Venizelika

Venizelika is a traditional sweet hailing from the island of Lemnos, made with ground almonds, grated chocolate, cocoa, liqueur (usually orange- or cherry-flavored liqueur), sugar syrup or powdered sugar, and (sometimes) walnuts. The method of preparation calls for kneading the mixture with brandy and then shaping the almond-chocolate dough into smooth, walnut-sized balls before coating each ball with a vanilla or mastic gum ypovrichio, a type of Greek fondant (also known as a Greek submarine sweet). The dessert is believed to have been named in honor of Eleftherios Venizelos, one of the most prominent politicians and former Prime Minister of Greece who showed a great fondness for the sweet on the occasion of his official visit to the island in 1912, after the island’s liberation from the Ottoman Empire. These sweet balls can be found in traditional food shops and bakeries on the island, and they’re typically served at special occasions and celebrations such as weddings and engagements.