Soumada · Family memories · Wine
A glass of soumada at a wedding, a bottle shared at a table, a wine festival remembered. The drinks of Leros come with their own flavours and stories.
I have kept the almond drinks, my mother’s recollection and the wine festival memories from the old page, with clearer guidance for visitors today.
Soumada & family food memories
A sweet almond cordial, with a familiar place at wedding receptions and other happy occasions. My original guide described finding bottles in Agia Marina and Alinda.
Serve a prepared cordial with cold water and ice. I used to suggest one part soumada to two parts water, but bottled products differ, so start with the maker’s instructions and adjust to your taste.
Written as diasoalo in my original notes, this was another drink my mother remembered from earlier island life. She described a different preparation from soumada, with flour used to make it thicker.
Her story belonged to a time when milk was costly and families made do with what they had. I am keeping it here as a family recollection, rather than a tested recipe or a guide to feeding children.
If you are buying a drink or ordering one in a café, ask about the ingredients and how it is served. The almond flavour is part of what makes soumada distinctive.
A glass with a story
Both red and white wine featured in my original notes about Leros. I wrote about small local yields and how much the results could vary from one year to another.
Ask local shops, tavernas or producers what is available now. My old comments about bottling and exports described what I knew then, so they are not a reliable guide to today’s producers.
My original page recommended the wine festival in Xirokambos, also written as Xerokampos. These two photographs are from my 2005 archive, and keep a little of that evening’s atmosphere.
For a visit now, use the current festival programme links. Wine events may be announced at different venues, including Drymonas; confirm the place and date before travelling.
Island flavours, shared
A drink is often part of a larger occasion: a wedding table, a few shared dishes or a relaxed meal with friends. Explore the food of Leros and the story of Karaflas Dimitris & Son.
If you would like suggestions for what is available during your stay, ask our Leros Greece community.
For more island food traditions, see the local gastronomy guide.
A personal favourite
After exploring the island’s stories, make time for one of my favourite parts of Leros: its food. My favourite taverna is Karaflas Dimitris & Son.
From Dimitris Ouzeri to Karaflas Taverna, and now Karaflas Dimitris & Son, it is the same family story continuing into another generation.
Read the family story or discover more flavours of Leros.
Have a memory, a photograph or something to add to this guide? You can reach out to me through the Leros Greece Facebook group and share it with our island community.