SWEET SALONICA

A crossroads and cultural melting pot, the city of Thessaloniki has a sweet tooth like no other in Greece.

Renowned throughout Greece, many of the historic sweets of Thessaloniki are delights rarely found anywhere else. Traditional confectionery shops have proudly been doing business in the city for decades, each one with its speciality. East meets West, as sweet aromas of butter and mahlepi spice combine influences from the Ottoman Empire, Hebrew tradition and Europe. The combined flavours of Greeks, Franks, Armenians and Turks all make for sweets worth savouring.

A must-try is Armenonville (a semifreddo made only in Thessaloniki), available from Mourouzis and the aptly-named Armenonville. For the rose and fig Beze (meringue), and other flavours besides, Bezes is the place.

Sugarela infuses magic into French pastry: lemon pie, crème brûlée and butter biscuits. Sample old-fashion sweets within the authentic surroundings of Averoff, which offers a range of sugar-free treats and nut fudge, among others.

Elenidis has mastered the delicious Trigona Panoramatos (a cone made of multiple sheets of baked phyllo bursting with an incredibly-rich custard), made to order on the spot. Terkenlis are masters of Tsoureki (sweet holiday bread) in dozens of flavours.

Siropi Apo Tin Poli is known for unique, syrupy sweets but make sure to also try their Bourma (similar to baklava), while Rodini takes its name from the dreamy almond fudge it specializes in.

With nearly 80 years of service, Hadjifotiou is famous for its chocolate rocks and cigarillos. Hatzis, a creamery with a history dating back to 1908, is the king of Constantinopolitan confections: Malebi (milk pudding), Tavuk Gogsu (a chicken breast pudding) and Ashure (a sweet pudding).

The place for honeyed Tulumba (crispy deep-fried dough soaked in syrup) is Zannas.

For a nostalgic journey back in time, Dorkada will oblige with Saragli (a version of baklava that is rolled instead of layered), Baba (a small, rich sponge cake, typically soaked in rum-flavoured syrup) and miniature tuluba.

Choureal is Thessaloniki’s first confectionery specialising in everything profiterole. Agapitos’ speciality is chocolate of every variety and form, all no less than works of art.

In Thessaloniki, sweetness is tradition and no one counts calories!

TEXT : ELENI PSYHOULI
PHOTOS : PERIKLES MERAKOS