Spoon sweets hold the sceptre of the most hospitable treat in any Greek household. Served with a glass of cold water it welcomes guests. Today it is also a popular choice for tourists, as they leave Greece, taking with them colourful souvenir spoons packed in small glass jars.
Their story seems to go back many years when there was the need for housewives to preserve fruits all year long either sun-dried or making jam and syrup. Sweeteners, such as honey and later on sugar, are natural preservatives, while they offer fruits a pleasant taste. Maintenance, canning and storage practices may have changed over time. In Asia Minor, women used to finish the thickening process in the sun. With the heat and when even the slightest trace of humidity disappeared, the sweets were ready to be stored. The syrup has a preservative role for it and for this reason the sweets could be maintained outside the refrigerator.
Nowadays people, using the richness of fruits offered by the Greek land, keep the traditions and make various pastries, such as spoon sweets. The recipes and techniques were widely spread, while being further enriched with new imported materials such as spices and sugar. This is the reason honey was later replaced by sugar, while cinnamon, anise, and cloves were added.
Lemon juice is always a main ingredient and the tradition spoon sweets to be offered to guests accompanied by a glass of cold seems to hold up well today.