Cinnamon Beverage (Canelada)

Written by

Summer time and defintely time for a flavorful and refreshing nonalcoholic drink!

Canelada, a cinnamon beverage (canela = cinnamon in Greek), is drunk in Crete and Aegean islands and served with lots of ice.

4 l. water

8-9 cinnamon sticks

1 k. sugar

In a large sauce pan combine sugar, water and cinnamon sticks. Cook until thickened, approximately 20 minutes. Discard the cinnamon and let the syrup cool before putting it in bottles.

For each serving combine cinnamon syrup with cold water. Add ice and serve.

History of Greek Food is a research-driven and narrative project
exploring food as a cultural phenomenon in the Greek world,
from antiquity to the present.

Contact at: mkavroulakis@gmail.com

Follow the project:

Follow me:

Comments

8 responses to “Cinnamon Beverage (Canelada)”

May 31, 2008

Laurie Constantino

This is interesting. I wonder if it started as a way to use up extra syrup from making sweets?

Reply
May 31, 2008

FoodJunkie

I love this! It is very refreshing, especially after walking around a remot Greek village in the middle of the afternoon and a grandma gives you some to quench your thirst. Like vissinada…

BTW the Greek Goverment rejected my URL FoodJunkie due to ‘Public order/ moral considerations’, although they gave me the ok first. So please change back to my blog URL thanks!

Reply
June 1, 2008

maria v

I’ve had this at a friend’s house – she was from herakleion and she told me they drink this regularly there – i must make it!

Reply
June 10, 2008

admin

Hi all, I am back in Greece, after spending two wonderful weeks in Istanbul.
Laurie, in the beginning, fruit or spice beverages were not only made for those wanted to satisfy their desire for refreshing drinks but were also regarded as medicines or a way for fruit preservation. Byzantine physicians mention the julapi ( < julepum, lat. julapium < arab. Julab < persian gul ab = rose water) and describe it as water or fruit – pulp sweetened with cane sugar. A julapi made with currants and chinese dates (Jujube, Ziziphus, jujuba) was used against fever. A drink made with honey and roses was very popular in Byzantium… and this one was made for pleasure.
During Ottoman occupation the famous sherbeti <turk. şerbet < arabic shabah, became popular in Greece too. The most delicate serbetia were made with flowers and often chilled with snow. In the late 16th century the şerbet entered in Italian cuisine, under the name of sorbetto.

Ioanna, in fact canelada is more refreshing that vissinada.
Maria, until the 70ies it was popular also in Chania.

Reply
June 11, 2008

admin

The sentence should be like this: “During Ottoman occupation the famous sherbeti ( from turk. şerbet from arabic shabah) became popular in Greece too. The most delicate serbetia were made with flowers and often chilled with snow. In the late 16th century the şerbet entered in Italian cuisine, under the name of sorbetto. ”

For some reason that I don’t understant it cannot be put in the comment.

Reply
June 18, 2008

History of Greek Food » Refreshments 1. LEMONADE

[…] from the fruit or spice – flavored syrups that are diluted with water and served chilled (lemonade, cannelada etc.) there are some more refreshments that give welcome relief from the hot weather. They are made […]

Reply
November 12, 2009

zabe77

How much do you dilute the syrup when serving this drink? Thanks in advance!

Reply
November 13, 2009

admin

I dilute 1 part of syrup in 4 parts of water and I add lots of ice.:)

Reply