Appídin - pear | Cyprus Food Museum

«Αχλάδια» <br/> Πηγή: Υπουργείο Γεωργίας

Gennadios writes about Cypriot pears at the beginning of the 20th century: "Cyprus, which in the times of Pliny was praised for its large pears, nowadays produces very few and mostly poor quality pears.

Name - Origin

Cypriot name of food

Απ(π)ίδιν, αχλάδι. Ap(p)ídin, ahládi.

Greek name - description

Αχλάδι.

Language remarks

ETYM. < ancient άπιον + ending -ίδι(ο)ν (Yangoullis 2009, entry απίδιν - αππίιν,το 68 / Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Αππίδι, 26).

Plural αππίδκια - appídkia.

áppis or appidkiá = the pear tree (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 2, entry άππης,ο, 258).

The name áppis derives from the ancient word ápios (Theodorou 2006, 385-389).

Processing method

Pears were eaten fresh or were used to make spoon sweets.

Additional information and bibliography

Supplementary Information

P.G. Gennadios writes about Cypriot pears at the beginning of the 20th century: "Cyprus, which in the times of Pliny was praised for its large pears, nowadays, produces very few pears and mostly of poor quality. In this island, the native plants Κράταιγος ο Αζαρόλος (i.e. azarole fruit) and Απιδέα η συριακή - P. syriaca (i.e. Agrapis as it is called by the islanders) are used as subjects for inoculation of the common A. (i.e. Apidea) (Gennadios 1914, 129).

'In Cyprus the following varieties of pears are distinguished: aoustapkia or aoustiatika, grousapkia or drousapkia, kolokapkia or kolapkia, laïnapkia, milapkia, mosfilapkia, mousapkia, shemoniatika, stouppokola' (Great Encyclopaedia of Cyprus, vol. 2, entry άππης,ο, 258).(Gennadios 1914, 129).

The well-known expression: 'I will teach you how many appídia can fit in the bag' is a common threat of punishment (PetrouPoeitou 2013, article Αππίδι, 26).

Bibliography

Gennadios P. G. (1914), Phytological Dictionary: Containing the names, nativity and life of more than a thousand plants, including those cultivated for their usefulness or cultivated by the people, whose history, cultivation, products and diseases are also described, From the Printing House of Paraskevas Leonis, Athens.

Yangoullis K.G. (2008), Κυπριακά ήθη και έθιμα του κύκλου της ανθρώπινης ζωής, του εορτολογίου και των μηνών με στοιχεία γεωργικής λαογραφίας (Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών αρ. 67), Theopress Ltd., Nicosia.

Theodorou K. (2006), Τα Λύμπια: μια περιδιάβαση στο παρελθόν και στο παρόν, Nicosia.

Pavlides A. (ed.) (1985), Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 2, Filokypros, Nicosia.

Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Where do they come from. Words and stories from the world of taste, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.

Researcher/Recorder

Savvas Polyviou, Tonia Ioakim, Kyriaki Panteli / Petroula Hadjittofi, Argyro Xenophontos.

Photos