Përmet food and drink: gliko, raki and local wine

Përmet is known for gliko, whole fruit, nuts or small vegetables cooked slowly in sugar syrup and served on a spoon. It is also known for raki, the Albanian fruit spirit, and for local wine, above all Debina, a white grape grown in Albania mainly around the town. The place to start is gliko: when you are a guest in an Albanian home you are offered it first, followed by a glass of cold water and a coffee.

Gliko: the sweet Përmet is known for

The word gliko comes from the Greek for "sweet", and versions of it exist across the Balkans, Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean. In Përmet it has become a local speciality. The fruit is cooked whole and slowly in sugar syrup until it absorbs the sweetness but keeps its shape, which is the difference from jam, where fruit is cooked down into a spread.

Fruits and nuts used in gliko include green walnuts, cherries, watermelon rind, wild figs, quince, plums, apricots, rose petals, bitter orange and small aubergines. The most common version in the Përmet area is described as "walnut husk" gliko, made from whole green walnuts.

How it is made

According to the Slow Food Foundation, the fruit is first soaked in a mix of cold water and lime. It is then mixed with sugar and boiled in a traditional copper pot over an open flame for about an hour, with lemon added at intervals. Making gliko is seasonal work, tied to when each fruit is ready, and it has traditionally been passed down in families.

Slow Food Presidium

Përmet gliko is a Slow Food Presidium. Presidia are projects of the Slow Food Foundation that support small-scale producers of traditional foods at risk of disappearing. Many families still make gliko at home, and a few families make it professionally.

How gliko is served

A spoonful of gliko is placed on a small plate or spoon and offered to a guest, followed by a glass of cold water and then coffee. It is a welcome gesture rather than a dessert, and it is offered to guests and on special occasions. If you are offered it in a home or guesthouse in Përmet, accept a spoonful.

Raki

Raki is Albania's national fruit spirit, and Përmet is known for it. It is distilled from grapes or other fruit, and families in the area make their own. It is often served in small glasses with a meal or as a welcome. It is strong, so take small sips.

Wine

Debina is a white grape grown in Albania mainly around Përmet, and it is also grown in the Zitsa area of Epirus in Greece. Its high acidity suits fresh, light white wines and sparkling wine. A local guide also lists Merlot and Muscat among the wines of the area. If a guesthouse or restaurant serves local wine, ask for the Debina.

Honey, herbs and oil

Besides gliko, raki and wine, visitor guides mention mountain honey, herbal teas and olive oil among the products of the Përmet area. They make easy gifts to take home.

Traditional dishes

A local guide to Përmet lists several dishes to look for:

Shqeto, a lamb soup made with milk and eggs
Byrek with nettles or beans, a savoury pie
Kukurec, a traditional Albanian dish
Reshedi, a dessert made with syrup and starch

Menus change with the season, and many places cook what is available that day, so ask what is on offer.

How to taste it all

Ask your guesthouse or hosts to serve gliko with coffee: it is the most authentic way to try it.
Ask where local gliko, honey and raki are made or sold, and buy from small producers when you can.
Eat where locals eat, and ask what the speciality of the day is.
Pair a day out with a meal: after a rafting trip or a walk, you will have an appetite.

Check live availability for eating and drinking experiences on this site.

Questions and answers

What is gliko?

Gliko is whole fruit, nuts or small vegetables cooked slowly in sugar syrup until they absorb the sweetness but keep their shape. It is served on a spoon with a glass of cold water and coffee as a welcome to guests. Përmet gliko is a Slow Food Presidium.

Is gliko the same as jam?

No. Gliko keeps the fruit whole in syrup, while jam is cooked down into a spread.

What fruits are used for gliko?

Green walnuts, cherries, watermelon rind, wild figs, quince, plums, apricots, rose petals, bitter orange and small aubergines, among others.

What is raki?

Raki is Albania's national spirit, distilled from grapes or other fruit. Përmet is known for it, and many families make their own.

What wine is Përmet known for?

Debina, a white grape grown in Albania mainly around Përmet. Merlot and Muscat are also mentioned among the area's wines.

What is a Slow Food Presidium?

A project of the Slow Food Foundation that supports small-scale producers of traditional foods at risk of disappearing. Përmet gliko is one of them.

What should I try in Përmet?

Start with a spoonful of gliko and a coffee, then try raki and Debina wine, mountain honey and traditional dishes such as shqeto (a lamb soup) or byrek with nettles or beans.