The cuisine of Cyprus....is it all just Greek? Article Published: 15:21 03/02/2006 Article Classification: Kakopetria Cyprus
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Cypriot Cuisine

The food in Cyprus reflects the divide: in the North you'll find mostly Turkish cuisine; in the Republic, Greek. But wherever you are in Cyprus , you'll come across kleftiko (oven-baked lamb) and mezedes (dips, salads and other appetizers). Cyprus is also famous for its fruit, which the government protects with a ban on imported products. You'll find strawberries, stone fruit, melons, prickly pear, citrus and grapes.

Cypriot cuisine has been influenced by different cultures throughout history. Each dish has a unique taste and is well presented reflecting the cypriot character.

‘Molhiya” Arab in origin is a well developed dish appealing to cypriot taste,preparation and presentation. A few Cypriot dishes: "Yalanci Dolma" (vine leaves stuffed with rice, onions, and tomatoes); "Sish Kebab" (marinated lamb, skewered and grilled over charcoal; "Musakka" (layers of mince, potatoes, and aubergines baked in the oven with cheese topping).

Many dishes vary from region to region making Cyprus a facinating place to eat.

The Turkish-Cypriot cuisine owes its heritage to a mixture of Mediterranean , Southern European and Middle Eastern influences. Local dishes are delicious, particularly the "meze". This is a specialty of Cyprus and consists of a large number of cold and hot hors d'oeuvres such as different salads, meats, vegetable, and fish dishes. It is taken either as an appetizer or a main course.

The Turkish coffee has been introduced to the West by the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth century. Turkish coffee is served in small coffee cups, and in three ways, called sade, which is unsweetened, orta, which is moderately sweet, and sekerli, which is very sweet. One is always asked before the coffee is brewed which of the three one would like. Olive Tree advisors recommend tea if you don't like your coffee VERY strong!

Turkish coffee is usually served with a glass of cold water, and it is the custom to take a sip of water after drinking coffee.

Cypriot cuisine includes a great variety of vegetable dishes, grills, pastry, fish, soups, lahmacun and many more.

In addition to local cuisine, Chinese, Italian, French and Indian foods are served in international restaurants.

Greek Cypriot cuisine derives from Greece mainland and its associated islands. Given the geography and history of Greece, this style of cookery has influences from Italian, Balkan and Middle Eastern cuisine.The terrain has tended to favour the production of goats and sheep over cattle ,and thus beef dishes tend to be a rarity by comparison. Fish dishes are also common.

Olive oil produced from the trees prominent throughout the region, adds to the distinctive taste of Greek food. Many dishes use filo pastry. Too much refinement is generally considered to be against the hearty spirit of the Greek cuisine. Traditionally, Greek dishes are served warm rather than hot as eating food too hot was deemed unhealthy.

Brandy Sour
Brandy Sour is the drink of Cyprus . It combines local brandy with the fresh tang of Cyprus lemons. The ingredients used are lemons squash, brandy, angostura, soda and lots of ice cubes.

Macaroni Pastitsio
This dish, like any other country, is loved by all, the young and old. It's delicious to be eaten right after baking. Although the preparations stay the same, the ingredients may vary from different countries. In Cyprus , the special ingredient includes halloumi cheese, cinnamon, bechamel sauce and nutmeg.

Barbecued Halloumi cheese
This is a special dish, made by the population of Cyprus . This dish is baked adding Halloumi cheese, then placed under a hot grill and grilled on both sides until golden brown. The slices are then served on a warm plate with the dressing poured over. Garnish with sprigs of coriander or flat parsley before serving, eaten together with toasted pita bread.

Grape Tart
This delicacy is one of the favorites among younger generations. The grape tart is bakes in large quantities, for serving purposes, serve well while chilled.

Kalimeras Halloumi
There's nothing lighter, more refreshing or tastier than this dish, grilled or fried until it's beautifully brown and served alongside a combination of crisp lettuce, raddiccio, fresh Cyprus tomatoes and Greek dressing. Add some bread, a glass of fresh Cyprus orange juice and you have a meal that will brighten up your day.

Melomakarona Honey soaked buns
to make the bread; hone is used in a large quantity. The ingredients can be changed for sugar, instead. The buns are inked over coarsely ground almonds before serving.