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karýdia

καρύδια

Walnuts (singular καρυδιά, karydiá) (different accent).

They grow well in the hills of Greece and used extensively in a whole range of sweets with honey (yet another aphrodisiac!).

They are also used in the rather unusual spoon sweet γλυκό καρυδάκι (glykó karydáki) made from green walnuts. Some in Northern Greece toast them and grind them up and use them with garlic in skordaliá.

Green walnuts also go into λικέρ καρυδιάς (likér karydiás) (walnut liqueur) along with cloves and cinnamon, made on the Pelion peninsula and Crete. Another name for walnut spirit is καρυδόψυχα...which is often used in cooking.

Fruit, nuts & seeds

Text © Dana Facaros

Image by Giulio