Spoon sweets

Γλυκά κουταλιού.<br/> © Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.

A traditional treat for every occasion in Cyprus.

Name - Origin

Cypriot name of food

Γλυκά του κουταλιού. Glyká toú koutalioú.

Greek name - description

Γλυκά του κουταλιού.

Fruit and vegetables preserved in sugar syrup. Almost all kinds of fruit, such as cherries, figs, apples, citrus fruit, watermelon etc., certain types of vegetables, such as tomatoes, aubergines, carrots, certains nuts like walnuts but also flower petals, such as rose petals and bitter orange blossoms are used to make spoon sweets (MANRE 2009, 2).

Processing method

The preparation of each sweet has its own technique and follows specific rules regarding the preparation and execution of the recipe. In general, fresh and firm fruit, which must not be too ripe to avoid melting in the boiling process, must be used to prepare spoon sweets successfully.

Depending on the type of fruit, it may be necessary to place the fruit in water and lime for a few hours to firm them up. The lime is poured into a container with water and stirred so that it dissolves (it will resemble milk). The fruit is added and a tray or plate is placed on top to hold the fruit in the lime and water mixture. Stirring occasionally will ensure that lime evenly coats all the fruit.

It is important to use the right proportion of sugar to fruit (or vegetable), to boil the fruit or vegetables in the right temperature so as to be cooked just enough and to remove them at the right time so as to bind the syrup properly. In order to check if the spoon sweet is ready, we test from time to time by piercing it with a needle. Once it falls off easily, it means that it is cooked. The flavourings (cinnamon, cloves, rose geranium, vanilla) are added towards the end of the boiling process to preserve their flavour. A few drops of lemon towards the end will help to bind the syrup and keep the sweets "tsakristá" ("crispy") (MANRE 2009, 2-3).

Functional and symbolic role

Nutritional Value and Importance in the Diet of Cypriots

Spoon sweets and jams are closely tied to the culture and traditional gastronomy of Cyprus. Preserving fruit and vegetables with sugar and turning them into spoon sweets was, and still is, a very practical way for every household to benefit from any surplus production, hence, low prices of the fresh produce. As spoon sweets contain no fat and are made from pure ingredients, they are considered by many to be an ideal treat (MANRE 2009, 1-2).

Festive Occasions

Spoon sweets were offered as a treat to guests at weddings, engagements, at the lunch table following a christening and during a visit to new mothers (Protopapa 2009, 316-317, 490).

In many villages, spoon sweet was a treat to guests who would visit a new monther. Each region had its own customary spoon sweet to treat guests out of almond, grape, plum, cherry, quince or azarole fruit spoon sweets. After a baby's christening, the best woman would serve spoon sweets to the priest and the people who attended, which was a local produce (Protopapa 2009, 316-317, 490).

The main treat at engagement parties was also spoon sweets, a traditional treat for all occasions in Cyprus (Protopapa 2005, vol.)

During wedding preparations, on Saturday before the wedding, a large number of people would gather at the bride's family house for the "sewing of the bed" and the parents of the bride would treat the women to spoon sweets and the men to a drink with nuts and buns (Protopapa 2005, vol. A, 430).

In earlier times, until the mid-20th century, people would not congratulate the wedding couple on the wedding day (Sunday), as the wedding ceremonials would finish at night. Guests would congratulate the newly-weds and give gifts on the next day (Monday); the treats for the guests were spoon sweets and drinks, accompanied by rusks, buns and nuts, depending on the tradition of each village.

Spoon sweets were usually prepared by the bride's family, or the maid of honour. Small forks were not common, so they preferably would serve guests sweets that could be eaten with a spoon rather than sweets such as walnuts or pears that would require a fork.

In each region, they would make spoon sweets as per the local produce they had available as well as the economic situation of the family. The most common sweet was a jam made from a wild fruit, the azarole fruit; together with plum spoon sweet. In villages with cherry and grape production, they used to serve cherry or grape jam. Quince, cut into thin slices, was also a very common spoon sweet. Almond sweet, made with blanched almonds and sugar was more difficult to make and was customary at rich weddings. They would also serve spoon sweets made from bitter orange blossoms or rose petals, or mastic but not often.

Additional information and bibliography

Time period

19th - 21st c.

Supplementary Information

"Treating"guests with spoon sweets is a very old habit. L. Salvator, who visited Cyprus in 1873, describes the tradition of offering spoon sweets as part of Cypriot hospitality: “Visitors always receive jam made of melons, cherries, quince, apricots, the juice of crataegus plant, or rose-leaves. With this sweetstuff, called Tatli in Turkish, Glikon in Greek, the servants bring little baskets of silver-wire with small ornamental spoons: these are divided into two compartments, one for the clean spoons, the other for those which have been used.” (Salvator 1881, 56).

Today, spoon sweets are still very popular, which is why they are served not only in households but also in many traditional cafés, restaurants and tavernas (MANRE 2009, 2).

The mountainous area of Marathasa is famous for the production of spoon sweets. Spoon sweets such as cherry, walnut, quince, apricot, apple, aubergine (vazanaki), and others are made in households and in small craft shops. (Kythraiotou 2013, 41).

Bibliography

Kythraiotou, F. (2013), Γαστρονομικός οδηγός Μαραθάσας, Ministry of Education and Culture - Pedagogical Institute, Nicosia.

Protopapa, K. (2005). Έθιμα του παραδοσιακού γάμου στην Κύπρο (Traditional marriage customs in Cyprus) Publications of the Cyprus Centre for Scientific Research XLV, vols. A-B, Cyprus Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia.

Protopapa, K. (2009). Έθιμα της γέννησης στην παραδοσιακή κοινωνία της Κύπρου (Birth customs in the traditional society of Cyprus) Publications of the Cyprus Centre for Scientific Research XLIX, Cyprus Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia.

Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (MANRE), Department of Agriculture (2009). Traditional spoon sweets and jams, Press and Information Office, Nicosia.

Salvator, L. (1881) Levkosia the Capital of Cyprus, C. Kegan Paul & Co., London.

Researcher/Recorder

Demetra Zannetou, Stalo Lazarou, Petroula Hadjittofi

Photos

Foods

Almond spoon sweet

A traditional sweet of the Kouris-Xylouriko region, using almonds as the basic ingredient. It contains sugar and various aromas.