Desserts, Jams, Preserves & Drinks

The cornerstones of Greek and Balkan sweets are seasonal fruit preserves. Each home has several different jars of spoon-sweets, as these fruit preserves are called, in the pantry. Sour cherry and quince (opposite, bottom right) are the most common, but there are plenty of more exotic ones like tiny eggplants, tomatoes, or green, unripe almonds and walnuts. The walnuts are the most difficult to make: You have to dedicate more than five days of tedious preparation that involves peeling each nut meat and then soaking them for two days or more, changing the water often to get rid of excess bitterness. The green walnuts are then cooked in syrup, then repeatedly cooled and cooked again. Only the most passionate cooks, like the lady from Cyprus pictured, still make karydaki, as the walnut preserves are known.