Market Stall · Sesame Honey Bar
Pasteli
Photo: ChristosV / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
It's one of the oldest known Greek sweets still eaten today — sesame-and-honey bars called itria are described in ancient Greek writing.
Toasted sesame seeds are bound together with heated honey, poured flat and cut into bars or rounds once set, sometimes with almonds or orange zest mixed in. Sold from market carts and roadside stands across the Peloponnese, especially around Kalamata.
Why it's made this way: Honey from the Peloponnese's thyme-covered hills has long been prized, and pressing it together with sesame made a durable, energy-dense snack that needed no refrigeration — practical for market vendors and travelers alike.
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Part of World of Street Food — 3443 dishes from 118 countries.
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