Melomakarona: Honey & Spice Cookies

This is a great recipe of my Grandmother Despina!!!!

In Greek: μελομακάρονα (pronounced meh-lo-mah-KAH-ro-nah)

These honey-soaked cookies are a Christmas tradition all over Greece.

The recipe is very forgiving except in two areas: the dough should not be overworked or the cookies will become too dense; and the shape should be rounded, not flat or they will harden during baking. The baked cookies should have a texture slightly more dense than spice cake in order to absorb the syrup.

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Loukoumathes: Honey Puffs

In Greek: λουκουμάδες, pronounced loo-koo-MAH-thes

In many areas of Greece, Loukoumathes (also loukoumades) are a New Year's Eve tradition, and they are also made to celebrate the name day of St. Barbara (December 4). The Greek Jewish community also includes these small honeyed puffs at Hanukkah.

This recipe for loukoumathes calls for milk and a hefty helping of baking powder to create these small light fried balls of dough that are drizzled with honey and sprinkled with nuts.

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Kydonia sto Fourno: Sweet Baked Quince

In Greek: κυδώνια στο φούρνο, pronounced kee-THOHN-yah stoh FOOR-no

Quince is a greatly underappreciated fruit in many countries, but if anything can change that, this recipe might be it. The raw fruit is pale yellow and astringent, but cooked with sweeteners and spices, quince turns wonderful shades of red and is delicious as a dessert, preserve, and spoon sweet. This dessert is as beautiful as it is tasty.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* about 3 1/2 pounds of whole quince
* 2 cups of sugar
* 1 stick of cinnamon
* whole cloves
* 3 cups of water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Wash the quince well, remove and discard stem, and cut in half. Remove seeds and tough fiber surrounding the seeds and set aside. Place quince halves in a bowl of water until ready to use to prevent the fruit from darkening.

In a pot, combine the water, sugar, quince seeds, and tough fiber, and boil for 8-10 minutes. Strain into a bowl.

Stick 2 cloves in each half quince, and place in a baking pan. Pour the strained liquid over the quince and add the cinnamon stick. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until quince are very tender.

Serve warm or at room temperature with the sauce (optionally with yogurt or whipped cream).

Notes:

- The number of servings will depend on the weight of the quince; 1/2 quince per person.
- Quince contain a lot of natural pectin so the sauce, when cooked will gel.