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At various ancient and holy places around the island of cyprus it is not uncommon to find a tree or bush festooned with strips of cloth, rags and handkerchieves.

There are various traditions behind this, but the most common is for someone to wish to be cured of an illness. By tying the rag to the tree, the tree absorbs the illness and the person is cured when the rag falls off. Often, people looking for a quick cure use tissue paper!

One of the most unusual but commonly seen traditional sweets in cyprus is Soutjouko, prounced sheh-SHOO-keh, which looks like long strings of green wax candles! It is made from almonds or walnuts which are repeatedly dipped in grape must, the juice from pressed grapes before fermentation.The grapes are taken, pressed, and their juice is then cooked for 90 minutes.

The liquid mixture is simmered and flour is added to thicken it. Once the juice is thick enough, threaded almonds are dipped into the mixture. They are then left to dry, before being repeatedly dipped into the mixture. The sweet is of such uniqueness to the island that cyprus has applied for Protected Designation of Origin product status which would place it alongside Champagne, Melton Mowbrey Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese.

Driving around cyprus in your hire Car you will see a huge variety of flowers, bushes, shrubs and trees. One of the more interesting and native to the Eastern Mediterranean region is the Carob Tree. The Carob was highly prized by the Ancient Greeks amongst others, it has been cultivated for at least 4000 years and there are references to it in the Bible.  It has been called ‘St John’s bread’ or ‘locust bean’, and for a time it was thought that this referred to the ‘locusts’ that St John ate during his time in the wilderness.  However, although St John might have found the carob pod more palatable, he did in fact survive on the migratory insect variety!

The seeds of the carob were used as weights measure for gold, hence the name ‘carat’.  In other countries, the seeds have been ground and used as a coffee substitute, but here in cyprus, the ground seeds are made into Carob Honey or ‘charoupomelo’, a sticky, rich confection rather like molasses in consistency and delicious when it is enjoyed with bread or yoghurt and also used to flavour milkshakes.  The honey can be taken a stage further by kneading and stretching until it becomes a golden caramel colour and can be eaten as chewy toffee ‘pastelli’, often covered with sesame seeds.

Technically a legume, the carob is probably best known as a popular cocoa substitute, probably because it has only 1/3 the calories and is virtually fat free!  The ground-up pods are used for this and contain important vitamins and minerals and are used in many health foods.  The pods have also been widely used as animal feed and are relished by goats, pigs, cattle and rabbits, with carob flour being used in dog biscuits.

Remnants of the carob’s place in cyprus history can be found in Limassol next to the Medieval Castle near the old port.  The Carob Mill played a vital part in cyprus economy of the time and the carob became one of the islands’ most important exports.  It became known locally as ‘Black Gold’ and the mill which was originally built as warehouses, became the production centre for carobs where they would be collected, separated into the sub products, and then ground before being carried by donkey to the port nearby for global distribution.  The Mill is now a fascinating collection of restaurants, cafes and shops, and old mill machinery can be found dating from 19th century.

What’s in a name? In cyprus – and Greece - the answer is a great deal.

Unlike the UK, where naming a new-born child may be the result of a whim or a fashion statement according to which pop star is in the ascendancy, in cyprus and Greece it is a serious business rooted in social conventions and family traditions which may go back hundreds of years. Whereas the legacy of Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue or even Prince Harry in decades to come may be many namesakes unrelated to them, in Greece and cyprus, different rules apply!

In Greece (especially Crete) and cyprus (which closely follows the conventions) name days are celebrated in a similar way to birthdays in other cultures. According to the Orthodox Church, every day of the year has been dedicated to the memory of a saint or a martyr from the Holy Bible and Holy Tradition. If someone is named after a saint, then there is a big celebration on his or her name day. Gifts are given, festive meals and desserts are prepared, and (in some parts of Greece) special preparations are made for an open house. Usually, name days are on the same date, every year; these are the non-floating name days. There are some floating name days based on the Orthodox holiday calendar that are on a different date each year.

Naming conventions in Greece and cyprus are still followed quite strictly, with the result that certain names are used for many individuals in a generation. In each generation, the eldest grandson in each family will be named after the grandfather, and the eldest granddaughter will be named after the grandmother. If someone had three children, and they all produce a male grandchild, all three of those cousins will have the same name. To top it all off, all those with the same first name will celebrate the same saint’s Name Day.

The endings of surnames change when used as surnames and differ when applied to men and women. On marriage a man does not change his name; a woman takes:
her husband’s personal name as her middle name; and generally, his father’s personal name as her surname. She could, unusually, use his grandfather’s personal name as her surname. If a man who is using his grandfather’s personal name as a surname marries, his wife sometimes has a different surname.

Many Greeks and Greek Cypriots permanently settled in the UK have adopted a static surname system, in which case the father’s personal name is included as the middle name.

In Greece, you get two birthdays. In Greece, everyone celebrates the “Name Day” of the saint that bears the same name. This usually has no relation to a person’s actual birthday except by coincidence.

Greek names reflect a long history. Because of the naming rules, in some cases the same names have been used in an unbroken line for hundreds of years in a single family, if not longer. Often, these names came into use because of a local association with a saint. For example, on the south coast of Crete, where St. Paul is said to have been shipwrecked nearly two thousand years ago, Pavlos is an extremely common name even among unrelated families. But in the rest of Greece, it’s not often encountered.

The complete celebration of Name Days includes a party. In past times, this was open to literally anyone passing on the street, but most parties these days are by invitation. Obviously, people of the same name will usually know where all the celebrations are. Small gifts are exchanged.

Since the Saint is also having a celebration, everyone will visit any local church named for that same saint, make an offering, and light a candle. The bigger churches will put on the larger festivals, often with free food and drink, but even the smallest of chapels will commemorate their saint’s special day in some way. Many of the little chapels you see in the fields or in remote locations will only be open once a year on the day of their saint. And if the village itself is named for the saint, travellers can count on a terrific party on that day.

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.

Considering that the tradition of wine-making runs through the veins of cyprus and it’s ancient heritage, it’s hardly surprising that this Country in the sun-drenched Eastern Mediterranean should be the source of unusual and innovative use of the essential raw ingredient – grapes!

Zivania (also Zivana) is a traditional Continue Reading »

Think of a country – cyprus. Now think of a beer – keo !

Yes, cyprus may be known for its sun-drenched beaches and vibrant nightlife scene – but enduring memories of a holiday spent in a hotel or rented luxury villa are easily spiced with the sights, sounds - and especially the tastes - of this island paradise in the Eastern Mediterranean.

When you’re back home thousands of miles away, just the mention of that cyprus Continue Reading »

cyprus is probably best known for its sun-kissed European ‘Blue Flag’ beaches and visitor attractions ranging from the vibrant club scene in agia napa to ancient archaeological sites in Paphos and the tranquillity of the Troodos mountains.However, the essential beauty of cyprus is much more than its environmental and historical splendour - it is about the quality of life and the celebration of living. Nothing characterises this better than the Cypriot people and how they weave food and eating into their social fabric. For many visitors – either on package holidays or staying in rented apartments and villas – the attraction of cyprus is about exploring new ways of experiencing familiar activities, such as eating out. The keen observer of human behaviour will notice how eating out is a national pastime – and the visitor is encouraged to join in as they pass the inviting restaurants and Meze houses which populate the towns and villages across the island.