Melopita

A Honeyed Cheesecake

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“Forget all other dessert, there is only one: the Athenian cheese cake with Attica honey from Hymettus.

— Archestratus: Fragments from the Life of Luxury

Melopita, a traditional cheesecake, is an energy-rich dessert served at weddings and festival events throughout Mythoversal Hellas.
In Mythoversal Thebes, melopita is central to the Hecatite Cheesecake Festival, in which members of Hecate's Cult stage a baking competition while a similar competition plays out among the general public.
The orange-colored moon that inspires the baking competition is referred to as the Melopita Moon.

Ingredients

The simplest cheesecakes consist of wheat flour, honey, and cheese.
The Cheese
The cheese most commonly used is fresh, unsalted anthotyros or myzithra. Myzithra is a cow’s milk sweetened with citrus honey. Anthotyros is a sheep’s or goat’s milk with a richer flavor. Both are similar to ricotta in texture.
The Honey
Citrus honey gives the melopita a traditional zing but other types of honey provide a variety of flavors.
The Flour
Spring wheat flour provides the ideal texture.

Recipe

In the standard recipe, the cheese is pounded until it becomes smooth and pasty. Next, the pounded cheese is mixed in a brass pan with honey and spring wheat flour. The cake is then heated and allowed to fully cool before serving.
Cheesecakes made for competition are judged on customization and flair. Fruits, nuts, figs, seeds, roots, mushrooms, or other flavorings and toppings may be added. Eggs, butter, different cheeses, or different preparation techniques can give a different consistency. A crust of nuts and bread rusk can be added to the bottom.
Cakes made to be served warm have their own category.
Distinctly shaped cakes in elaborate molds are judged for design as well as taste.

Trivia

The earliest known cheesecake dates to about 2000 BC, according to archaeological finds on the Greek island of Samos, where carbon-dated cheese molds attest to the popularity of this recipe.
These cakes were served at weddings throughout Ancient Greece. The custom, taken up by Rome and passed down through European tradition, makes cheesecake the precursor to the modern wedding cakes eaten today.
Cheesecake was also provided to Olympic athletes to give them the energy needed for optimal competition.

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Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink