Soumada is an almond milk syrup that, when diluted with water, makes an off-white aromatic drink. Traditionally, children drank it instead of milk, usually every Sunday after the Divine Liturgy. Soumada was the traditional drink used as a treat at all happy events, weddings, engagements and baptisms in the villages of Crete. Because of the fact that soumada is found in other parts of Greece, the Cretan version differs in that it is slightly flavoured with flower water or rose water.
In modern Crete, soumada is considered a very nutritious drink and is also used as an alternative sweetener.
