T R A D I T I O NS
The typical Cypriot cuisine, with its multi-faceted history, is incredibly diverse. It is often touted as similar to Greek food, but it does have its own persona, and consists of appetizers, main dishes along with delicacies and salads, followed by dessert. Then there is the traditional Cypriot coffee and other beverages brewed on the island. Nothing stops the diner from partaking of alcoholic beverages before eating! Soups are also available on demand.
Cyprus
Сuisine Soups
There are over 1,400 recipes for Cypriot soups. Poultry fans can ask for an Avgolemono Egg & Lemon Soup, a classic Greek style soup with tender chicken, orzo (rice) pasta and a delicious bright lemon flavour. The Greek Avgolemono Egg-Lemon Avgolemono Soup is somewhat similar, except Egg & Lemon Soup that in the Cypriot style, chicken broth is thickened with the orzo and kept overnight. Literally translated, avgolemono means egg-lemon. While there are many variations for Avgolemono soup with beef and fish as the base, the chicken version is most popular. You could also opt for the Lamb Meatballs in Avgolemono Sauce or turkey in place of lamb, or even barley and vegetables, in the Chicken Avgolemono with Vegetables and Kritharaki.
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Appetizers The choice of appetizers is unlimited. You could opt for Tzatziki (yogurt with garlic, cucumber, olive oil and a little pepper), Taramosalata (caviar or fish roe, pureed potatoes with olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and onion), Tahini (crushed sesame seeds with olive oil, lemon and garlic), Haloumi
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or Hummus (chickpeas and tahini). You could go for cold assorted Mediterranean cheeses, with a platter of Mediterranean sausages like Chorizo, Salchichon, or Gorgonzola. A carpaccio of Salmon, i.e., salmon fillet with a pesto sauce, frisеe salad, lemon, capers, olive oil whets the appetite, as does the beef tongue ‘Galataria’, using horseradish sauce to tickle the nostrils.
⍟ Traditional Cyprus Halloumi grill
Hot appetizers could include a traditional Cyprus Halloumi grill, i.e., grilled Halloumi cheese with tomato concasse and balsamic vinegar; another traditional Cyprus Dolmades, i.e., cabbage or vine/grape leaves stuffed with minced pork, rice and tomato, with light cheese dressing; Mussels Skhara, broiled half kiwi mussels with olive oil and lemon juice; Khtenya, scallops with blanched asparagus and cream pepper sauce or Feta Saganaki, roasted Feta cheese with sesame crust, on chili thyme honey. A look at delicacies would reveal the island’s passion for Lountza (smoked pork loin), Tsamarella (dried goat meat in coriander seeds and wine), Chiromeri (pork meat in wine and smoked) and Zalatina (gelatine and boiled pork).
⍟ Tzatziki
⍟ C yprus
Dolmades