Κουραμπιέδες

This delightful recipe for 'Κουραμπιέδες' (Kourabiedes) comes from Michael Gkines’s 'Megale amerikanike mageirike', a Greek-language cookbook published in New York in 1917. The book was created for Greek immigrants adapting their home cuisine to new-world kitchens, merging traditional Greek sweets with American ingredient measurements and baking techniques. At the turn of the twentieth century, Greek-Americans were forging new culinary identities. Recipes like this one capture that sense of invention—using local butter and flour, but holding onto the beloved celebration biscuit of the homeland, traditionally enjoyed during holidays and festive gatherings.

Greek cooks of the early 1900s would have used heavy-bottomed saucepans for melting the butter, a wire whisk or wooden spoon for creaming, and a sturdy mixing bowl, possibly ceramic or metal. Baking was done in wood or coal-fired ovens, which required an experienced touch to judge the 'moderate' heat necessary for perfectly baked biscuits. Shaping was done by hand, with nimble fingers forming rounds or crescents. Sifting and sprinkling powdered sugar was performed with a fine mesh sieve.