"βανίλια υποβρύχιο", a "vanilla submarine". It is a thick, white, sweet paste made industrially by beating mastic resin with table sugar. When cold, it has the consistency of hard caramel candy: it is meant to be licked like a lollipop as, at body temperature, it gradually becomes softer and more chewable. The Greek diaspora introduced this treat to other countries as far away as Japan. It is regarded as the official sweet of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Whole fruit preserves can be found in most Greek and Cypriot homes. They are made by slowly and gently boiling fruit in water and sugar over several hours or days, until the syrup sets. Thus the main prerequisites to making good spoon sweets are said to be "patience and a heavy pot". Some lemon juice is often added to preserve the fruit's original color, as the citric acid prevents oxidation. A small quantity of blanched almonds, slivered or whole, may also be added for crunch, often to baby eggplants, apples or grapes. Ingredients variously added during the boiling, and then discarded, include a quill of cinnamon bark, a mint bouquet, or the green, fragrant leaves of the shrub Pelargonium odoratissimum (apple geranium) or Pelargonium graveolens (rose geranium) which add some astringency and a slight aroma of frankincense and is especially popular in the Ionian islands. The overall method of preparation is essentially the same as that of marmalade, except that fruit pieces remain firm and whole; a well-made spoon sweet is chewy. Albania/Kosovo Spoon sweets () are very common throughout Albanian cuisines and generally eaten in combination with xhezve coffee, balancing out the bitterness of the coffee. Popular spoon sweets variants are Reçel i kumbullave (Plum spoon sweets), Reçel i ftoit (Quince spoon sweets), Reçel i mollave (Apple spoon sweets), Reçel i portokallit (Orange spoon sweets), Reçel i rrushit (Grape spoon sweets), Reçel i kungullit me arra (Pumpkin spoon sweets with nuts), etc. They are generally made at home and preserved in old jars, ready to be served to guests and family members on festival days. See also List of spreads References Further reading Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, 1970. . External links Grape sweet served in china bowl Fig sweet Greek desserts Cypriot cuisine Spoons