Blog Archives
Dr. Richard Hovannisian to Present ‘The Smyrna Catastrophe, 1922-2013’ at Boca Raton’s St. David Armenian Church
The Smyrna Catastrophe, 1922-2013
An Illustrated Lecture by
Dr. Richard Hovannisian
Co-sponsorsed by St. David Armenian Church
&
The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)
September, 2012 marked the 90th anniversary of the Smyrna catastrophe when much of the city, the second largest in the Ottoman Empire, was destroyed by fire four days after the Turkish army had occupied the city. The calamity, a part of the final phase of the Armenian Genocide, marked the end of a strong Christian presence in the historic Aegean coastal regions and turned hundreds of thousands of Greeks and Armenians into refugees.
In this illustrated lecture, Prof. Richard Hovannisian will discuss the important role of Smyrna (Izmir) in modern Armenian history and the inferno that engulfed the city in September, 1922. Hovannisian is the editor of the recently published Armenian Smyrna/Izmir, the eleventh volume of proceedings from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) conference series “Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces.” He also traveled to Izmir and environs in June, 2012 as the historian-guide for a NAASR Armenian Heritage Tour led by Armen Aroyan.
Professor Hovannisian was the first holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History at UCLA. He currently serves as Distinguished Chancellor’s Fellow at Chapman University in Orange County, CA and Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the University of California, Irvine. He is the author of Armenia on the Road to Independence, the four-volume history The Republic of Armenia, and has edited and contributed to more than twenty-five books including The Armenian Genocide in Perspective; The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times; Remembrance and Denial; Looking Backward, Moving Forward; and The Armenian Genocide: Cultural and Ethical Legacies.
TIME & LOCATION
WHEN: Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 1:00 PM
WHERE: St. David Armenian Church, 2300 Yamato Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33431
The event is free and open to the public. A book signing of Armenian Smyrna/Izmir will immediately follow the lecture. For more information please contact St. David Armenian Church at (561) 994-2335 or stdavidarmchurch@bellsouth.net, or NAASR at 617-489-1610 or hq@naasr.org.
Basimet: An Armenian Treat
By Robyn & Doug Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors
The choir at St. David Armenian Church, Boca Raton, FL recently hosted their annual Armenian Christmas brunch after services. One of the featured menu items was Basimet – a cross between simit and chorag, according to my friend (and choir member) Louise Apoian, who was kind enough to share her family’s recipe. (Spellings vary, so one might find the recipe listed as ‘basimit’ or ‘Bah Simit’.) Louise’s recipe was handed down from her aunt, Voco Kalafian, originally from Marsivan.
Apoian Family’s Basimet
Baskets of basimet and platters of Armenian string cheese kept eager parishioners’ hunger at bay until the brunch was actually served. Somewhat sweeter than chorag, the basimet, along with the slightly salty shreds of cheese, were a welcome treat for our taste buds and tummies!
Here is the Apoian family’s recipe for Basimet:
Ingredients:
1 cup melted margarine or butter
1 ¼ c. sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs
About 6 to 7 cups flour, sifted (Louise uses pre-sifted flour to save time!)
2 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top of egg wash, optional
Directions:
1. Melt butter (or margarine); allow to cool a bit.
2. Add sugar and milk to the melted butter; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a large bowl; beat in eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, add 5 cups of the sifted flour and the rest of the dry ingredients.
4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, adding more of the flour as needed to create a dough that is not sticky and easy to handle.
5. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough, roll into ropes, and twist. NOTE: The basimet can also be braided, made into S-shapes, circles, etc.
6. Place basimet pieces onto parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
7. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
This article originally appeared on http://www.TheArmenianKitchen.com.
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