Pasteli is a sesame and honey sweet that is specially made for Greek celebrations including weddings. It is usually shaped into a triangle and wrapped in cellophane and ribbon. I found this wonderful article on the website Gourmed about Pastelli and its history…
Pasteli, sesame honey, melekouni
For the Ancient Greeks and the Byzantines, today’s pasteli was known as “sesamus” or “sesamites”. This sweet is mentioned by Athenaeus as being a sweet “from honey and sesame”. However, the word “pastellos”, “pastillos” or “pastelli”, which crops up in Byzantine texts, is not related to the pasteli we are familiar with but is a name for must jelly. “Sesamus” was the sweet offered to a bride following the wedding ceremony, as honey and sesame were symbols of fertility.
Many centuries later, as noted by Adamantios Korais, “sesamus” became the Turkish “susam-halvas”. From Kythnos to Andros and from Sinope in Pontus to Cyprus, pasteli – apart from its main ingredients, that is, honey and sesame – usually also contains almonds or walnuts. Even today on a number of islands, it is served on the leaves of the bitter orange tree, a custom dating back to Byzantine times.These days, pasteli is known as “melekouni” on Rhodes whereas on Karpathos and in other areas it is called “sesamomeli” (i.e., sesame-honey), and is prepared on all festive occasions. However, it holds a special place at weddings, just as it did centuries ago. On Rhodes, it’s mainly used to accompany the wedding invitations. Even today, it is still served in woven baskets on the day the bride-to-be prepares the bridal bed, as well as on the day of the ceremony, following the nuptuals. The same custom is observed on Siphnos where it is offered along with the bonbonieri.
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January 27, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Maria
Pastelli I’ve never made but I’ve seen my nan do some and it’s not a usual feature at weddings actually you practically never encounter it nowadays its something more widely known and provided at panigiria.
October 28, 2010 at 11:47 pm
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