With emphasis on fresh local ingredients, a pungent mix of herbs and spices and a light spattering of olive oil, Cypriot food is essentially Mediterranean, similar to that of Greece mixed with Turkish, along with British influences, and with a hint of the Middle East and Asia Minor. Due to the climate fruit such as oranges, lemons, cherries and figs are all grown locally, and the island’s grapes are made into delicious wines. Vegetables, herbs and olives (to eat and for oil) grow in abundance. Meat is predominantly lamb, pork and chicken, and fresh seafood is plentiful along the coast. A good way to try a selection of local food is with a platter of mezedhes (‘meze’ for short) which may comprise of upto 20 dishes.
In present times doctors and health specialists have added their voices in extolling the virtues of the Mediterranean diet. The grains and pulses, sun-ripened fresh fruit and vegetables, high-protein fish, lean meat and poultry, olive oil and wine are both a healthy option as well as an irresistible temptation.
In a society of extended families with close ties, it is not surprising that home cooking is an important feature of everyday life, with recipes passed down through the generations. Having a hearty meal in the company of friends and family is what it’s all about. No wonder that hospitality and conviviality are deeply ingrained in the Cypriot psyche, so much so that pleasing has become a fine art. So give free reign to your taste buds and indulge in a culinary feast.
Be sure to try Cyprus’ famous ‘halloumi’ cheese made from sheep and goat’s milk. You can have it in all kinds of different ways, from grilled to fried or on its own, and in the summer you must try it with watermelon, for an unusual combination of flavours. Do as the locals do by dipping a slice of village bread into a bowl of cracked green olives with coriander seeds and don’t try to say no to a wickedly sweet ‘glyko’, preserved fruit accompanied by a glass of cold water.
We recommend visitors try the following Greek Cypriot dishes while in the South:
Starters:
Tzatziki - this yogurt spread is blended with garlic, slices of cucumber and mint.
Hummous - Tahini and Chick Pea spread blended with olive oil and garlic
Taramosalata - Fish roe spread blended with olive oil, lemon and bread forming a creamy texture
Melitzanosalata - Smoked eggplant salad spread blended with garlic and roasted peppers
Tirokafteri -Feta cheese blended with hot roasted peppers and olive oil; moderately spicy
Octapodi Salata - Octopus salad with diced octopus, fresh onions, white onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Dolamades (kupepia) - Savoury mince with rice, herbs and wrapped in traditional Cypriot vine leaves.
Koupepia -This Cypriot specialty is vine leaves stuffed with ground pork and rice, served with yogurt.
Halloumi - Grilled Cypriot halloumi cheese
Kalarmari - Squid rings dipped in flour and deep fried until golden brown.
Main Course:
Kleftiko (‘stolen meat’) - usually goat meat (though most restaurants serve lamb chops due to preference of tourists) wrapped in paper and cooked so that the juices and flavours are sealed in. From 1800s when Greek guerrillas stole a lamb or goat and placed the meat to cook for hours in the ground with hot stones and sealed completely with soil so no steam could escape and give them away.
Keftedes Meatballs prepared with mince meat, potatoes, onions and herbs.
Pastitsio (Meat or Vegetarian) Layers of macaroni, seasoned and topped with a tomato sauce grated halloumi cheese.
Moussaka (Meat or Vegetarian) Layers of aubergines, courgettes, potatoes and mince meat.
Sardines Charcoal grilled whole sardines topped with our very own homemade tomato base sauce.
Yemista (v) Stuffed vegetables with a mixture of rice, aromatic herbs, onions and garlic and cooked in a tomato flavoured sauce.
Souvlaki Charcoal grilled cubes of meat or fish (similar to kebab).
Afelia – pork simmered in red wine and coriander.
Kipriaki / Choriatiki Salata (‘Village Salad’) - Traditional Cypriot Salad with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese.
Dessert:
Baklava – typical Cypriot dessert (Assyrian origin) is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.
Sweets or glazed fruit (Gliko) – These are normally with a coffee. The sweets can be made with Seville oranges (Kitromilo), Pomelo (Thrapos), Walnuts (Karidaki), Figs (Siko), Apricots (Chrisomilo), Water Melon (karpouzi, Grapes (Stafili), Cherries (Kerazi).
