If nothing else, King Alkinoos knew how to set a table. For the day's banqueting he had prepared a dozen sheep, eight full grown pigs, and two oxen. The whole city smelled of their roasting in fresh spices. His food created an ambiance, as if you were to consume it with all of your senses, letting it permeate all of your being, even before passing your lips.
The night before his banquets he would stay up imagining flavours and nuances, then send down the menu for preparation the following day. His excellent selection in chefs made his menus, however wild, come together in miraculous ways. For a foreign visitor he felt that a more traditional meal might be appropriate with a few challenging dishes here and there. This was his menu for the day:
Holiday Menu
Taramasolata
Melitzanosalata
Tsatsiki
People will want to nibble throughout the festivities. So make sure that plenty of bread and dips are available all day long.
Dolmades
Tiganita
Xorta
Saganaki
Saganaki makes such a satisfying WHOOSH! when the alcohol is lit that I do not want any of the guests missing it. Nevertheless, make sure that you prepare it away from anything flammable such as the tapestries.
Roast sheep, pig and oxen in great quantities
Chargrilled octopus
Chargrilled calamari
Yiros for the children
Unagi sushi for me
I particularly like fugu, but am afraid we don't have the time for it. So, unagi will do. While you are at it could you also make sakana no teriyaki and don't hold back on the wasabi? On second thought, maybe we should stick to the Greek theme.