Alongside summer drinks like Mazagran and Porto Tónico (recipes on the site), rakomelo is the one for when the weather turns cold. It is a Cretan tradition: raki, the fiery grape spirit, warmed gently with honey and whole spices until it becomes something closer to mulled wine than a shot.
The name combines raki and meli, the Greek word for honey, and on the islands it is often kept warm through the winter months, ready to pour for guests coming in from the cold.
You do not need to track down actual Cretan raki for this — an unaged grappa or a plain, unflavored eau de vie makes a very reasonable stand-in, since both share that same clean, grape-forward base. Warm it gently, never let it boil, and you will end up with a drink that tastes like a warm hug after being outside in the cold.
Rakomelo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups raki, tsipouro, or unaged grappa
- 1/2 cup honey (a Greek thyme honey if you can find one)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 2 strips orange peel
- Extra cinnamon sticks, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the raki, honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise if using, and orange peel.
- Warm the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally to help the honey dissolve, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep the heat low — you want it steaming and fragrant, not simmering hard, since boiling will burn off the alcohol and flatten the flavor.
- Once the honey is fully dissolved and the spices smell fragrant, remove from heat and let it steep for a few minutes for a stronger spice flavor, if you like.
- Strain out the whole spices and orange peel, or leave a cinnamon stick in each cup for presentation.
- Pour into small heatproof glasses or cups and serve warm, ideally to guests who have just come in from the cold.
Enjoy our recipes? Add Maria’s Cookbook as a preferred source on Google to see more of our content in your search results.
