Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies) are one of the most popular treats throughout Greece during the Christmas Holidays and the intense aromas of delicate spices makes every house smell like Christmas.
μελομακάρονο is an egg-shaped Greek dessert made mainly from flour, olive oil, and honey. Along with the Kourabies it is a traditional dessert prepared primarily during this festive season.
Typical ingredients of the Melomakarona are flour or semolina, sugar, orange zest and/or fresh juice, cognac (or similar beverage), cinnamon and olive oil. During rolling they are often filled with ground walnuts. After baking they are immersed for a few seconds in hot 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.
This easy-to-follow traditional Greek melomakarona recipe makes 60 of these delicious festive Greek Christmas cookies, plenty for everyone to try. Serve over a hot cup of coffee and you have a match made in heaven!
INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 cups light olive oil or 1 1⁄2 cups corn oil
1⁄2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup orange juice (or more)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 oranges, zest of, grated
1 cup sugar
2 cups fine ground semolina (cream of wheat or farina)
6 cups flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Syrup
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1 1⁄2 cups greek thyme honey
1 cup water
3⁄4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
Put the corn oil, butter, beer (or orange juice), cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until they are thoroughly blended.
Sift about one cup of flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and salt and blend into the oil mixture.
Add the semolina, a cup at a time, into this mixture.
Add enough of the remaining flour, a cup at a time, until you get a rather firm dough (you may need a bit more or less than the amount of flour mentioned in the ingredients list).
Use your hands to do the mixing, as an electric mixer will be useless after the first two or three cups of flour have been added.
Roll the dough into cylinders, about two inches long and one inch in diameter, flatten them with your hands, and place them on cookie sheets that have been greased with a little olive oil.
Bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit for half an hour.
Remove the cookies from the oven and pour hot syrup over them.
Lay the cookies out in a rimmed baking pan large enough to contain them and pour the hot syrup over the cookies, sprinkle them with the chopped walnuts and let them soak overnight.
(Alternatively, if you do not have enough rimmed baking sheets to accommodate all the cookies, you can dip them in batches directly into the hot syrup – keeping the syrup at the lowest possible simmer – and allow to soak in the syrup for 8-10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon).
For the syrup: mix the sugar, honey and water, and bring to a boil.
Cook on low heat for four minutes and skim off the foam that forms on top.
The next day put them on your prettiest platter, sprinkle each layer evenly with the finely chopped walnuts and wrap with plastic wrap (or put in an airtight container) and serve.
These are great keepers and will last for months!
While you’re baking Melomakarona, listen to these beautiful Greek Orthodox Christmas hymns and enjoy an authentic experience!
Luciadagen, or St. Lucia’s Day, is a special day in Sweden that is celebrated annually on December 13th. Also known as the Festival of Lights, St. Lucia’s Day occurs one week after St. Nikolaus’ Day. It is a wonderful tradition that is meant to bring light into the darkness of the long Scandinavian winter.
On St. Lucia’s day you will see thousands of young girls emerge from the darkness of a Swedish winters day and gently silence the crowds with a procession of light. Dressed as Lucia’s maidens, in flowing white gowns, each girl holds a candle and wears a wreath of glowing candles in her hair. Children solemnly proceed through cities, towns and churches, giving out saffron buns and singing Lucia’s beautiful melodies, dressed as gingerbread men, elves and stjärngossar.
In Sweden, the winter solstice was formerly observed on December 13th (in accordance with the old Julian calendar). The date marked a pagan festival of lights in honor of the shortest and darkest day of the year–a time when it was believed that demons and spirits would plague the earth and animals could talk (not unlike early celebrations of Halloween). The threshing and slaughtering were expected to be done, as people braced themselves for the start of winter.
With time and the spread of Christianity, however, the Swedish winter solstice became enmeshed with the figure of Saint Lucia, and December 13th became a celebration in her honor–complete with costumes, music, processions, and glogg.
Several legends exist to explain Saint Lucia’s martyrdom. In one version of events, young Lucia would sneak away during the night to bring food to starving Christians hidden in the catacombs of Rome. Traveling the dark tunnels, she placed candles in a wreath around her head, so she might carry as much food as possible to those starving underground. Eventually she was discovered and was put to death.
