Spoon sweets (Glykó tou koutalioú)

Spoon sweets are a traditional Greek and Cypriot custom and a sign of hospitality – fruits, nuts, and vegetables are placed in sugar syrup, remaining firm and retaining their original color, flavor, and aroma. They are called spoon sweets because the standard serving portion is a well-filled teaspoon which is offered to guests at numerous Greek homes.

It is believed that when the custom first started to appear, everyone took spoon sweets from the same bowl as a precautionary measure – it was a way to know that the food was not poisoned. Even though spoon sweets are made throughout Greece, some of them are linked to specific regions: Andros is known for lemon and orange blossoms, Chios for grapes, figs, and mandarins, Santorini and Kos for their small, cinnamon-flavored tomatoes and almonds, Crete is famous for its grape and raisin sweets, while the Peloponnese is known for every imaginable citrus.

Since these sweet treats have no fat, they are one of the Mediterranean's healthiest sweet products which can even be used as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, and various cakes.