Ariadne’s Island, Naxos, offers its own unique version of la dolce vita (“the sweet life”) daily through its local cuisine and culinary traditions of its housewives.

 “Spoon sweets” and other traditional confections are plentiful on Naxos Island; their recipes, utilising the purist of ingredients, have been handed down from generation to generation, and they represent the last word in desserts at mealtime on Naxos Island.

One of the best known traditional confections is the melachrino, a local walnut pie containing a small quantity of Kitro and usually served with kaimaki (ice-cream made from sheep’s milk).

Among the many varieties of spoon sweets – a staple of the Naxian household – several are particularly worth noting for their outstanding quality – namely, egg-plant (!), quince, citron, orange, fig, grape, walnut and sour cherry. Naxian marzipan, made from almonds, also deserves special mention.