Finikia

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Melomakarona
CourseDessert
Place of originGreece
Main ingredientsSemolina, olive oil and honey
Finikia

The melomakarono (Greek: μελομακάρονο plural: μελομακάρονα, melomakarona) is an egg-shaped Greek dessert made mainly from flour, olive oil, and honey.[1] Along with the kurabies, it is a traditional dessert prepared primarily during the Christmas holiday season. They are also known as finikia.[2][3][4]

Typical ingredients of the melomakarono are flour or semolina, sugar, orange zest and/or fresh juice, cognac (or similar beverage), cinnamon, crushed or ground clove and olive oil.[5][6] During rolling they are often filled with ground walnuts. Immediately after baking, they are immersed for a few seconds in cold syrup made of honey and sugar dissolved in water. Finally, they are decorated with ground, as well as bigger pieces of walnut. Dark chocolate-covered melomakarona are also a more recent variation of the traditional recipe.

Name

Melomakarono is a compound of meli, meaning honey, and makaria, an ancient and medieval bread eaten during funerals. Gradual changes in the recipe and the addition of dipping them in honey led to melomakarona which etymologically is derived from the Greek word for honey "meli" and "makaria".[7]

Origin and history

Some allege that melomakarona, also known as finikia, originated in ancient Phoenicia, due to the name and were introduced to Greece as early as 300BC.[8][9] However, the name finikia seems to have been in use in the Byzantine Empire to describe their "reddish" colour, rather than denoting origin.[10] Others note how melomakarona were served in the first Olympic Games in 776BC, being a favourite of athletes.[11] It was also eaten by the Byzantine Greeks during funerals, as a tribute to the memory of the dead.[12]

See also

References

  1. "Melomakarona - Honey Cookies with Walnuts". About.com. Archived from the original on 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  2. "Greek Melomakarona Are Tasty Walnut Cookies Sweetened With Honey". The Spruce Eats.
  3. "Finikia". Allrecipes.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-13. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  4. "Our Favorite Traditional Greek Cookies for the Holidays". The National Herald. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  5. Yagkou, Varvara. "Μελομακάρονα γεμιστά". foodmuseum.cs.ucy.ac.cy (in Greek). Cyprus Food Virtual Museum. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  6. "Μελομακάρονα γεμιστά". mysteriousgreece.com. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  7. "The Etymological Roots of Melomakarona and Kourambiedes". greece.greekreporter.com. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  8. "Greek Christmas Dessert Crowned 'King' of Europe by Taste Atlas Greek City Times". Greek City Times. 29 December 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  9. James, Judy Orr (2022). Akron Family Recipes: History and Traditions from Sauerkraut Balls to Sweet Potato Pie. Arcadia Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-1-4671-5256-3. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  10. Γεωργιάδης, Μιχάλης (2021). "Φοινιτζιές, τρώκτες, νομίσματα, βάγια… και η γοητεία της γλώσσας μας". Philenews (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-05-17.
  11. Simopoulos, Artemis P., ed. (2022). The Healthiest Diet for You: Scientific Aspects. MDPI. p. 20. doi:10.3390/books978-3-0365-2734-5. ISBN 978-3-0365-2734-5.
  12. Δεβερίκου, Χρυσάνθη (2021). "Ξέρετε τι συμβολίζουν τα μελομακάρονα τα Χριστούγεννα;". Γαστρονόμος (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-05-17.