Day 7: Γλυκό Του Κουταλιού Με Σταφύλια και Αμύγδαλα - Greek Spoon Sweet with Grapes and Almond, March 24, 2013

Γλυκό του κουταλιού is a household phrase, and it always refers to a delightful treat that is offered to unexpected company.  It is served with a glass of cold water, and it is a simple pleasure in the Greek
home. Here in North America, we may know it as 'spoon sweets', which has several interpretations. For us, a spoon sweet should be self-explanatory -- a sweet eaten with a spoon. That is a huge category of foods. Spoon sweets are specifically a caramelised, drippy, sweet, fruity, nutty delight, that takes only two spoonfuls to fill any sweet tooth. So, today, we created one from grapes. Γλυκό σταφύλια με αμύγδαλα is sweet grapes with almonds.

Many homemakers have their own way of making γλυκό, and use a variety of fruits or nuts to do so. Grapes are a popular choice because of the plentiful amounts available all year. The recipe is basic, and can be used with any fruit. We have made this with watermelon rind, almonds, quince, grapes, and orange peels. Our favourite, by far, is the grape. There is something about the sweet squish of the fruit in your mouth, when coated with a lovely caramel-like syrup. And, adding the almonds gives another dimension to the texture, by adding that lovely crunchiness. Here is what we did to make γλυκό του κουταλιού:

You will need:
1 pound of grapes, washed and stemmed
1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds

First, toast the almonds. This can be done in the oven, but we found that the frying pan was fast and easy in order to see the colour and that the almonds did not burn. Toast the almonds long enough that at least half of them are golden brown. Set these aside so they are cool when you add them to the glyko.

Put the grapes in a pot.  Do NOT add anything to the pot -- just grapes.  When you turn on the burner, you are cooking the grapes and making all the juice run into the centre.  It is like warming a lemon before juicing -- you want more flavour so you heat it.  Heat the grapes.

The grapes start to change colour and you see them turning a more whitish-yellow tint.  This indicates that those grapes are ready.  Continue to heat the grapes until they are all that same colour.

Next, add the sugar and the water.  Make sure the grapes are all coated with the sugar before adding the water.  Then, when you add the water, mix well so the sugar all dissolves.  The ratio for sugar to water is 2:1, and should be the same if you make more than one pound of grapes.  Interestingly, the ratio of grapes to sugar is also 2:1, and if you remember these two ratios  you always will remember the recipe!

As this mixture begins to boil, you will need to remove any foam that surfaces.  Using a spoon, carefully scrape the foam layer off the top of the syrup.

As the mixture cooks and the syrup thickens, you will see the change of colour in the liquid.  That means that the sugar is beginning to caramelise.  You will then have to watch closely, turn the heat down, and let this cook uncovered, on low heat, until the syrup thickens.  This will take about 30 minutes, depending on your stove.

Then, add the lemon juice and the nuts.  Stir well so that the nuts and the grapes are evenly distributed in the syrup.  Let this cool completely before serving.

Some people will add vanilla flavouring to the mixture, or use rose water instead of lemon juice. That's the beauty of a recipe like this -- everyone has the same basic recipe but adds a little something to make it their own. For us, we like the tartness of the lemon mixed with the sweetness of the syrup. And since γλυκό του κουταλιού is typically served with a glass of cold water, the lemon and sugar stays on the tongue to make the water taste better, too. Γλυκό του κουταλιού is a sweet, drippy treat that takes a little time to make, but is worth it in the end.

YouTube video:  The Sunday of Orthodoxy (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZB56qkfzJM)