ALMOND SWEET

Limnati is famous for having the biggest production of almonds in Cyprus. As a result, the residents of the community, apart from using almonds to make “soutzouko”, they also made almond sweets.

To make almond sweet we must first bleach and peel the almonds. Next, the almonds are grinded and then we prepare a syrup (water, sugar, mastic, rose water, lemon) which we add, little by little, to the grinded almonds in order to create a mixture. Finally, the sweet is packed into small glass bottles and is ready to be consumed.   

Today, the “Erotokritos Estate” makes almond sweets, “palouze”, “soutzouko” and “kiofterka” at their new privately owned factory which is located within the administrative borders of the neighbouring village of Korfi. The factory is equipped with state of the art machinery and includes, apart from the lab where the above sweets are made, an olive mill. At the factory there is also a museum dedicated to grapes and olives, as well as a traditional cafe-restaurant.

VILLAGE BREAD

Ever since the ancient years and up until today, bread has been a basic part of everyday nutrition. Bread is both nutritious and tasty. There are several types of bread which have a distinctive taste as they are made using different methods.

Nitsa Constantinou from Limnati of the Limassol District deals with the making of traditional village leaven bread on a semi-professional level. The making of the village leaven bread made by Mrs Nitsa is made in exactly the same way her grandmother and mother used in the past in order to cover the needs of their families.  

To make the leaven she uses holy water. In order for the water to become sanctified, she places it in bottles and takes it to the church of Timios Prodromos on Holy Thursday. After the end of the mass, she takes the water back home. Village flour is added to 1/3 of the water and then the mixture is kneaded and covered with sheets so that fermentation will take place. Three days later the remaining holy water and more village flour are added to the bread dough before being kneaded again and covered with sheets. After three more days, the leaven is ready. Part of this leaven will be preserved in the freezer to be used for the making of more leaven, thus preserving and renewing the leaven all year round.

To make the village bread, Mrs Nitsa takes the leaven, adds water, salt and flour and kneads until the dough becomes supple. Next, she cuts the dough into 1 kg pieces and makes round bread or buns, according to the orders she has received and she finally adds sesame and other flavorings before placing them on a large round basketwork called “tsestos”. Then, the products are once again covered with sheets so that fermentation will take place. In the summer, the village bread’s fermentation takes two hours, whereas four hours are needed in spring and eight in winter.

The traditional oven is already lit with logs. When the temperature is right, the coals are removed and the surface of the oven in cleaned using different fabrics. Next, with the help of a long wooden tool called “fournefti” the bread is placed on the surface of the oven. Some coals will be left at the mouth of the oven so that the bread will acquire some colour before the oven is sealed. After one hour, the bread is ready. 

The production of village bread by Mrs Nitsa takes place every Saturday morning.

RESI

“Resi” is a traditional Cypriot dish which is made using wheat cooked in meat broth and which resembles pilaf. “Resi” used to be served to the guests during the feast that would follow the wedding ceremony. The making of “resi” would begin 2-3 days before the wedding and it was considered to be among the customs of a traditional Cypriot wedding.

The main ingredient of “Resi” is wheat. The wheat would be cleaned and then transferred in troughs covered in red clothing to the village fountain while being accompanied by music and singing. There, the girls helping with the preparations for the wedding would wash it and transfer it back to the house where they would spread it to dry. On the next day, again in the company of music and singing, the wheat would be grinded using a hand mill turned upside down. This way the wheat would not be crashed but simply peeled and break slightly. Then, it was cooked. The cooking would take place in large boilers containing the broth in which the meat had previously been cooked. Pieces of meat and fat were left in the boilers to cook along with the wheat, while various flavorings were also added. The cooking took several hours and required constant stirring using a large wooden spoon before the mixture turned into a delicious thick batter.            

Today “resi” is still made when the wedding is prepared based on old traditional customs. However, the old preparation and making procedure is not entirely followed.   

In Limnati the “resi” which is served in different weddings and events is made by Mr. Giorgos Zavros. He himself learnt how to make “resi” by assisting his uncle during its preparation. 

On Saturday morning a goat is butchered, usually an old one so that its meat is firm and with a lot of fat. Then, the meat is cut into big pieces. In the afternoon, the meat is placed in a container called “hartzin” before being boiled. While being boiled, salt is added to the mixture and then the foam is removed from the container. Next, 4 kilos of sliced onions are added into the boiler to cook until Sunday morning. On Sunday morning, the meat is removed from the “hartzin” and all the bones are discarded. Next, the broth is filtered in another boiler. The first boiler is thoroughly cleaned before the bone-free meat and the broth are placed in it again. The “hartzin” is then placed above fire. The grinded wheat is thoroughly washed by following the special procedure we described above before being placed in the “hartzin” and stirred for 3-4 hours. Water and salt are added during the stirring. At the beginning, the fire is strong but later its intensity is reduced. During the final hour, the “resi” is cooked on coals. Then, the “hartzin” is removed from the fire, covered and 4-5 hours are allowed for the wheat to absorb the broth. After these hours pass, the “resi” is ready to be consumed.     

WINE

The grapes which are destined for the production of wine are produced in fine variety vineyards. In the old times, the grapes used to be placed in clay basins and stepped on until they melted before being placed into the clay corves where fermentation took place and which lasted approximately 12 days. Actually, the grapes used to be pressed every day as the fermentation process caused them to boil.    

