Rakomelo

Ingredients

• 400 mlCretan tsikoudia (raki), about 40 per cent alcohol
• 60 gGreek thyme honey
• 2cinnamon sticks
• 4whole cloves
• 2wide strips of orange peel, no pith
• 3black peppercorns, optional
• 4small handleless glasses or shot glasses

Directions

1. Pour the raki into a small pan or a long-handled briki, wide enough that you can stir it easily.
2. Add the honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel and peppercorns.
3. Set over the lowest possible heat and warm slowly, stirring, until the honey has completely dissolved into the spirit.
4. Bring the mixture only to about 60–70°C (140–160°F), when steam rises but no bubble breaks the surface. It must never boil.
5. Hold it at that heat for 5–10 minutes so the cinnamon and cloves infuse and the whole kitchen smells of spice.
6. Taste with a small spoon, on the cool side. It should be warming and honeyed, with the raki still clearly there behind the spice; add honey a teaspoon at a time if it bites too hard.
7. Strain through a small sieve into warmed glasses, dropping a cinnamon stick into each as a garnish.
8. Serve immediately, in small measures, as a winter drink in a kafeneio or after a meal. It is sipped slowly, never shot.

Technique

• Boiling drives off the alcohol and, more importantly, scorches the honey into a bitter, caramel flavour. Low and slow is the whole technique.
• Tsikoudia, called raki in Crete, is distilled from grape pomace left after winemaking; it is unaged, clear and usually 37–45 per cent, and is not the aniseed-flavoured Turkish raki.
• Rakomelo is treated half as a drink and half as a folk remedy for colds and sore throats across Crete and the Cyclades.
• Use a strongly flavoured honey. Thyme, pine or heather honey stands up to the spirit; a bland blossom honey just makes it sweet.

Substitutions

• No tsikoudia: mainland tsipouro is the same kind of pomace spirit, and Italian grappa is a close cousin. Avoid anything with aniseed.
• In summer the same infusion is made in advance, cooled and served over ice in a rocks glass.

Variations

• Psimeni raki from Amorgos, a bottled version cooked with honey and spices to a set island recipe.
• Chilled rakomelo, served over ice with an orange twist.
• Rakomelo brewed with Greek mountain tea for colds.

History

A Cretan and island winter drink taken as a cold remedy, now poured in bars across Greece.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rakomelo?

Rakomelo is a cocktail from Greece: raki warmed with honey, cinnamon and cloves, drunk in small glasses. A Cretan and island winter drink taken as a cold remedy, now poured in bars across Greece.

How long does Rakomelo take to make?

Rakomelo takes 5 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 small glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Rakomelo?

Yes, within limits. No tsikoudia: mainland tsipouro is the same kind of pomace spirit, and Italian grappa is a close cousin. Avoid anything with aniseed. In summer the same infusion is made in advance, cooled and served over ice in a rocks glass.

What is the most important thing to get right in Rakomelo?

Bring the mixture only to about 60–70°C (140–160°F), when steam rises but no bubble breaks the surface. It must never boil.