Swedish lore builds on the story of her death, telling the tale of a winter that brought terrible famine to Sweden. On the dark, bitter night of December 13th, a ship approached across Lake Vannern. The starving Swedes gathered on the shore to watch the ship approach and saw in the distance a woman dressed in white, standing at the helm, the light of the ship encircling her head with a gentle glow. Familiar with the Italian lore of Saint Lucia delivering food to the destitute Christians, the villagers believed she had come to rescue them from certain death.
The modern tradition of observance began in the 1700s and involves the eldest daughter in a family dressing up as a Lucia in a white dress with a red sash, and wearing a wreath of candles on her head (today, electric candles are often used). The Lucia’s crown is made with lingonberry branches, which are evergreen. The crown, together with the candlelight it carries, symbolizes the celebration of light in darkness, enduring through the long winter’s night.
The Lucia is accompanied by handmaidens, who each carry a candle, and star boys, who wear pointed paper hats and carry stars. The processions of the Lucia, handmaidens, and star boys typically end with a rendition of Santa Lucia (several Swedish variations exist of the Neapolitan tune), and often the Tipp Tapp song. Prior to the 1700s, when the Swedish population was still quite rural and agrarian, celebrations were far less formal. Children dressed up and went door to door singing, and receiving snacks and snaps in exchange.
Each year, Lucias are chosen in schools, offices, and towns–there is even a national Lucia chosen to be drawn around in carriage, visiting hospitals and senior homes. Though the holiday is most closely associated with Sweden, it is also celebrated in parts of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Bosnia, and Croatia. Some believe Lucia travels by donkey distributing presents, and children will leave a sandwich for the two travelers, just as many children across the world leave cookies and milk for Santa. To accompany celebrations, lussekats (a sweet saffron bun) are eaten in the morning, while in the evening, ginger biscuits accompanied by the mulled wine glögg.
In the video below, you can hear the song that is traditionally sung during St. Lucia processions throughout Sweden. It is extraordinarily beautiful.
This St. Lucia’s Day may you and your family be both bearers and witnesses of light within the darkness. God Jul!
If you thought the Yule Trolls of Iceland were terrifying, meet Krampus. He is pretty much the exact opposite of Santa Claus. Krampus is a twisted half-demon/half-goat creature with sharp horns and hooves who enjoys terrorizing children in the central and eastern European Alps.
A greeting card featuring Krampus, called “Krampuskarten.” It says ‘Gruss vom Krampus!’ which translates to ‘Greetings from Krampus.’ Greeting cards like this became popular in the 1800s.
Every year, on Krampusnacht (December 5th) he punishes the unfortunate misbehaving children that St Nicholas refuses to give candy to. He will hit the poor bad children with branches. Sometimes if they are really naughty, he stuffs them into his bag so he can take them back to his lair for dinner.
A spooky old photograph of Krampus and St Nicolas. The other creature beside them are Schabmanner or “Wild men” who are known to come around small isolated villages.
Krampus most certainly originated from pre-Christian, Germanic paganism. His name derived from the German word “Krampen” which means claw. According to folklore, Krampus is the son of the Norse God Hel, who is the daughter of Loki and overseer of the underworld.
The Catholic Church and the Austrian government have attempted to abolish the tradition multiple times throughout history. However towards the end of the 20th century, the fierce Krampus tradition was revived.
Today people celebrate by participating in annual parades such as Krampuslauf (translated to Krampus Run in english). Young people dress up in terrifying costumes resembling Krampus and march around nearby Alpine towns and cities. Below is a video of the celebration.
Krampus and other exciting pre-Christian celebrations are gaining popularity in North America thanks to the Internet. Americans even made a movie about him which earned 61 million at the box office.
Scandinavia is known for its frigid temperatures and shortened daylight hours during the winter time. It’s no wonder that the traditional mulled wine drink, Glögg, is a favorite during the coldest season of the year. Scandinavian Glögg (pronounced glook) is served warm, and is a great way to unwind after a long day spent outdoors in this wintry wonderland.
Drinking mulled wine dates back a long time in history and to begin with spices were added to less complex tasting wines. Wine was first recorded as spiced and heated in Rome during the second century. Ancient Greece also was a place where spiced wine was favored. The Romans sweetened their wine and added herbs and flowers.
