Octopus in Wine (by Elder Epiphanius)

Beat tahini and ¾ cup water with the lemon juice until it turns white. Successively add sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon, carnation and mixing  the semolina mixture. We pour into pan 40x35 cm and cover with almonds over the surface.

We boil the beans until they  become  a little bit soft. We strain and simmer them again until they are soft enough this time. As soon as they are soft enough, we put them in a platter. We mix them with the onions, the walnut pith and the salt.
We mix the mustard with the oil, the vinegar, the garlic and the parsley and finally we pour this sauce on our salad.

Wine, as a blessed commodity, plays a predominant role in the life of the Athonite monasteries. The founder of the monastic state of Mount Athos, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, decreed that each monastery should have its own vineyards. Thus, since the 10th century, the founders of the monasteries, recognizing the value of wine, have numerous vineyards in their monastic properties. On Mount Athos, there were no large areas for grain, due to the geographical difficulty and the wildness of the place. However, the microclimate of Mount Athos as well as its special vineyards, are key factors for a distinct wine production, unique throughout the Balkan Peninsula and the Northern Aegean. Even today, a number of monks from each monastery are in charge of the cultivation of vineyards and the production of wine.