Sesame is very popular with health food advocates because of its nutritional value although in recent years it has been classified (with nuts and soya) under allergens that cause some people a reaction. The plant is naturally found in hot climates and its seeds were often used by ancient Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern cooks. The simplest confection they would make combined sesame with honey, as in the story by Herodotus about Periander's strife with the people of Kerkyra (Corfu).
Periander (635?-585BC) was tyrant of Corinth. He was married to a woman that he called Μέλισσα although her real name was Lyside. (The Greek word for 'honey' is μέλι /'me-li/and for 'honey-bee', μέλισσα /'me-li-ssa/.) One day he killed Melissa in anger. Seeing this, his son Lycophron took refuge in Kerkyra that was politically attached to Corinth. It was also the place where the mythical Ulysses stopped just before his return to Ithaca. The people of Kerkyra, however, disliked Periander and murdered Lycophron. Periander tried to avenge his son but the plan failed because of the Samians and their reverence for Artemis, goddess of the hunt. (She was also the patroness of young unmarried girls.)
In his 3rd volume of Histories (Ιστορίαι 3.48.1-4), Herodotus narrates that Periander decided to send 300 of the finest boys of Kerkyra to his 'friend' the king of Lydia in order to have them castrated. But when the ship that carried them reached the island of Samos, its people -who also had reasons to hate Periander- granted them asylum. The boys were placed in the shrine of Artemis but their Corinthian guards refused to give them food. In order to help, the Samians invented a feast, which they celebrated ever after, its main event being a dance of young boys and girls. Those who attended the feast were instructed to bring along treats for the goddess, made with sesame and honey ('τρωκτά σησάμου τε και μέλιτος'). In the general confusion, the boys from Kerkyra snatched the food, nourishing themselves until Periander's men left the island. After which, the Samians returned the boys to their parents and refused to support Corinth's further ambitions.
RAW SESAME BAR
There is no evidence about this confection other than a brief description by Herodotus, who apparently didn't need to explain a recipe that was already known to his readers. In the following version, I tried to keep things as simple as possible.
I n g r e d i e n t s
250g unhulled sesame seeds
250g clear honey
1tbsp vegetable oil (for the baking pan)
M e t h o d
1. Line a 20x20cm baking pan with parchment paper. Brush with 1/2tbsp oil and set aside. 2. Place sesame and honey in a bowl. Rub your hands with 1/2tbsp oil and mash the ingredients into a soft paste. 3. Fit into the pan and let set for a couple of hours. 4. Refrigerate overnight, then cut into bars using a sharp knife. 5. Wrap in cling film and keep in a jar.
V a r i a t i o n
For a crunchy sesame bar, replace 100g honey with sugar. Boil the syrup for 2-3 minutes, combine with the sesame and let set as described above.
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