The national cuisine of Cyprus is a special part of the Cypriot culture. Their dishes are striking in their rich taste and huge variety. In addition to gastronomic features, visitors are sure to be struck by the unique design, which deserves all praise. What is this amazing dish and what nuances should a traveler know when choosing ingredients for a traditional meze?
National dishes
Popular dishes are very diverse. Among them it is worth noting:
- Souvlaki is a national kebab of small pieces of meat, which can be purchased at any restaurant.
- Suvla is the same kebab, only from large pieces of meat.
- Lucanica is branded delicious sausages.
- Dolma is a stew with rice wrapped in a grape leaf.
- Musaka - an incredibly tasty casserole with minced meat, eggplant, bechamel sauce, zucchini with cheese.
- Kleftiko - lamb cooked in the oven.
- Gyros - very similar to the well-known shawarma. This is any meat cooked on special equipment, and then cut into small pieces and wrapped with salad, french fries and zaziki sauce in pita.
- Squids are squid rings that are used in deep-frying cooking.
- Very often on the menu you can meet Halumi cheese, which is made from goat milk. It is very tasty, especially if you grill it.
A popular dish in Cyprus is meze. What is it, every traveler should know. It can be either fish or meat. The dish is a large portion of a wide variety of dishes. When ordering it, you can try a lot of frills.
Sauces
As noted, many types of sauces use different types of sauces:
- The most famous is considered tzaziki. It is made from yogurt, finely chopped pickles, garlic and mint leaves and is often served with meat meze in Cyprus.
- Hummus is a very extravagant product, so it is not suitable for everyone. Prepared from garlic, pea puree, olive oil and lemon juice.
- Taramasalata - a bright pink sauce. It has a mild fishy flavor, since pollock caviar, olive oil and mashed potatoes are used for its preparation.
- Tahini is a lemon juice mixed with sesame seeds. The result is a fairly thick sauce.
Dessert
After the Cyprus fish meze, the photo of which can be seen later, it is customary to serve black tea with candied fruit. They are made from orange, melon and watermelon peels, as well as from green walnuts. Candied fruits are usually taken in their own syrup on a dish. A knife and a fork are surely served to it.
From sweets in Cyprus you can find Turkish delight, almonds in molasses and baklava - this is puff pastry, which is soaked in syrup and laid with nuts. It is considered extremely delicious Cypriot pastries.
Tea or coffee is served with desserts. The last drink is also called "metrio", in the culture of Cyprus it is the end of the meal. For cooking, you need a Turk, in which the ground grains are boiled several times. The drink is served in tiny cups with a glass of water. Drink it is recommended in small sips. Spices for its preparation are not used, you can add only sugar to taste.
Fish meze
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has always been proud of the amount of seafood. It is not surprising that the fish meze in Cyprus, the photo of which is presented below, is an indispensable part of the Cypriot culture. This daily food with dignity migrated to the pages of respectable restaurant menus.
Most often, travelers are offered a standard set, which may include:
- local sauces, namely: hummus, dzazziki, tahini and taramasalata;
- vegetable snacks - salted mushrooms, olives, eggplant, baked / fried zucchini, pickled cauliflower, caper leaves and beets, as well as boiled potatoes and fries;
- Yauti and Halumi cheeses;
- seafood - deep-fried or shrimp shrimps, mussels, squids and crabs;
- grilled fish;
- soufflé or fried fish.
Meze dish in Cyprus does not do without bread. The diet of the Cypriots includes hot pita (flat cake), white bread, croutons and, of course, dessert - seasonal fruit pastries. A bonus in such a set may include cooked cuttlefish, sea urchin or its caviar, as well as fish soup.
Meat meat in Cyprus
What kind of dish is already clear from the material above. Unlike a fish set, this includes meat products. You can find already mentioned sauces in it, especially hummus, as well as olives, olives, baked mushrooms and vegetables, various marinades, salads, cheeses, hot and cold snacks. For cooking, pork, beef, rabbit, lamb and chicken are used.
In the restaurant or tavern menu, the components will not be listed separately. But the waiter can decipher the exotic components of a traditional dish. Most often in Cyprus, the meze dish consists of the following positions:
- Lukanika - smoked pork sausages seasoned with coriander;
- dolmades - dolma familiar to all;
- tavvas - fried lamb meat with vegetables and potatoes;
- sheftanyu - grilled cutlets made from minced pork;
- Kleftika - baked lamb with spices;
- souvlaki is a kebab of small pieces of pork;
- stifado - braised beef in wine vinegar with spices and onions;
- lunzu - pickled and smoked pork in red wine.
Every tourist knows about Mesa in Cyprus, that this is a very satisfying set. And although it is indicated that the portion is designed for one person, in fact it will be enough to treat two guests.
Where can I buy
You can get acquainted with the culinary of the island in any corner of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as in Turkey. The meze dish in Cyprus and Turkey is slightly different in composition, but the meaning of serving remains the same. According to local residents, the tastiest fish dish can be tasted closer to Protaras and Famagusta, as these are the most fishy places on the island. In order to feel the exotic of national cuisine, do not immediately go to a restaurant. It is better to visit a simpler establishment, away from local tourist gatherings. If we talk about what is included in the fish meze in Cyprus, then the richest composition can be obtained on the coast.
Price
Be sure to try the meze in Cyprus. That it is very tasty, it will become clear immediately. Now you need to figure out what the price of such a treat is. First of all, the cost depends on its type (meat or fish), on the area and attractions. It is believed that the cheapest option for one person will be a dish for 15-17 euros. But to say exactly about its value is quite difficult.
Pricing depends on many factors:
- the presence of certain ingredients;
- tourist demand;
- institution status;
- time of year.
It is known that in expensive restaurants you can enjoy a meal for 85 euros. To save money, you need to choose a suburban cafe.
Reviews about Cyprus
Mese is a very popular dish on the island. According to tourists, you can’t come to Cyprus and not try this variety of gastronomic tastes. According to avid travelers, in each restaurant the ingredients for the dish are different. You can choose about 15-20 variations, as well as enjoy all the famous sauces. Here, not a single table can do without marinades and fresh salads. For meat lovers they can offer grilled dishes, chops, as well as everyone's favorite spicy sausages. A huge assortment of fried and grilled fish will be presented to gourmets.