A Touch of Spice

Granpa often said that the Greek word for

"dream" conceals within the word "belch".

Initially, I paid no notice as

I could only do these 2 things.

Years after, I realised he was

referring to food and stories.

Both require an essential

ritual in order to be tastier.

That is, the presentation.

I'm either seeing something

non-existent or invisible.

- When did we change the ink?

- Today, just before you arrived.

- It's set for the highest resolution.

- The problem is the colour.

With what I see we should either

receive a Nobel or get a new printer.

I guess that's it

for this semester.

Day after tomorrow I'm go on leave

so I'll see you all next year.

Hope it all goes well. I'm

waiting on your dissertation.

Fani my boy, how are you?

Doctor!

- How did you find me?

- All of Faliro talks about you.

Come... Come, sit down.

Is anything wrong?

I'll tell you something l

shouldn't, but now...

What is it, Doctor?

Your grandpa is coming.

- When?

- On Thursday.

But I'm leaving

on Thursday.

It was meant to be surprise but

I heard you're leaving so I rushed.

Fanis, you should

surprise him.

I'll go to the airport

and you can wait home.

We'll call his old friends and

you can cook some appetizers...

so we can have a drink

to welcome him.

Remember as a boy how you

used to cook all night?

So grandpa will sit here

and his friends there...

No, grandpa will sit there.

Resembles the Last Supper...

No, grandpa will sit here...

Good... And now,

grandpa's friends...

Grandpa's friends are an unusual

clan because they're from lstanbul.

Their origin sets them apart both

historically and biologically.

Can you direct me

to Halcyone Street?

First and foremost,

they are "magnetized."

It's like a compass that with

every geographical question...

it re-orients their identity.

Who they are, their origins

and where they are going.

- That way.

- Thank you...

This idiosyncracy is related

to their dietary habits.

For most, food involves the

sense of smell and taste.

For grandpa's friends it also

involves sound and sight.

Hello to you all! You all arrived

at the same time. Come in!

- Did you find it easily?

- We came from THlSSEAS Street.

But THlSSEAS Street isn't

that way, it's that way.

He's right,

that's how we came.

Should we have

a toast to grandpa?

Where is he then?

A bit late, I'd say.

The plane landed

about an hour ago, so...

- lt'll be a great surprise.

- He hasn't seen you in so long.

I fear certain sounds when

they occur just before a meal.

Every major event in my life

began with the sound of a doorbell,

or the sound of a phone.

Yes... Doctor...

Isn't he here?

What do you mean he's not?

Maybe he got lost...

What?

Where did it happen?

Constantinople (lstanbul), 1959

The Appetizers

To speak about our cuisine, you

have to start with the spices.

I learned the first secrets of

spices at grandpa's store...

on the east bank

of the Vosporos.

- Good day, Mr. Vasilis.

- Dorothea, what can I get you?

I'd like some cumin,

dried fish and vine leaves...

A lire, please.

- Why so much?

- I'll be making meatballs.

- Pantelis will also be there.

- With the family?

- Don't use cumin then.

- What should I use?

Cinnamon...

Mr. Vasilis, we never

put cinnamon in meatballs.

Dorothea, listen to me...

Sometimes we have to use the

wrong spice to get a point across.

Add something different...

Cumin is a strong spice,

It turns people inwards.

Cinnamon makes people look

each other in the eyes.

If you want to say "yes",

then add cinammon.

Thank you, Mr. Vassilis.

Where are

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