During the Middle Ages, mulled wine was very popular in Europe. The herbs were also thought to have healing properties and to improve health. The Swedish King, Gustav Vasa, loved Claret, which was a blend of wine Rhen, sugar, honey, and spices. Lutendrank was the favorite drink of Swedish King Erik XIV. Two hundred and ten jugs of lutendrank were produced for his coronation in 1561.
The word Glögg comes from the word Glödga, which means to heat up. The phrase “Glödgat wine” appeared around 1609. In Europe people left behind the tradition of drinking spiced wine, but in Sweden it remained.
During the 1800s, Glögg became a Christmas tradition in Scandinavian countries like Sweden. Wine merchants began making their own versions, putting the wine in bottles, labeling them, and selling them. Today around five million liters of Glögg are consumed every year during the Christmas season.
The traditional Scandinavian mulled drink mixes wine and port with spices like clove, cardamom, and cinnamon to make for a brew that smells and tastes divine!
RECIPE: A SIMPLE GLOGG
Ingredients
Aquavit (or brandy or vodka)
Burgundy or pinot noir wine
Port wine
Raisins
White or brown sugar
Cinnamon sticks
Cardamom seeds
One orange
One piece of ginger
Blanched almonds
STEP 1: Soak 1/2 cup of raisins in one cup of aquavit, brandy, or vodka. Soak for 30 minutes before proceeding to step 2.
STEP 2: Put a large pot on the stove, over high heat. Add one cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar to the pot, and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved.
STEP 3: Lower the heat to medium and add your spices – 2 sticks of cinnamon (each broken in half); 4 whole cloves ; 6 whole cardamom seeds, crushed by hand; a thinly shaved orange peel; and 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and cut in half. Stir again with wooden spoon. Do not allow the mix to come to a boil from this point on.
STEP 4: Add the raisin mixture, 2 cups of burgundy or pinot noir wine and 2 cups of port wine.
STEP 5: Sweeten and spice to taste.
STEP 6: Strain, garnish with raisins and slices of blanched almonds. Serve hot off the stove.
NOTE: The drink can be made in advance and kept at room temperature. Be sure to warm it up before serving, however.
About the wine, port, and brandy.There is no need to invest in expensive wine, port, or brandy because the spices are going to preempt any innate complexity of a fine wine, but don’t use anything cheap. Remember, the sum will be no better than its parts. If you want to play, instead of brandy try using Swedish aquavit, a caraway flavored vodka popular in Scandinavia.
About the raisins.Golden raisins will work, but dark raisins are better.
About the cardamom. Cardamom comes in three forms: Pods, seeds, and powder. The pods look like orange seeds. Cardamom seed pods may be hard to find, so you may need to order them from a spice specialist like Penzeys.com, but don’t leave out the cardamom. Cardamom is the secret ingredient. The seeds within the pods are either black or tan, about 1/3 the size of peppercorns. If you can’t find pods and can only find seeds, use about 1 teaspoon of them. Do not use powder.
About the almonds.It is important to get naked cream-colored almonds that have had the shells and brown skins removed. The skins are bitter and full of brown coloring that can give the glögg a dusty texture. Do not use salted or smoked almonds. If you can only find almonds with skins, you can remove them by blanching them. Here’s how: Boil a pot of water, dump in the almonds, wait for the water to boil again, let them boil for about a minute, pour off the water, and rinse with cold water, and drain. The skins will slip right off if you pinch them.
About the cloves. Do not use powdered cloves.
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! So, sit back, relax, and enjoy a Saintly Scandinavian delight.
Here in North America, children are visited by jolly ole’ Santa Claus, who rewards them for their good behavior by giving them free gifts on Christmas Eve. However Iceland celebrates the winter holidays a little differently. Thirteen nights before Yule (Christmas Eve), the Yule Trolls take turns visiting Icelandic children. They leave behind sweets or rotten vegetables in the child’s shoes, depending on the child’s behavior.
Icelandic children place their shoes on the windowsill to make it easier for the trolls.
These trolls are the sons of the foul child-eating mountain trolls, Grýla and Leppalúði. Unlike Santa Claus, these trolls are not so Jolly and good-spirited. They hide sleeping in their cave for most of the year, but during December they awaken to strike fear into the hearts of misbehaving children. Alongside the trolls is the black tyrannical Yule Cat named Jólakötturinn, who will devour children who are not wearing at least one new piece of clothing on Yule (Christmas Eve). He may also eat the food of those who are lazy and do not work hard enough. My favorite Icelandic star, Björk even wrote a song about this malevolent kitty.
