A Kind of Cake

Giorgio Pintzas Monzani, "Pasteli, the Sweet Snack of Greece, Dates Back to Homer," Greek Reporter (May 24, 2026): The first thing we know about this iconic Greek sweet is that it dates back to the Homeric era. In the Odyssey and in the Iliad, a sweet called ιτριον (itrion) is mentioned. A dish made of honey and sesame, it was used to give energy to Greek warriors who were battling in the Trojan War. The word ἴτριον doesn't occur in Homer.