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Some History
Humans have been on the Mediterranean island at least for 12000 years and they played a part in the earliest human cultural history. The strategic positioning of the island is reflected in the many rulers it has had. The first empire to include Cyprys was the Hittite Empire which was in 1400 to 1200 BC. After the Hatti arrived the Greek, then the Phoenicians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Persians... With Alexander the Great in 333 BC the island became Greek territory, it was now that the island got its strong Greek cultural profile. After being part of the Greek-Egyptian Ptolemaic Kingdom the Romans took over in 58 BC. It remained Roman and later Byzantine (East Roman). During the Byzantine period the Greek-Orthodox church established itself. In the 7th century Arabs invaded Cyprus, it resulted in a kind of joint Byzantine and Arab rule. It lasted until 958 AD when the Byzantine took the island to themselves. In 1191 King Richard I of England conquered the island during the Third Crusade. A kind of a crusader kingdom was established that lasted until 1489, the royal family was French. The Italian Venetian Republic took over, they lasted until 1570 when the Ottoman Empire conquered Cyprus. The traces of Italian and French culture are quite obsolete however the Ottoman Turk Empire entered to stay. It was about this time that the formation of the Greek and Turkish cultural identities was formed. The Greek Cypriots were in clear majority and with time the idea to join with Greece gave rise to various rebellions, none of them successful. From 1878 the Turks leased the island to the British, this in exchange for military support against Russia. When the First World War broke out in 1914 the Turks allied with the Central Powers, the Brits then made it formally British territory. In 1960 Cyprus became an independent republic. The Greeks and the Turks were never at peace, finally it resulted in a full scale Turkish invasion in 1974, a stand still was reached when the Turks had conquered more than a third of the territory, the island has since then been divided between a Greek Cypriotic and a Turkish Cypriotic part. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus announced by Turkey is not recognized by the UN. This is the current situation.
Ancient Kyrenia is located in the northern Turkish
part of Cyprus. Photo by Senan Sagsan.
Cypriot Cuisine
Like mentioned above the Cypriot food recipes can be seen as a blend between Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. Although it is common to separate Greek Cypriotic from Turkish Cypriotic cuisine I will not. For religious reasons the type of meat varies with ethnicity. There is also a language issue, most of the time I use the Greek version. A wide variety of fresh ingredients are widely available and in use: Vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, tubers and several herbs; some are of seasonal character like artichokes in the spring. Cumin and coriander seeds are present in most cooked dishes, this a clear Middle Eastern influence. It is common to grill meat and serve in bread with fresh vegetables, the most common meats in Cypriot food recipes are pork, chicken and lamb. Of fish and seafood squid, sea bass, red mullet and octopus are typical. Curiously enough you can find salted cod and herring (they are not domestic species), nowadays less popular but it used to be a staple food; the reason is that the sea outside Cyprys is not so rich. Meze is a common social food gathering, you get a wide assortment of snack food like olives, humus, cheeses, vegetables and various types of meat and fish prepared in different manners. A national pride is halloumi cheese, the best varieties are made of milk from sheep that have been fed thyme. Olive oil stands on the table in all Cypriot homes and is a common ingredient in many Cypriot food recipes. On a hot summer day a cold water melon would be the preferred refreshment, often with halloumi.
Examples Of Cypriot Ingredients And Dishes
Pitta An oven baked pocket bread. Common in the Balkans and the Middle East.
Halloumi Semi-hard white cheese made from goat's and sheep's milk. Of Cypriot origin. eaten in salads, grilled or as it is. Can be matured.
Anari Fresh cheese made from whey, similar to ricota.
Tashi Sesame paste. Like tahini.
Sheftalia Little fatty sausages made of pig and lamb.
Souvlaki Charcoaled grilled pieces of lamb, pork and chicken on a skewer. Often served in pitta bread with fresh vegetables. Known in the Middle East as shish kebab. Very common in Greece.
Lountza Smoked pork loin.
Loukaniko A pork sausage of Roman origin.
Gyros Thinly sliced roasted meat served in pitta bread with vegetables.
Pourgouri A staple food made from bulgur. Traditional peasants food.
Yogurt Together with cheese the most common dairy product.
Mucendra Favoured by the Turks. A dish made with cooked lentils with wheat and groats.
Calamari Deep fried battered rings of squid.
Htapodi Stiffado Octopus stew.
Patourma Is a type of preserved beef, of Turkish origin.
Moungra A sour cauliflower relish.
Mussaka Oven baked eggplants, potatoes and minced meat.
Guvech An oven baked beef and vegetable stew. From Turkey.
Tsamarella Salty mutton and goat's meat.
Tzatziki The Greek yogurt, garlic and cucumber dip is also poular on Cyprus.
Keftedes Meatballs, known in Asia as kofta.
Lokum Also known as Turkish delight. Dried fruits and nuts in sugar gel.
Baklava Sweet bread made of filo pastry and filled with nuts. Sweetened with honey. Turkish origin.
Lokma Deep fried dough served with sweet syrup. Dessert.
Cypriot Beverages
Although wine has been produced on Cyprys for millenia it is not a big industry, wine is locally produced and widely available. Where you have grapes you have brandy; there are a few varieties. KEO is a domestic beer. Zivania is a distillate similar to the Turkish anise seed flavoured Raki. Ayran, the Middle Eastern yogurt drink, is quite common.
Submitted Cypriot Food Recipes
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