Farsala Halva: A Sweet Slice of History

Source: Municipality of Farsala 

The precise moment this oriental delight graced the region remains a mystery. However, if we embrace its Turkish heritage, halva likely sweetened Thessaly with the arrival of the Turks in 1393. Records from the will of Turhan Bey, the 15th-century conqueror of Thessaly, mention Halil, a halva maker, having a workshop in Larissa in 1446. The same document also names Isa, Siahis, and Halilis as halva artisans. The presence of four halva makers in Larissa as early as 1446 was noted by Turkologists N. Beldiceanu and P. Nasturel in their publication.
Moving forward to 1817, Ioannis Oikonomou, a scholar from Larissa, lauded the halva and roasted chickpeas (stragalia) of Farsala. Later, in 1897, Al. Philadelpheus declared that Farsala "is best known and most celebrated for its delectable and honey-dripping halva, which is the finest and most wondrous in all of Greece." The reason why halva production became concentrated in Farsala, gaining such fame that it became known as "Farsala Halva," is unknown. However, it is known that at the end of the past century, the most skilled halva maker was a Turk named Nouris.

The Halva Spectrum

Initially, halva makers crafted three distinct types: "Pirints," "Kommat," and "Sapoune." "Pirints" was primarily created with ground rice and sugar, while "Kommat" was fashioned into small, Turkish delight-like pieces – white in color, firm in texture, yet undeniably delicious. Details on the ingredients for "Kommat" are scarce, and it was exclusively sold during the Farsala bazaar until around 1960. "Sapoune" halva, enriched with butter, was a non-perishable sweet, delicious and considered superior to the others. Two additional variations, "Sousam" (sesame or roasted chickpeas, starch and sugar) and "Asoute" (flavorful but difficult to preserve, made until 1920), also existed. However, "Sapoune" reigned supreme, the signature halva of Farsala. More recently, the celebrated halva maker Dimitris Alexopoulos has innovated with chocolate-covered halva. 

The Founding Fathers of Farsala Halva

As previously mentioned, Nouris was the most accomplished halva maker. He took on Kaltampanis and Oikonomou, and later Spanos, as partners in his shop, located where the Mitrogogou store stands today. Kaltampanis and Oikonomou eventually branched out and opened their establishment. Gouvelis and Kouliampas apprenticed under Nouris, rising to become leading halva artisans. After the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Nouris emigrated to Turkey, selling his shop to a certain Boulasikis for 15 drachmas. In 1908, A. Syropoulos opened his halva workshop, followed by a wave of others, including Dimoulas, Fekkas, Delidimitriou, Kapitsinas, Katarachias, Paipais, Arvanitozisis, Archontis, and Manetzis. While artisans from other parts of Greece later attempted to imitate these Farsala masters, Farsala halva remains unrivaled. 

Halva's Secrets

Takis Delidimitriou, one of the city’s most respected halva makers, and a generous benefactor who bequeathed his entire estate to the Municipality of Farsala, revealed the secrets to crafting exceptional halva: "The grand secret of halva lies in the baking process, and the precise moment when the ingredients are introduced. To yield the finest result, the baking requires a minimum of one hour."
Before the construction of the new Athens-Thessaloniki highway in the mid-1960s, travelers journeying to northern or southern Greece invariably passed through Farsala. It was a golden age for Farsala halva, with workshops operating around the clock to cater to the unending stream of travelers. When the new highway opened in 1966, it heralded a crisis for Farsala halva. Since then, the famed "Sapoune" halva has been imitated far and wide, leading to a dilution of its flavor and its hard-earned reputation. 
Today, the Municipality of Farsala, hand-in-hand with the city's halva producers and with the support of the Region of Thessaly, proudly hosts the annual "Halva Festival," attracting thousands of visitors.