A taste of Cyprus

28-May-2025 | Luisa Welch

Along with a history of winemaking dating back centuries, Cyprus offers a delightful blend of Mediterranean flavours and delicious local dishes, which pair so well with the island’s wines.

On the recent food and wine study trip to Cyprus, between visiting wineries, meeting producers and tasting wines, the group I was with were treated to a gastronomic interlude when we travelled to the village of Letymbou, just 12 km north of bustling Paphos, although it felt like a whole lifetime away. Nestled in the scenic countryside, this village exudes a serene and timeless atmosphere that captures the essence of traditional Cypriot life.

It’s here that we met one of the most charismatic people I have ever come across: the legendary Sofia, who runs ‘Sofia’s Traditional House’. The epicentre of the village, the ‘house’ is a bakery – Sofia bakes 200 bread loaves to order every day – but it’s also an impromptu cookery school and a restaurant. And it’s home to many cats – cats abound in Cyprus!

Following Sofia’s guidance, we attempted to make bread, some more successfully than others. Oh, but did it taste good when it was baked and then served at the table!

Watching halloumi being made was a mesmerising experience. This typical Cypriot cheese is made by first coagulating milk with rennet to separate curds and whey. The curds are then heated in the whey, pressed in a mould and brined in a salted whey solution. This process gives halloumi its characteristic salty taste and the unique, firm texture that holds its shape when cooked.

And so to the table for a rewarding lunch after all the hard work. The dishes just kept on coming, ‘that’ bread, and ‘that’ halloumi sprinkled with mint took centre stage, and then so many dishes it’s almost impossible to list them all.  A glass of the white Xynisteri 2024, like the one we tasted at the Tsangarides winery, would be perfect with the cheese. Fresh, citrussy and with good acidity, from a very good year, this Xynisteri undergoes a cold maceration for eight hours thus taking elegant aromas from the skins. Batonnage and three months in oak gives it body and complexity.

Achieving standout was kleftiko, lamb slow roasted until it’s incredibly tender and falls off the bone. The name ‘kleftiko’ translates as ‘stolen’, referencing the historical practice of bandits stealing lamb and cooking it in underground pits to avoid being caught.  This dish, traditionally cooked with herbs, vegetables and potatoes, would be outstanding with a glass of red Aeoneo 2021, from the Santa Irene Winery high up in the mountains. Made from 100% Mavro grapes from vineyards which are over 100 years old, this ripe, rich wine with an intense spicy aromatic bouquet and a tannic full body, would admirably complement the  richness of the kleftiko.

Kotopoulo – simple roast chicken so moist and tender, a refreshing horiatiki – peasant salad with flavoursome tomatoes, olives and feta, where just a delight for all the senses.

When Lukumades were brought to the table, it was time to end the meal in style. This popular Cypriot dessert, like small deep fried doughnuts crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, where deliciously drizzled with local honey and a little sugar.  A glass of Commandaria, the wine for which Cyprus is rightly famous for, would be just perfect. Like the artisanal Commandaria tasted at the Revecca Winery, dedicated to preserving the authentic taste and traditions of Commandaria. Made to strict PDO regulations, not fortified and produced in limited quantities. Matured in old barrels and aged for two years, it is sweet yet balanced, with notes of hazelnut and dried fruit, honey and a fresh tangerine finish.

A short coffee and a glass of Zivana, the traditional Cypriot spirit distilled from locally grown grapes and a symbol of the island’s cultural heritage, ended what can only be described as a most unique experience for all the senses. Zivana is protected under EU regulations and can only be made in Cyprus, so it was a real treat to taste it.  We waved goodbye to Sofia and her husband Andros, and were on our way to the next tasting.