Rakomelo
Encyclopedia
Rakomelo is a warm mixed alcoholic drink.
It is made by combining raki
or Tsipouro
with honey and several spices, such as cinnamon
, cardamom
, or other regional herbs. It is produced in Crete
and other islands of the Aegean Sea
and on the Greek mainland, chiefly consumed during the winter as a warm drink.
A similar drink is baked raki, which is a regional drink of the island of Amorgos
that is made from raki, sugar
and spices and is served at room temperature. Baked raki contains more spices than rakomelo which usually only contains cinnamon.
Rakomelo can be found as a bottled mixed drink in liquor stores, ready to be warmed and served. Baked raki is also available mixed and bottled, ready for consumption (served at room temperature).
A general recipe for rakomelo is 1-2 teaspoons of honey for every 4 shots of raki, along with one clove and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, modified to suit different tastes. The ingredients are best warmed in a special pot called briki (cezve) or on a gass stove, as with greek coffee.
It is made by combining raki
Tsikoudia
Tsikoudia is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Cretan origin that contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume. Tsikoudia is made by distilling of pomace, i.e., the pieces of grapes that were pressed for the winemaking process...
or Tsipouro
Tsipouro
Tsipouro is a pomace brandy from Greece and in particular Thessaly , Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Peninsula, and the island of Crete . Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol by volume and is produced from the pomace...
with honey and several spices, such as cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods...
, cardamom
Cardamom
Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
, or other regional herbs. It is produced in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and other islands of the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
and on the Greek mainland, chiefly consumed during the winter as a warm drink.
A similar drink is baked raki, which is a regional drink of the island of Amorgos
Amorgos
Amorgos is the easternmost island of the Greek Cyclades island group, and the nearest island to the neighboring Dodecanese island group. Along with several neighboring islets, the largest of which is Nikouria Island, it comprises the municipality of Amorgos, which has a land area of...
that is made from raki, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and spices and is served at room temperature. Baked raki contains more spices than rakomelo which usually only contains cinnamon.
Rakomelo can be found as a bottled mixed drink in liquor stores, ready to be warmed and served. Baked raki is also available mixed and bottled, ready for consumption (served at room temperature).
A general recipe for rakomelo is 1-2 teaspoons of honey for every 4 shots of raki, along with one clove and about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, modified to suit different tastes. The ingredients are best warmed in a special pot called briki (cezve) or on a gass stove, as with greek coffee.