Geroskipou delight is offered in different flavors that vary depending on the essences added. It is coated and served with icing sugar or grated coconut. Nuts, honey, or bitter chocolate can also be added.
Loukoumi is mixed in large cauldrons. Initially water is poured in a heated cauldron; sugar is then added followed by citric acid. The mixture is then boiled for 35 minutes, at 100 ° C. An important ingredient, is corn starch which is diluted in cold water and is then added to the mixture. The mixture is stirred until it reaches 100 ° C-130 ° C (approx 2 hours), at 36 revs per minute. Finally the mixture is aromatized and in some cases color or roasted nuts may be added.
After all the additions, this sticky mixture is poured into large trays, allowing the mixture to attain a final gel-like form; after the mixture is cool, the loukoumi is cut into small rectangular pieces of dimensions (approx.) 20 × 20 × 25 mm3, which are packed and powdered with icing sugar or grated coconut.
The quantities of basic ingredients are as follows:
For every 100 liters of water : 90 Kg Sugar (86%), 15 Kg of corn starch (14%), 33 g-40 g Citric acid.
Below you will find the various flavors in Delights Geroskipou products:
Rose Flavor
Strawberry Flavor
Taste mandarin
Taste Orange
Peppermint Flavor
Pineapple Flavor
Bergamot Flavor
Banana Flavor
Lemon Flavor
Taste pistachio Aiginis
Taste Mastic
Vanilla Flavor
Chocolate Flavor
Coconut Flavor
Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts are used for Geroskipou delights. These are passed through the outer shell removal process and are very carefully handpicked. The kernels are placed in hot water and then peeled. The peeled kernels are then roasted and sliced. The sliced kernels are placed in the hot sticky mix just before it is poured into the trays.
The historical connection of the Loukoumi of Geroskipou,is:
In1895 Sophocles Athanasiou, started producing Delights (Loukoumia) Geroskipou. The art of manufacturing Loukoumi Geroskipou is transferred from generation to generation; the product is produced in the same way, in the same area, by Athanasius’ descendants.
In 1920 the production of the Geroskipou delights (Loukoumia) was taken over by the daughter of Athanasios, Hariklia and her husband Gabriel Chatzizinoviou, who in 1959 registered the name of “Venus” as the branded name for their products; (the figure of the goddess was already shown on the packaging of the Geroskipou Delights as a logo ).
The production then was passed on to their son Nicodemus Gabriel (1964 – 1990) and from 1990 until today, his wife Evdokia and his son George are continuing to manufacture the same product with the same style.
Geroskipou has been linked with this historical name in1895, making it one of the oldest delicacies’ manufactured in Cyprus. Many bibliographic references associated with tradition and tourism make direct reference to this fine delicacy of Geroskipou. Amongst numerous references that stand out are: “Travels,” of the great Greek novelist Nikos Kazantzakis in 1926, “Cyprus is a journey” by John Panagiotopoulos in 1926, and “Cyprus Invitation” by William Forwood in 1971, just to name a few.
In 1925 the “makers” of the loukoumi were awarded with a distinction and diploma by the, then British Empire at a Fair held at Wembley Stadium.
Today, Loukoumi Geroskipou is one of the main attractions for Geroskipou in both the local and the international markets.
