Well into the holiday months, we all want to sit around the table with our loved ones, enjoy meals and endless conversations about everything. It seems like all families are waiting for the desserts to be dropped on to the table along with the coffee, the hot chocolate and tea to sip on while taking small, tasty bites into the savory sweets. Let’s not forget about all the comments on how delicious they are and praising the chef, who is usually the mom, on her cooking skills. Then come the questions, on what are the secret ingredients or tips and Greeks love to share their successes with the world and they spill the beans on the table.
Winter is a wonderful season for yummy treats and the Greeks know how to do them. Some sweeter than others, you can find desserts for all tastes!
Kourambiedes
One of the most traditional sweets for a Greek family to make over the Christmas Holiday season. Looking like snowballs, these almond butter cookies will amaze you with every bite. They add to the already existing holiday ambiance and they give a little twist as they are also infused with cognac or brandy.
Melomakarona
Another Christmas sweet, served alongside the kourampiedes, are these addictive honey cookies called Melomakarona. There is a rivalry between the two, and most of the time the Melomakarona take the lead, as the gooey taste of them makes you want more and more. Every self-respecting Greek table, has a plate overflowing with melomakarona making everyone’s mouth drool.
Diples
Diples are for those who have a sweet tooth and who love the taste of honey dripping from their mouths. A traditional dessert originated from the Peloponnese and made out of very thin sheet-like dough, diples are fried and folded in hot oil and then dipped in honey topped with crushed walnuts and cinnamon.
Vassilopita
A bread cake served on New Year’s Day, named after St. Basil, vassilopita has an extra special meaning as there is a coin inside the cake known as the “flouri”. According to tradition, the head of the household cuts the cake and the pieces are allocated to the Church (the Holy Trinity and Virgin Mary), to the House and each member of the household from eldest to youngest. Whoever has the piece with the coin, is considered to have a lucky year. No one knows where the coin is as it gets lost while the cake is baking.
Honeyed chestnuts
Greeks have a tradition making many fruits and even vegetables into sweet deserts. Up on the Greek mountains, where chestnut trees are numerous, a tradition was born, where the chestnuts would be turned into a dessert. Brilliant idea as it is one of the most unique sweets that can be offered at a winter table. Only a few can actually succeed in creating the thickness of the syrup and have the patience to wait for hours until all the ingredients tastefully tie together. Such a small bite but created by the most talented.
Maria Nikolakaki is Managing Partner at Beyond Spaces Villas.If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
Maria Nikolakaki is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Beyond Spaces Villas. Beyond Spaces Villas is one of the leading luxury villa specialist in Greece, going beyond finding the perfect Greek Island luxury villa and design a sophisticated and branded villa experience seeped in luxury, exclusivity and bespoke service from start to finish. Prior to her involvement in the luxury hospitality Industry, she spend 20 years in the capital markets in various senior executive positions based in various countries. She has lived in London, New York and Moscow and has travelled extensively to almost 35 countries with a travel attitude of finding the non guides guides.
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8 Comments
Personally I think that a cake such as Vassilopita is keeping some old traditions alive. Although I’m not a church-goer it is great that the church is still recognised. I also like the fact that the whole thing is taking place on New Year’s Day. For most of the world New Year’s Day is set aside for recovery after the night before. Good to celebrate the day itself.
What a lovely piece. It really takes you into a Greek home and you get the feel of the family really enjoying food and celebrating as they have done for decades. I know the holidays are almost over but next December it would be fantastic to learn how other countries celebrate with traditional foods.
Diples remind of donuts, the honey glazed ones. Except diples are flat and a lot less bread-y. They look delicious especially if topped with walnuts. Can you use other nuts for this as well? Or maybe a type of streussel?
I hadn’t even come across any of these before. I wonder why honeyed chestnuts aren’t a thing in the UK as chestnuts are very popular on stalls at Christmas, and I can see the honeyed version being a hit. The diples looks delicious, too!
