They are one of the most delectable desserts. Loukoumades are delicious dough balls fried in hot oil, crunchy on the outside and fluffy from the inside, are ideal for any time of day. They are served sweet or salty and can sweeten our mood. They are usually preferred with honey and cinnamon, but there is no limit to garnish options: praline, fruit, and syrup of every taste, jam, and colorful truffle on top, nuts or even salty or sweet cheese.
Loukoumades are of simple inspiration and with all those choices in their garnishing, they can easily become one’s favorite sweet. That is why their history is lost in the depths of the centuries, and at the same time it is a delight that we can find, with minor variations, in many places of the world till now. The first references of this sweet were found in Europe by Callimachus. Aristotle, Archestratus and Aristophanes also mention it in their works. It is said that the recipe for its production is the first recorded ancient pastry recipe. A remarkable piece of information is that the ritual of honoring the Olympics’ winners in ancient Greece included a treat with loukoumades, something that was repeated at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in honor of the first Olympics. Their present Greek name derives from the Turkish word lokma which means “bite”.
For some, loukoumades are a symbol of happiness and fertility, while others consider them to be aphrodisiacs. The places where they are made are so many that it is quite reasonable to have obtained several ‘properties’ over the years. Whether they are true or not, the only thing for sure is that this is one of our favorite sweet treat.