and all that accompanies it, while at the same time, it is associated with many customs from the Christian religion and Ancient Greece. Triodio is the beginning of this period and every year it starts 10 weeks before Holy Saturday. Those weeks include the three-week period of Halloween.
The first day you are allowed to eat whatever you want -On Wednesday and Friday there is no oil served at the family table. The second week which includes “Tsiknopempti” (Charred Thursday) with its aromatic smog. The third week which is Tirini (cheese week) and prepares you for Lent, as only dairy is allowed and no meat – something of a warm-up for the Easter fast. (If you’re wondering why old housewives used to make pans of galaktoboureko on these days, it’s because according to custom they had to use up the eggs and milk they had in their fridge.)
Carnival is the official beginning of the fasting period, that is, abstinence from meat, as the meaning of the word reveals (“carne” which means meat, and “vale”, which means to pass). From Clean Monday begins the strict fasting of Lent, which lasts seven weeks (so almost fifty days, not forty as you might have been told when you were a kid to make it sound easier…).
And now, let’s go back to the fun part. Although Carnival has obvious connections with religion, it has even stronger ties to the concept of revelry and especially masquerade. If there is a time when masks are allowed, this is it. You can dress up, go to parties, dance until you drop and feel all the freedom that your carnival masquerade offers. Although the costume of Ballerina’s Spider Man, the Pirate or Minnie Mouse belong to the era of children’s parties – you know, back when we had a competition to see who could do the best “dancing ducklings” – the desire to dress up for Halloween hasn’t faded and often becomes a trigger for creativity, since you have to put your imagination to work to put together an improvised costume with references to a hero.
Since the time of ancient Greece – when they knew very well what fun was – Dionysian celebrations included masquerade, but also feasting, dancing, singing, eating and drinking in honour of the god Dionysus in order to bid farewell to the dark winter and welcome the bright spring with its gifts. Today, Dionysian feasts may be a figure of speech, but the need for authentic fun and frolic remains and drags us all to the Carnival rhythm. Since the old times, outdoor fiestas and of course plenty of wine were delightful customs that were reverently observed throughout the country with satire holding its own special role. With the famous Carnival of Patras leading the way, followed by Xanthi (Northern Greece) and Rethymnon (Crete), almost all cities in Greece celebrate in their own way, creating new traditions.
In the last two years, circumstances dictate that we celebrate Carnival a little more privately and without the big parades with floats and music in the streets – if you’ve ever been to the Carnival of Patras, you’ll know what we mean – but that doesn’t mean that the colourful confetti and streamers should be missing from our daily lives. At Coffee Island we keep the institution of Carnival alive and together we keep alive the need for joy, fun, music and entertainment that is so missing from our everyday life.
This is why we have prepared the most Carnival spirit glasses and drinks that match the colourful atmosphere of this period. MICROFARM Confetti Blend coffee is a unique specialty 100% Arabica coffee from El Salvador, Papua New Guinea and Ethiopia. The Lime, Pear, Maple Syrup flavour profile is a tasting experience you can enjoy at the Espresso Bar or at home by purchasing the fantastic colourful pack of special beans from the Coffee Shop.
For even more “EEEE Macarena” moments, you should try the three carnival beverages we have created especially for this period. Confetti Freddo Cappuccino with Confetti Blend, hazelnut syrup and vegan vegetable cream and Confetti Mocha with Confetti Blend, Hazelnut Melody chocolate and whipped cream are the coffee lovers’ alternatives, while chocolate lovers will enjoy Confetti Chocolate with Hazelnut Melody chocolate, whipped cream and coloured pearls. All three carnival drinks are deliciously elevated with a caramel topping and crushed hazelnut – an adorable detail – and of course come “dressed up” in highly festive, colorful, cheerful glasses to bring a cheerful mood to the routine.
And because Carnival without music is like a costume without a mask – in a manner of speaking – the lists we have prepared are available for you on Spotify to accompany – or, maybe create – the best spontaneous carnival parties at home. After all, Carnival is just that. A spontaneous celebration that makes you forget about everyday life for a while and proves that you don’t need your best clothes and fancy props to have fun with your soul. All you have to do is let yourself go to the rhythms of the music while dancing in disguise under a confetti rain.
