Some of the greatest politicians, poets and philosophers hail from Greece. They invented ship-sinking claws, founded the first republic, instituted the art of geometry and... made awesome donuts!
Seriously, though. they are good donuts. I tried the recipe yesterday, and thought I’d share the origins and instructions.
The proper name for the donuts is actually Loukoumades, although the poet Callimachus referred to them as “honey-tokens.” They were served to Olympic champions, and are one of the most ancient recorded deserts. The taste is subtle compared to modern pastries, just a burst of honey and a crunch from the crust. Personally I thought they were hard to prepare--lots of deep-frying was involved, and the dough was pretty gloppy--but the end product is well worth the effort.
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| These are our failed Loukoumades. They didn't fry all the way through. |
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| These ones came out great. The bowl on the right is gluten free! |
Another Greek staple that I decided to try was figs.
Figs have a long and illustrious history reaching all the way back into Biblical times. The Egyptians ate them. The Greeks lived on them. Roman Emperors served them at feasts and now they have reached my plate as well. Actually you don’t need a plate. Figs can be eaten whole. Just pop ‘em in your mouth.
I’m not sure how to describe the taste. It’s sweet. But not incredibly sweet. I guess the closes thing I can compare it to is watermelon, although the texture is quite different. More in line with a grape, I guess.
Well there you have it: my Greek victory feast. I have included a link to the Loukoumades recipe we used at the bottom of the post. If you decide to give it a try, let me know in the comments!
Loukoumades recipe - http://www.ultimate-guide-to-greek-food.com/donuts.html
*Tries to stop drooling.*
ReplyDeleteHehe...Greek donuts are good. ;D
ReplyDelete