It’s well known that Cycladic islands are spilling over with traditional sweets, made by passionate local people and based on old recipes that pass from one generation to the next one. “Loukoumia”, “halva pies”, marzipan bites, sesame bars and fresh fruit that are being transformed to juicy compotes, jams and preserves, are the ideal gastronomic souvenirs that fill in our suitcases as we depart from our dream islands and keep us sweet company during the winter, while we anticipate the next trip, the next destination. Naturally, the best and tastier picking of each land is being harvested every year and, in most cases, old methods and techniques are being modernized, creating more and more quality products that bring out the characteristic flavours of every corner of the Aegean islands complex.
In Naxos in particular, the Promponas family that owns citrus fields on the island’s most fertile parts, has elevated the creation of citrus products to a state of the art, whether it’s their aromatic, sweet liqueurs and traditional drinks, or their ever growing variety of top quality, delicious sweets and desserts. The distillery business that was founded in 1915 and has completed more than a century of continuous history, is being run today by the 3rd and 4th generations of a family that keeps alive the same love and devotion to tradition as the one that the founder, Dimitrios Promponas, had. And this is evident not only in the superior quality of their products, but also in their constant presence in their shop, in the smile, the courtesy and the way they welcome each customer. Speaking by experience, it’s their attitude that leaves the best impression.