Disclaimer: The views, endorsements and opinions expressed in the “Ratatosk” are not necessarily those of  the New Varangian Guard [Vlachernai Garrison] or those of the New Varangian Guard Inc. [NSW].

3 October   - Vlachernai Training Night - Bjarki’s.
10 October - Vlachernai Training Night - Sven’s.
17 October - Vlachernai Training Night - Warwick’s.
24 October - Vlachernai Training Night - Bjarki’s.
28 October - Working Bee, Mernda.
31 October - Vlachernai Training Night - Sven’s.
4th November - Working Bee, Mernda.
3/4 November - Sydney Ancients Event.
11th November Working Bee, Mernda.
17/18 November - Vlachernai Garrison’s 20th Birthday Celebration - “The Poplars”, Mernda.
EXTRA INFO:
- Open Training Session - Start Time will be 12 Noon. There are free electric BBQs on site if anyone wants to have a meal before training starts.
- Vlachernai Garrison 20th Birthday Party - We will be running a 2 day event at “the Poplars”, 1335 Plenty Rd, Mernda.[Melway ref - map 183 G1]. There will be Combat and Projectile Combat, as well as competitions in archery, spear throwing, arms and armour, leatherwork, woodwork, best encampment, etc ..... All past and present members of the Vlachernai Garrison, the NVG Inc and other groups are invited. All the details have now been finalised and are available at the following website:-   http://www.oocities.org/svenskildbiter/vlachernai/20thbirthdayevent.html
This will be an event to be remembered, so don’t stay at home!
Contact Sven or myself or keep an eye on the web-site for any further details.
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Snorri’s underground passage found:

Archaeologists excavating one of Iceland’s most important medieval sites, at Reykholt, West Iceland,
have found evidence that the underground passage there dates from the time of Snorri Sturluson.
Sturluson, one of Iceland’s greatest writers and historians, was murdered at his home in Reykholt, by political enemies in 1241. People have long known about the underground passage, which leads from Snorri’s hot pool to the ruins of a nearby building but, until now, there has been no proof that Snorri would have used it.
The recent discovery of a flight of stairs leading down into the passage has given the archaeologists, led by Gudrun Sveinbjarnardottir, the clue that they were searching for. The carbon dating of a birch branch, which was found on the top step, suggests that the passage dates from the 11th - 13th century.
The National Museum archaeological team, which has been working on the site at Reykholt, have made a number of new discoveries, including a stone cellar and large pits used for “refrigerating” food. However, reports that Snorri’s fort had been located may have been premature.
It is hoped to make it possible for visitors to Reykholt to view the tunnel and the cellar.
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What’s in a name:

VLKODLACK was the Slavic Wolfman. More a figure of folklore than mythology, he exists because of the ancient respect accorded the ravenous wolf, which in the forests of northern and eastern Europe, was the animal most feared. According to Germanic mythology, ODIN was destined to be killed by the wolf, FENRIR, at RAGNAROK, the doom of the gods.

ODIN, a god of vision, sacrificed one of his eyes for a draught of MIMIR’s fountain of wisdom. His single remaining eye symbolised the radiant all-seeing Sun, while his lost eye, floating in MIMIR’s well, signified the full moon. ODIN hung himself from YGGDRASSIL, the world tree, for nine days in order to learn the secrets of the dead.

TWRCH TRWYTH, in Welsh mythology, was a king who, for his sins, was turned into a gigantic boar. Between his ears he kept a comb, a pair of scissors and a razor. The retrieval of these objects was one of the hardest tasks that the giant, YSPADDADEN set CULHWCH, who wanted to marry his daughter, OLWEN. The boar was an important animal to the Celts and appears in many myths, as well as statues and carvings. It represented both war and feasting.
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Recipe of the month:

IMAM BAYILDI - [Swooning Imam]
Legend has it that when this dish was prepared for the Imam, he was so taken by it that he is said to have fainted from pleasure. Although this dish is considered to be of Turkish origin, there are versions of it in countries from Greece to Iran. It has always featured in Greek cuisine, with the claim that a Greek cook prepared it for the Imam when he lived in Greece.
Ingredients:
8 long eggplants of medium size.   1/4 cup chopped parsley.
Salted water.     Salt.
3 medium sized onions.    Freshly ground black pepper.
1/2 cup olive oil.     2 tablespoons lemon juice.
4 cloves of garlic, chopped.   Pinch of sugar.
3 medium sized tomatoes, peeled.  1/2 cup water.
Method:   Cooking time - 11/4 hours. Serves - 4 -8.
Remove stems from the eggplants. Lengthwise peel off 1cm strips of skin, at intervals, to give a striped effect. Cut a deep slit in one side of each eggplant [also lengthwise], stop short of the top and base. Place the eggplants in a bowl of cold, well salted water and leave for 30 minutes. Drain, care-
fully squeeze out moisture and pat dry.
Cut onions lengthwise and then slice into thin wedges. In a heavy pan, heat half the olive oil and gently fry the onions until transparent. Add garlic, cook for I minute and the combine in a bowl with chopped tomatoes and parsley. add salt and pepper to taste.
Place the remaining oil in the pan and fry the eggplants over high heat until lightly browned but still fairly firm. Remove pan from heat and turn eggplants so that the slits face up.
Spoon onion/tomato mix into the slits, forcing in as much of the mixture as possible. Spread the leftover mix over the top of the eggplants. Add lemon juice, sugar and water, cover the pan tightly. Cook over gentle heat for 45 minutes or until tender. Add more water only if needed, as the egg- plants can release a lot of moisture.
Leave to cool and serve as an appetiser or ,with bread, as a light meal.

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This page was last update on the 4th June 2004

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