In a few weeks time we’ve got a couple coming for dinner who just adore holidays in Greece. Maybe it’s because she teaches Ancient Greek at A Level and maybe it’s because they spent an idyllic honeymoon in Greece. Anyway, I suddenly remembered reading this piece almost a year ago. I thought that I’d aim for a Greek theme to the menu and although I’m no Great British Bake Off contender – or should it be Great Greek Bake Off contender? – I thought that I would have a go at one of these great creations. As the temperature drops it seems appropriate to go for a wintry dessert. At the moment I’m thinking of having a go at Diples.
Melomakarona
Another Christmas sweet, served alongside the kourampiedes, are these addictive honey cookies called Melomakarona. There is a rivalry between the two, and most of the time the Melomakarona take the lead, as the gooey taste of them makes you want more and more. Every self-respecting Greek table, has a plate overflowing with melomakarona making everyone’s mouth drool.
Melomakarona
Another Christmas sweet, served alongside the kourampiedes, are these addictive honey cookies called Melomakarona. There is a rivalry between the two, and most of the time the Melomakarona take the lead, as the gooey taste of them makes you want more and more. Every self-respecting Greek table, has a plate overflowing with melomakarona making everyone’s mouth drool.
Diples
Diples are for those who have a sweet tooth and who love the taste of honey dripping from their mouths. A traditional dessert originated from the Peloponnese and made out of very thin sheet-like dough, diples are fried and folded in hot oil and then dipped in honey topped with crushed walnuts and cinnamon.
Vassilopita
A bread cake served on New Year’s Day, named after St. Basil, vassilopita has an extra special meaning as there is a coin inside the cake known as the “flouri”. According to tradition, the head of the household cuts the cake and the pieces are allocated to the Church (the Holy Trinity and Virgin Mary), to the House and each member of the household from eldest to youngest. Whoever has the piece with the coin, is considered to have a lucky year. No one knows where the coin is as it gets lost while the cake is baking.
Honeyed chestnuts
Greeks have a tradition making many fruits and even vegetables into sweet deserts. Up on the Greek mountains, where chestnut trees are numerous, a tradition was born, where the chestnuts would be turned into a dessert. Brilliant idea as it is one of the most unique sweets that can be offered at a winter table. Only a few can actually succeed in creating the thickness of the syrup and have the patience to wait for hours until all the ingredients tastefully tie together. Such a small bite but created by the most talented.
Maria Nikolakaki is Managing Partner at Beyond Spaces Villas.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
Personally I think that a cake such as Vassilopita is keeping some old traditions alive. Although I’m not a church-goer it is great that the church is still recognised. I also like the fact that the whole thing is taking place on New Year’s Day. For most of the world New Year’s Day is set aside for recovery after the night before. Good to celebrate the day itself.
With the Kourambiedes who needs Christmas decorations? They are beautiful, summing up the spirit of the season.
What a lovely piece. It really takes you into a Greek home and you get the feel of the family really enjoying food and celebrating as they have done for decades. I know the holidays are almost over but next December it would be fantastic to learn how other countries celebrate with traditional foods.
Diples remind of donuts, the honey glazed ones. Except diples are flat and a lot less bread-y. They look delicious especially if topped with walnuts. Can you use other nuts for this as well? Or maybe a type of streussel?
These desserts represent some of the best that Greek cuisine has to offer. Though they are popular in the winter, they taste delicious all year long!
nice, but after such a dinner you have to keep a diet for a month
I hadn’t even come across any of these before. I wonder why honeyed chestnuts aren’t a thing in the UK as chestnuts are very popular on stalls at Christmas, and I can see the honeyed version being a hit. The diples looks delicious, too!
In a few weeks time we’ve got a couple coming for dinner who just adore holidays in Greece. Maybe it’s because she teaches Ancient Greek at A Level and maybe it’s because they spent an idyllic honeymoon in Greece. Anyway, I suddenly remembered reading this piece almost a year ago. I thought that I’d aim for a Greek theme to the menu and although I’m no Great British Bake Off contender – or should it be Great Greek Bake Off contender? – I thought that I would have a go at one of these great creations. As the temperature drops it seems appropriate to go for a wintry dessert. At the moment I’m thinking of having a go at Diples.