The traditional marzipans of the Greek islands are without a doubt the centerpiece of any assortment of luscious summer treats typically offered as a warm welcome to visitors old and new to the Greek home.

Marzipan recipes are found all over Greece, but the versions of the Cyclades and the Dodecanese are perhaps the most renowned for their dreamy flavor, the exquisite quality of their local ingredients and their intense taste, that seems to grow stronger with every bite, when you enjoy them at the end of a full summer day, by the island port, with the wind in your hair and the setting sun in your eyes.

A sweet, appetizing story on every island.

The secret to this beloved flavor is simply its almond dough, generously enriched with the finest local natural ingredients: egg whites, honey, semolina or bread crumbs, and spices like cloves, cinnamon, vanilla or citrus zest. The dough is then shaped into ovals, crescents, pears, balls and intricate flowers, and sprinkled with sugar and confectioner’s sugar.

“Our” Rosedes.

Out of the many island recipes – the Corfiot “Biancheta” and the “Gemata” of Mytilene – Petit Grecs present “Rosedes”, a modern, elevated variation of the forgotten regional recipe of Kythera. These pear-shaped almond marzipans are filled with premium-quality honey and mixed with walnuts: a taste of local cuisine and pastry-making, infused with elements of the Venetian occupation of the island, quite distinct from other recipes from across Greece.