Once fermentation was finished, filtering used to take place. A small sieve or basket would be placed in the middle of the large clay jar and the wine would be collected and transferred to a clean and sterilized clay jar. Sterilization would be achieved by spraying sulfur inside the clay jar. The bunches, the pips and the peel of the grapes, all known as “zivana”, would be placed inside the jar. The jars would be kept open for a few more days so that fermentation would be completed and the jars cleaned from any wine residues. Next, the jar would be closed using a round marble tablet and sealed using plaster so that air would not flow in it.      

ZIVANIA

The name “zivana” or “zivania” derives from the Greek word “zivana” (grape pomace). Pomace is actually the wine distillate which is produced in special boilers through distillation. Usually, its alcohol volume ranges from an average of 47- 52%. Ever since the Venetian occupation and up until today the production of “zivania” has been a main profession and an important source of income for Cypriot viticulturists. The distillation of “zivania” is a traditional form of art which has been passed on from generation to generation in all the wine-villages of Cyprus.

To produce fine quality “zivania” the grapes that are to be used must be mature and healthy. The must that will be used for fermentation should not exceed 12-13° Baume so that a complete fermentation is achieved.  Once the Baume meter indications fall below zero we become aware that the fermentation process is complete and that the sugar has turned into alcohol. Next, the wine and the “tsipouro” are poured into the boiler which is filled up to 4/5 of its capacity.  

At the bottom of the boiler “zivania” makers place a material called “mazia” so that the pomace will not stick to the bottom. Moreover, before sealing the boiler containing the pomace, “mazia” are also placed on the top of the boiler to press the pomace. Afterwards a fire is lit, the strength of which is lowered as soon as “zivania” starts flowing since the fire has to be stable and of medium strength during distillation.   

Multiple usages can be attributed to “zivania”. It is widely used for therapeutic purposes during massaging, for the treatment of colds and toothaches, for the sterilization of wounds, when people faint, as well as a tonic drink consumed in winter. Moreover, it is also used as a traditional alcoholic drink.   

PALOUZES / SOUTZOUKOS

“Palouzes” and “Soutzoukos” are well-known traditional sweet delicacies of Cyprus which one meets in villages where white grapes are produced.

After pressing the grapes the distil extracted from them known as must is taken and placed in a large special boiler before being placed above fire. Once the must has begun to boil, a special type of soil known as white soil is added in the boiler. The addition of the soil helps clean the must better and make it sweeter. While the must is boiling a spoon has to be constantly used in order to remove all impurities that come to the surface.  

Next, a mixture containing approximately 10 kg of must and 1,280 kg of flour is created before beginning to stir above fire until the mixture is cooked. Next, the mixture is poured into plates and crashed dry nuts are added to complete the preparation of “palouzes”.

The next stage is completed with the making of “soutzoukos”. Almond nuts or walnuts, depending on the maker’s choice, are connected using thread. On the edge of the thread there is a hook to that the thread can be suspended above the ground, something the helps “soutzoukos” dry. The threads are sank into the hot mixture used to make “palouzes” before being hanged for some hours to dry.  

This step is repeated either on the same day, as long as more “palouzes” mixture is made, or on the next day. The threads are sank between three and five times into the “palouzes” mixture. Then, the “soutzoukos” is left hanging for 5-6 days, unless somebody prefers to try it while still fresh. In this case, it can be cut even on the same day.  

HALLOUMI (White Cheese)

The milk is placed above fire to heat and a special coagulant powder called “pidkia” is added to it before it is left to cool. Soon, the milk is solidified. Next, it is cut into pieces which are in turn placed in a container called “talari”. Then, the cheese is pressed so that it becomes strained and the liquid which is extracted during the straining process is known as “noros”.

The “noros” is reheated and more milk is added to it, usually at a proportion of 1 to 10.  The “noros” will once again become solidified, resulting in a product called “anari”. The “anari” is then either left unsalted or salt is added to it before it is left to dry and stored. To take the “anari” the cheese has to, once again, be pressed inside the “talari”. So, this pressing process produces even more “noros”, which will be used in order to store and preserve the “halloumia”.  

In the meantime, once the “halloumia” have dried after undergoing the process inside the “talari”, they are sank into the “noros” which is left after the production of the “anari”. Then, they are cooked on low fire for about one hour. Once they are ready, they come to the surface of the “noros” in which they are boiling. Next, salt and ground-up spearmint are added to every piece of “halloumi” before being folded in two and stored in a glass container. Once the container is full of “halloumia”, more “noros” is added to it before being sealed. Both the “halloumi” and the “anari” are types of white cheese. 

FRUMENTY

Frumenty is known all over Cyprus as a delicious and at the same time nutritious traditional dish. It is actually a type of soup made using fermented wheat and sour milk.

More specifically, once the wheat has been thoroughly washed, this is grinded using a hand-mill. Next, the wheat is mixed with sour milk and the mixture is placed above fire. Once it has boiled, the mixture becomes solidified and it can then be made into smaller pieces which are spread under the sun to dry. These small pieces are stored and preserved for a long time.  

Every time a housewife wishes to cook frumenty soup, she takes the quantity she needs from the stored pieces. She places the pieces into water and then she cooks them above fire after sinking them into meat broth. While the soup is being cooked, some fresh milk can be added to it. In fact, one can also add small pieces of “halloumi” which also cooks along with the soup. Frumenty soup is served hot after adding salt, pepper and lemon.