Apokries means “away from meat” and is a time of carnival revelry, festive eating and flamboyance before the period of Lent heralding 40 days of abstinence.

There are specific foods eaten on specific days so that one slowly weans oneself off meat and dairy products in preparation for the weeks of Lenten fasting.

The first week is called profoni which traditionally announces the opening of the carnival season, and a herald would traditionally announce the start of the carnival season from the highest point in the village.

Everything builds to a crescendo in the second week which is all about meat-eating. In villages, pigs would be slaughtered as part of the observances. The highlight of festivities come on Tsiknopempti (Fat Thursday) which is celebrated on 20 February (today) this year, with the aromas of grilled meat emanating from households and restaurants.

Traditionally, sausages top the list as far as the cuisine of the second week of apokries is concerned, beef roast simmered in garlic with thick red sauce and juices tasting of cinnamon and cloves is usually accompanied by spaghetti. Other food traditionally eaten includes kavourma (smoked ham), tsigarades cooked in oven-baked omelettes and other delicious meats.

The end of the second week is Psihosavato (All-Soul’s Birthday), which falls on 22 February this year. It is one of three days set aside to honour the dead and pray for their forgiveness by making kolyva – a memorial dish made with boiled whole wheat kernels and decorated with pomegranate seeds, currants and powdered sugar. Traditionally, believers bring these dishes to the church or take them to cemeteries as offerings.

READ MORE: Religious cuisine and the supernatural at kolyva-making workshop in Altona

The last week of carnival, known as tyrini, is less about meat eating and more about cheese, milk and egg consumption. Cheese pies (tiropita), galatopita and creamy rice puddings are traditionally eaten throughout the week, and galaktoboureko is indulged in.

Carnival festivities culminate on the last Sunday, known as Cheese Sunday (1 March) this year. it is the Sunday before the start of Lent, and for some, the last thing to be consumed is egg, which is also marks the first thing to be eaten following the Lenten fast.

Naturally, carnival food is washed down with copious amounts of wine. To understand why, one only needs to look deep into antiquity to the Dionysian festivals and the celebration of rebirth which were held late February early March.

They would run for a period of three days in honour of Dionysos, the god of wine.

READ MORE: Today marks Tsiknopempti: Find out what we celebrate on this meat-heavy Thursday

In Christianity, apokries is all about the lead-up to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.