A small cookie-koulouraki, a long history
Cookies are included in the Mediterranean diet with its roots
lost in the depths of history. The first written recipe we have, can be traced back to Ancient Egyptian times.
The reasons why cookies have become so popular are quite apparent to everyone. They can be easily prepared, with ingredients that can be found in every home, they constitute a wholesome sweet, since no preservatives are needed as they are baked at high temperatures and can be preserved for long periods of time.
The Greek word kouloury and its diminutive koulouraki derives from the Ancient Greek word kollyx which is the well known round rusk with a hole in the middle, made from barley flour. During the Minoan period in Crete we find crispy sweets in the form of snake, a symbol which has always been known for its therapeutic powers in medicine. The Minoans consumed these cookies-koulourakia to keep healthy and the very same form has been preserved until contemporary times and in fact is widely spread in Greece.
Cookies are a nutritious habit, intricately linked with our tradition, memories and civilization.
