Home life in Hellas, Greece and the Greeks - eBooks4Greeks.gr

THE ISLES 77with honey, is a delicacy consumed all overGreece ;but the mysethra of Ios excels all others.It is made from boiled sheep's milk, strained andpressed into a rush-basket in shape and size like ajelly mould. The natives of Ios also attribute itsquality to the herbage of the island. Tenos isnoted for its barley-cakes. Chick-peas boiled andpounded are mixed with the leaven in the proportionof a tenth to the barley-meal. This partlyaccounts for the excellence of the cakes, but theTeniotes maintain that there is a trick in thebaking known only to themselves. Andros issupreme in sweets, notably one of small greenbergamot lemons preserved whole, and a seductivecake made of walnuts and honey. It has also aspeciality in mouroraki, a spirit distilled frommulberries. The cheese-cakes tyropita, of Santorin—arenot those dear to the youth of England.They are a compound of cheese, eggs, curdledmilk, saffron, and certain spices, much relished inSantorin, but the alien palate needs education toappreciate them. The loukoumi of Syra is nota Greek confection, but a Turkish one, as its nameattests.It was brought to Syra by refugees fromScio, and is flavoured by the mastic which is aspecial product of that Asiatic isle.Wine is a universal product in the Cyclades,but it is an article of export on three islands only.Santorin, both in quantity and quality, far excelsthe others. Zea sends wine to the Greek mainland,and Paros likewise, though in smaller