As more of us begin to understand the importance of what we eat, we start making more informed choices and decisions as a sign of love for our bodies and minds. I am grateful to have been born and raised on the Greek diet, which has consistently been named as one of the healthiest in the world. In this diet, petimezi, aka the Greek molasses, a grape syrup used as a natural sweetener, played a central role in my childhood thanks to my grandmother Marigo.
Yiayia (grandma) Marigo lived in a small mountain village in the Peloponnese where we used to spend most of our summers as Greek-Americans usually did. Marigo was a busybody. Always on the go, doing chores, firing up the traditional oven outside, cooking up massive meals, watering her vegetable garden, feeding the animals, making cheese and yogurt and petimezi, of course.
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What is Petimezi?
Petimezi is a natural sweetener and a condiment. It’s an amber-colored syrup made from concentrated grapes (must or moustos in Greek) or unfermented grape juice.
Think of petimezi as a traditional Greek molasses made from condensed grapes free of additives, preservatives or sweeteners. Making petimezi is no easy matter. It’s an art and requires experience, precision and skill.
In the fall, after harvest, my grandmother would gather her grapes, push them through a large sieve to get rid of the skins and then boil the grape must (juice) inside a “kazani” (large pot) over a large fire outside. She would make enough for the entire year seeing that my grandfather and their children – my father and uncles – all had a sweet tooth!
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With this thick dark syrup, she would also make the world’s best ever moustokouloura. They were dark brown, aromatic and super crunchy and she would make sure we’d take a batch back to Chicago for my father (her son). Today you can also find soft moustokouloura at bakeries especially in the fall and winter.
In the past, petimezi was often used instead of refined sugar, which was costly and hard to find. They also used carob syrup, and of course, wild honey – everything that was provided by Mother Earth. Sadly, according to the Ark of Taste, which records disappearing foods and practices, petimezi made using traditional methods is slowly disappearing.
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Petimezi in Ancient Greece
Yes, like many products we still use today, petimezi has been around since Ancient Greece – yes, thousands of years ago. Back then is was called “siraion” or “epsima” – a boiled concoction. The father of medicine, Greek physician Hippocrates, refers to “epsima” in the 5thcentury BC. And so does 5th century BC Athenian playwright Aristophanes.
Reference to petimezi is also found in the writings of Athenaeus in his 15-volume Deipnosophistae. Written in the 3rd century AD, the work is all about food, literature, and culture. Ancient recipes have also been found in texts referring to the god of wine and harvest, Dionysus and to foods prepared for the many festivities and rituals held in his honor.
The use of petimezi continued into Byzantium (7th century BCE onward), and was found in many Greek sweets, including the “pasteli” (sesame seed and nut bars), loukoumades (pastry puffs), walnut sweets (karydata), pancake-style sweets, and in quince preserves.
Today’s word “petimezi” derives from the Turkish “pekmez” from its use in Byzantium and the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Actually, during the Byzantine era, in addition to the Greeks who called the must syrup “siraios”, Armenians also made sweet syrup called “petmez” or “pekmez”;
Petimezi is still very much used today in Cretan and Cypriot cuisine and by Asia Minor Greeks who continue to call it “epsima”.
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What does Petimezi Taste Like
One could say that petimezi has a sweet and sour taste with a touch of bitter to highlight dishes. It can also be spicy and can add a caramelized texture to meats and sauces.
The dark color of the syrup depends on the how long the must is boiled and on the grape variety. Petimezi has no expiration date so it was very important in the past when few Greeks had fridges in the villages.
Where Can I Find Petimezi
Ideally, the best petimezi is made at home during the grape season. And during harvest you can get your hands on grape must at wineries and at some bakeries mainly in the villages. If you’re in the US, you can get must at wineries or even order it online. You can also buy petimezi from specialty item shops or online. This one is a good choice.
In Greece, some small cooperatives consisting of women in villages and towns make petimezi using the traditional method. One of these is Genisea located in the Thrace region, Northern Greece. The women make their own petimezi and share their stories hoping to pass on the secrets of the trade to younger generations.
Where Can I Use Petimezi
Petimezi is a wonderful and versatile product. You can use it in many food and sweets preparations. My first experience with petimezi was when Grandma Marigo made her famous “moustokouloura”, which to this day I have sadly still not mastered (frown), and loukoumades.
You can use it as a natural sweetener in coffees and teas, in jams, cakes, as a marinade together with garlic and orange rind for meats, in your salad dressing or over green or fruit salads, a few drops on certain cheeses (preferably Greek graviera or anthotyro) does wonders, on top of vanilla ice cream, pancakes, crepes or waffles, in your favorite smoothies, as a topping on your traditional Greek yogurt accompanied with nuts, and of course, in moustokouloura, “petimezopita” (petimezi cake) and everyone’s favorite “moustalevria“, which is a unique grape-must pudding that you should definitely try if you’re lucky enough to find it! I also use it when making overnight oats instead of maple syrup and in my healthy energy bites.
You can also make fruits and some vegetables into a jam-like spoon sweet using petimezi. These are known as “retselia” made in Central Greece but passed down to them by Asia Minor Greeks. The most popular is the pumpkin retselia made with petimezi as well as puddings made with Buffalo milk and petimezi – a rare find nowadays.
Meats that go extremely well with petimezi include pork, chicken, game and lamb. Greeks in the past also used petimezi as a food preservative or to sweeten wines among other things.
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Is Petimezi Molasses?
No. Although they are very similar, petimezi is not molasses but very similar in texture and color.
Molasses is made as a byproduct of sugar refining, obtained from sugarcane or sugar beets. You will find it in American cuisine of the South, and is also used to make rum and brown sugar. Petimezi is made from grapes.
Similar petimezi-style condiments can be found in Southern Europe and the Middle East where they have also been made for centuries and used as a sweetener or traditional medicine.
Petimezi: A Sweetener with Health Benefits
Petimezi is one of the few 100% natural sweeteners in the world to also have many health properties including carbohydrates, protein, minerals, calcium, iron and phosphorus, vitamins A, C and Β complex, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.
Some reports claim that it can prevent anemia due to its iron content, and osteoporosis because it contains calcium.
For these reasons it was used to boost energy and like many other naturally produced food items in Greece, as a treatment for a sore throat or as a cure for stomach problems also.
Like all sweeteners, petimezi is (sadly, for us sweet lovers) high in calories. So remember the Ancient Greek saying: Everything in Moderation!
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Petimezi Recipe
First you will need to buy grape must ideally from a winery. In Greece, some bakeries and fruit markets also sell must.
Place the must in a deep pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and skim the surface when necessary.
Reduce the heat and slow boil for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until the juice is reduced by 1/3 of the initial quantity becoming a thick syrupy liquid.
Three liters of must will produce about 900ml (approximately 3.8 cups) to 1 liter (4.2 cups) of petimezi.
Store in sterilized bottles and enjoy!
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♫ I finish today’s post with a song about everything “sweet like petimezi”. A song here composed by Elsa Mouratidou and performed by Greek a cappella group Stringless. The song titled “Amanes you Kourabie” speaks of the temptation as all of the world’s sweet things keep calling us!
Enjoy!
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