Each mischievous troll has his own distinct personality and habits. The famous poem Jólasveinarnir by Jóhannes úr Kötlum written in 1932, describes the individual trolls very well. Below I will quote from that poem.
The first troll is named Stekkjarstaur or “Sheep-Cote Clod.” This little troll is known for his desire to harass sheep and for his stiff wooden peg legs.
He came stiff as wood,
To pray upon the farmer’s
Sheep as far as he could.
He wished to suck the ewes,
But it was no accident
He couldn’t; he had stiff knees –
Not too convenient.
The second troll is named Giljagaur or “Gully Gawk.” He likes to hide in the gullies waiting until he has the opportunity to steal some cow milk!
Gray his head and mien.
He snuck into the cow barn
From his craggy ravine.
Hiding in the stalls,
He would steal the milk,
While the milkmaid gave the cowherd
A meaningful smile.
The third little troll is named Stúfur or “Stubby.” He is known for being very short and loving to lick the leftovers out of your pans!
A stunted little man,
Who watched for every chance
To whisk off a pan.
And scurrying away with it,
He scraped off the bits
That stuck to the bottom
And brims – his favorites.
The fourth troll is named Þvörusleikir or “Spoon-Licker”
Like spindle he was thin.
He felt himself in clover
When the cook wasn’t in.
Then stepping up, he grappled
The stirring spoon with glee,
Holding it with both hands
For it was slippery.
The fifth troll is named Pottaskefill or “Pot Scraper.” Similar to Stubby, he will eat the leftovers out of pots instead.
Was a funny sort of chap.
When kids were given scrapings,
He’d come to the door and tap.
And they would rush to see
If there really was a guest.
Then he hurried to the pot
And had a scrapingfest.
The sixth troll is named Askasleikir or “Bowl-Licker.” He enjoys hiding under your bed until you put your bowl down. Then he will steal it and lick it!
Was shockingly ill bred.
From underneath the bedsteads
He stuck his ugly head.
And when the bowls were left
To be licked by dog or cat,
He snatched them for himself –
He was sure good at that!
The seventh troll is named Hurðaskellir or “Door Slammer.” He slams your doors throughout the night. What a noisy, annoying fellow.
A sorry, vulgar chap:
When people in the twilight
Would take a little nap,
He was happy as a lark
With the havoc he could wreak,
Slamming doors and hearing
The hinges on them squeak.
The eigth troll is named Skyrgámur or “Skyr -Gobbler.” This little buddy’s favorite food is skyr which is a traditional Icelandic dairy dish, similar to yogurt.
Was an awful stupid bloke.
He lambasted the skyr tub
Till the lid on it broke.
Then he stood there gobbling
– his greed was well known –
Until, about to burst,
He would bleat, howl and groan.
The ninth troll is named Bjúgnakrækir or “Sausage Swiper.” This mischievous little guy hides in the rafters and pilfers pork links while they’re smoking.
He climbed up to the rafters
And raided food from there.
Sitting on a crossbeam
In soot and in smoke,
He fed himself
On sausage fit for gentlefolk.
The tenth troll is named Gluggagægir or “Window Peeper.” This nosy little creature looks through your windows at night with hopes that he will find something worth stealing.
A weird little twit,
Who stepped up to the window
And stole a peek through it.
And whatever was inside
To which his eye was drawn,
He most likely attempted
To take later on.
The eleventh troll is named Gáttaþefur or “Doorway Sniffer.” He has a long nose. He uses his fantastic sense of smell to sniff around, searching for a traditional Icelandic bread called Laufabrauno.
A doltish lad and gross.
He never got a cold,
Yet had a huge, sensitive nose.
He caught the scent of lace
Bread while leagues away still
And ran toward it weightless
As wind over dale and hill.
The twelth troll is named Ketkrókur or “Meat-Hook.” This little thief uses his famous hook to steal your meat!
His talent would display
As soon as he arrived
On Saint Thorlak´s Day.
He snagged himself a morsel
Of meat of any sort,
Although his hook at times
Was a tiny bit short.
