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Cypriots would usually use the word "artymata" to indicate only pepper and no other spice.
Name - Origin
Spices and particularly pepper.
Usually Cypriots would use the word "salt" to indicate only pepper and no other spice. A common phrase was: 'bring me some artyma to add to my food' (Kypri 1983 [2003²], article αρτύματα,τα, 132).
Additional information and bibliography
Archim. Kyprianos, in his book " Chronological History of the Island of Cyprus", refers to the types of spices that were produced in the 18th century on the island: "Salt, white and abundant, with which ships were loaded from the two ports to other places. Krokos, or exquisite saffron, fragrant but scarce. Mustard seeds and sumac. Some manna is produced but locals don't know about it" (Archim. Kyprianos 1788, 544). In the above passage, krokos (saffron), mustard seeds, sumac and manna are mentioned among the flavourings.
The quality of saffron was, as is mentioned, excellent, but the quantity produced was small. Very little of manna was produced, and eventually it was abandoned. Very large quantities of salt were extracted from the two salt lakes and it was exported in very large quantities.
According to P. Gennadios (1914, 165), at the beginning of the 20th century, in some mountain villages of Cyprus, the plant Artemisia dracunculus was cultivated. Out of this plant they produced strachouri or trachouri (tarragon), which was used as a spice and to flavour vinegar.
Some other prices used in the Cypriot cuisine were mavrokokkos and kartamon (find each one of these in the food section).
Gennadios P. G. (1914), Λεξικόν φυτολογικόν: Περιλαμβάνον τα ονόματα, την ιθαγένειαν και τον βίον υπερδεκασχιλίων φυτών, εν οις και τα λόγω χρησιμότητος ή κόσμου καλλιεργούμενα, των οποίων περιγράφονται και η ιστορία, η καλλιέργεια, τα προϊόντα και αι νόσοι, From the Printing House of Paraskevas Leonis, Athens.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part B, Glossary of Xenophon P. Pharmakides, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Archimandrite Kyprianos (1788), Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου, Τύποις Ευαγόρα, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou, Savvas Polyviou / Petroula Hadjittofi, Argyro Xenophontos
Σουμάκι. Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Σουμάκι. Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Foods
Gyros with sumac
Edible sumac, the seeds of which are used as a spice in many Mediterranean countries, is native in Cyprus.
Traditional Recipes
Pickled green chillies
Green chillies, like various other greens and vegetables, are preserved in vinegar and served as an appetiser or as an accompaniment to other dishes.
Foods
Zahara, Zafora - Saffron crocus
Zahara or saffron is an ancient spice which consists of the red dried stigmas of the purple flower of the crocus plant (Crocus Sativus).