Taken five months ago during a family visit to the village of Handria, in the Pitsilia area, where a friend’s parents live, these photos depict the making of soutzouko, a favourite traditional sweet.
Watching the process and even pulling my sleeves up to have a go was an amazing experience. Traditions and village gatherings such as these were never part of my childhood since none of my grandparents lived in Cyprus, so I adore them and find them fascinating.
On the day, neighbours, friends and relatives flocked together, around a cauldron, taking turns dipping strings of threaded almonds in boiling hot creamy sauce, which is made from boiled grape juice, flour and flavoured with rosewater, cinnamon and mastic. The thick sausage-like sweet is then hung from a metal coat hanger and left to dry.
Waiting… That part was the hardest.
Do you like soutzoukos? Did you know how it is made?
The last image was taken from the website of Letymbou village.
