Hestia Group News

Coffee is perhaps one of the most widely traded commodities in the world – and is consumed as a refreshing beverage across the international landscape by people in diverse cultures – and each produces a variety suited to its own tastes. Some things never appear to change – and you will invariably find Nescafe on the menu wherever you go – and Starbucks coffee shops seem to be on a march of progress of their own!

However, in much the same way that food and its preparation helps to define the image and our perception of a country, the same applies to coffee. There are many variations on the theme of how this liquid refreshment is blended - and how and where it is served in the social framework of the local society.

This thought will find resonance with anyone who has ever lived in or visited cyprus. No Cypriot village is complete without a traditional coffee shop - the ‘kafenio’. It is the most important place in the village - a gathering point, the central point of communication, a place to meet friends, to play ‘Tavli’ ( the Greek version of Backgammon ) or just pass time by drinking a Greek coffee, tea, fresh juice or a home-made fruit squash. Greek coffee – as cyprus coffee is known - is ordered ’sketo’ (no sugar), ‘metrio’ (medium sweet) or ‘glyko’ (sweet). Each ‘kafenio’ has its own individual way of making coffee, so be to be sure of what you will receive it is best to state the number of sugars you want whilst ordering!

cyprus coffee is very different to the types of coffee you might be used to drinking in the rest of Europe.  It is served black and short, alongside a glass of water.  Sugar must be requested when the coffee is ordered due to the coffee being unfiltered; nothing should be stirred into it after it is served, as this would agitate the coffee remnants that would have sunk to the bottom of the cup. 

For the more adventurous culinary explorer, making your own cyprus Coffee is not too difficult. All you need to do is take a Cypriot size coffee cup as a measure - pour water into a small coffee pan and bring the water to the boil. For a ’sketo’ put 1-2 teaspoons of coffee into the boiling water and stir well, until it froths up. For a ‘metrio’ add one spoon of sugar. For a ‘glyko’ add two spoons of sugar. cyprus coffee is always served with a glass of cold water.

In case you are invited to someone’s house for a coffee, don’t be surprised if they turn their cups upside down onto the saucer after drinking it. There are some people who claim they can read your future from the coffee drains. Don’t be afraid to let them do it. It’s a nice way to start some small talk, and of course it depends on you how seriously you take the predictions!

One thing is for sure – wherever and whenever you’ve tried and tasted cyprus coffee, it’s an experience you will certainly savour. Not only will your taste buds be excited –  the associations of places and people will be rekindled when you think of this most Cypriot of sociable and hospitable recreations.