Lastly, the thirteenth troll is named Kertasníkir or “Candle Stealer.” He will stalk children so he can steal their candles and then eat them!
´Twas cold, I believe,
If he was not the last
Of the lot on Christmas Eve.
He trailed after the little ones
Who, like happy sprites,
Ran about the farm with
Their fine tallow lights.
Then one by one they trotted off
Into the frost and snow.
On Twelfth Night the last
Of the lads used to go.
Their footprints in the highlands
Are effaced now for long,
The memories have all turned
To image and song.
Stay safe from the Yule Trolls this year, and Gledileg jol, Bestu jolakvedjur med osk um gledi og frid a komandi ari! (It’s an Icelandic holiday greeting which translates to, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)
Every year on November 30th Scotland celebrates its national holiday. St Andrew’s Day (or in Scottish Gaelic ‘Là Naomh Anndrais’) not only celebrates the country’s patron saint but it is also a day filled with traditional Scottish food, music, poems, and dance.
According to legend a monk named Regulus brought relics of St Andrew to Scotland where he was given land to build a church by a Pictish king. The settlement grew into the town of St Andrew’s, where the cathedral in Kinrymount, Fife, became an important place of pilgrimage and the university, the oldest in Scotland, was founded in 1413.
The Scottish flag, the Saltire, is steeped in history and legend and is thought to be the oldest national flag in Europe. The saltire is based on the X-shaped cross on which St Andrew was crucified on November 30, 60 AD. An ancient story tells that a St Andrew’s Cross was seen in the sky by the Pictish King Angus MacFergus on the morning of a crucial battle in 832 AD between the Picts and the Angles. The Picts were inspired by the symbol and were victorious in battle.
The Saltire, Scotland’s National Flag
It wasn’t until the year 1320 that St Andrew was made the official patron of Scotland at the Declaration of Arbroath. In 1390, St Andrew began to appear on coinage; however, the saint’s relics were destroyed during the Scottish Reformation in the 1500s.
FACTS ABOUT SAINT ANDREW
Saint Andrew was a fisherman in Galilee
St Andrew was one of the twelve apostles (disciples of Jesus) and brother of St Peter
St Andrew is believed to have died on a diagonally transverse cross which Romans sometimes used for executions and which, therefore, came to be called St Andrew’s Cross
St Andrew’s Day is connected with Advent, which begins on the first Sunday after November 26
St Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine
In Scotland, St Andrew’s Day is seen as the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals including Hogmanay and Burns Night
Among St Andrew’s many responsibilities, he is also the patron saint of unmarried women. Many folklore traditions surround this auspicious day. European girls would traditionally perform rituals, which might be anything from divining by pouring molten lead into water, to kicking a straw bed in the nude, while reciting the St Andrew’s prayer. While doing this they would, of course, look for a lucky sign of love.
ST ANDREW’S DAY AT HOME
Celebrate with a ceilidh! A popular form of social gathering in Scotland, ceilidhs were the traditional setting for dancing, singing, and storytelling. You and your family can celebrate your own feast. Let your main course be fish since St Andrew was a fisherman. Include some Scottish traditions, recite poems by Scottish poets, or recount the history of Scotland together as a family. If you’re feeling lively, get up and dance some traditional Scottish jigs!
At least three distinct traditions of Lacemaking in Croatia persist today, centred on the towns of Pag on the Adriatic, Lepoglava in northern Croatia and Hvar on the Dalmatian island of the same name. Pag needle-point lace was originally used to make ecclesiastical garments, tablecloths and ornaments for clothing. The process involves embellishing a spider web pattern with geometrical motifs and is transmitted today by older women who offer year-long courses. Lepoglava bobbin lace is made by braiding thread wound on spindles, or bobbins; it is often used to make lace ribbons for folk costumes or is sold at village fairs. An International Lace Festival in Lepoglava celebrates the art every year. Aloe lace is made in Croatia only by Benedictine nuns in the town of Hvar. Thin, white threads are obtained from the core of fresh aloe leaves and woven into a net or other pattern on a cardboard background. The resulting pieces are a symbol of Hvar. Each variety of lace has long been created by rural women as a source of additional income and has left a permanent mark on the culture of its region. The craft both produces an important component of traditional clothes and is itself testimony to a living cultural tradition.
