It probably won’t exactly be news to you that the ongoing corona-virus pandemic has made international travel somewhat harder than it used to be. But that doesn’t mean you can’t broaden your horizons in the meantime from home!
Indeed, this much is partly demonstrated by a spoon sweet collection here at Zawzor that offers many of the most satisfying flavours you will find among European sweet preserves.
But what exactly are spoon sweets, and why should you be helping yourself to some of our tasty selections of these fruit preserves this winter? To answer those questions, we first need to delve into a little history.
The fascinating story of spoon sweets
Spoon sweets are basically what they sound like; a literal spoonful of sweets. Well, OK, the situation isn’t quite as simple as that.
You see, there is a longstanding tradition across Greece and Cyprus of offering spoon sweets to visitors; it can be traced back to the 14th century, when the Byzantines effectively took on the custom from Arab traders. As had long been the case in the Arabic world, it became accepted on the ‘Old Continent’ to serve spoon sweets to guests as a gesture of hospitality.
The historic roots of the fruit preserve itself effectively go back to ancient times. The ancient Greeks produced something known as melimilon, which was quince boiled in wine before being preserved in honey. It was the process of making this dish that led to the discovery of pectin, which went on to be a crucial ingredient in marmalade making. Eventually, sugar became widely available in this part of the world, which culminated in the practice of preserving ingredients in sugar syrup.
It is important to emphasise, however, that sugar sweets are not marmalade. The most noticeable difference between the two is their texture, with spoon sweets typically being a thick and transparent syrup, as opposed to the soft and pulpy feel of jam and marmalade. They primarily consist of fruit, which may be grated, sliced, or even left whole.
Experience the finest spoon sweets for yourself, with Zawzor!
If you have previously visited Cyprus or Greece, you will probably know of the custom of locals welcoming their guests at home with a tempting array of treats, encompassing not just spoon sweets but also the likes of homemade liqueurs, cakes, cookies, loukoumi, and more.
Alas, that warm embrace may have been denied to you in recent times as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. But you still have the option of revelling in the finest spoon sweets themselves, with our extensive selection available for great prices in our online shopping channel!
Whether you have a taste for fig, bitter orange, quince, watermelon or even walnut spoon sweets – to name just a few of the options we have on sale – you can expect a delicious dessert that will make you feel as if are practically at the kitchen table with your Greek or Cypriot best friend.
Our broad spoon sweet collection is courtesy of the Katerina brand – and as always here at Zawzor, don’t forget that we can deliver these favourites to you for free in the UK!