Loukoumades

Loukoumades are small balls of yeasted dough deep-fried until they puff round and golden, then drenched in warm honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon. They're Greece's honey doughnuts, sold hot from dedicated stalls at fairgrounds and markets, and some food historians point to them as one of the oldest fried-dough sweets still eaten in more or less their original form, going back to ancient Greek athletic festivals.

What it really is

A loose, yeasted batter — wetter than a bread dough, closer to a thick pancake batter — rests until it bubbles and rises, then small spoonfuls drop into hot oil where they puff up round rather than flattening out, the yeast's bubbles expanding as they hit the heat. Fried until deep golden all over, they drain briefly and go straight into warm honey syrup while still hot, so the syrup soaks partway into the crust rather than just coating the outside. A dusting of ground cinnamon, and sometimes a scatter of crushed walnuts, finishes the plate.

They're eaten fresh and hot, syrup-soaked, never as a cold leftover. The crisp exterior and warm, soaked crumb depend on being eaten shortly after frying — loukoumades that have sat and cooled lose the contrast between the crisp shell and the syrup-soaked inside that makes them worth seeking out fresh from a stall rather than pre-made.

How it's served

• Hot, straight from the fryer, drenched in warm honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon.
• Often with crushed walnuts scattered over the top.
• As a dessert or a street food treat, classically sold from dedicated stalls.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the wheat.
• It's naturally vegetarian.
• Say if walnuts are added, for guests with a nut allergy.