Cereals and bread in the 18th century.
Εσώφυλλο της ‘Ιστορίας Χρονολογικής της Νήσου Κύπρου’ του Αρχιμ. Κυπριανού(1788).
"On food", a report by Archim. Kyprianos (1788) in his book "Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου" (Chronological History of the Island of Cyprus) on the types of cereals that were cultivated and consumed in the 18th century.
Functional and symbolic role
Archim. Kyprianos in his "Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου" (Chronological History of the Island of Cyprus, 1788, pp. 541-542) states that the following cereals were cultivated in large areas and quantities, especially in the area of Mesaoria: wheat, barley and millet. Millet seems to have been introduced to the island by the Venetians, but it was not well received by the villagers, although it was a species that could thrive in the climatic conditions of Cyprus. Villagers used to make bread from barley flour. Although one type of bread, polenta, could be made from millet very easily without the need for kneading and baking, it was not adopted by the people.
Additional information and bibliography
Archimandrite Kyprianos (1788) στορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου, Typos Evagoras, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou
Foods
Alevrin - flour
Flour has always been the basic raw material for the preparation of various doughs, most notably for bread.
Foods
Artos, Afranda
Artos was prepared on special occasions like Saints' Days, Christmas, Easter, weddings and memorial services as an offering to the church.
Traditional Recipes
Barley Bread
If a family had no wheat, it would use barley grains to make flour, which was then used to make bread.
Traditional Recipes
Bread (wheat)
"... gradually incorporate all the flour, adding water when needed, and knead the dough well. Cover it for a while to rise.” (Sotira Kyriakou, Kyperounda)
Traditional Recipes
Bread with raisins
A recipe of a sweeter variation to the regular bread. “Knead the dough, then add the raisins." (Athena Kamintzi, Kyperounda)
Traditional Recipes
Dahtylies bread
Dahtylies have a long, narrow shape and are divided into parallel pieces so that each one can be cut more easily and evenly.
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures
Slices of bread fried in olive oil and usually spread with sugar or honey, and cinnamon. They used to constitute one of the meals of the day, accompanied by olives and halloumi.
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures with epsima (grape syrup)
Slices of bread fried in olive oil and drizzled with epsima (grape syrup).
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures with fruit salad
Slices of bread fried in olive oil, sprinkled with sugar and in this variation they are accompanied by a fruit salad. Katsoures with sugar were a common delicacy during the period of the English rule…
Foods
Psoumin - bread
Women had to get up at dawn to prepare the boukkoman (breakfast), which was usually a lot of bread with some halloumi or olives with onions
Traditional Recipes
Souppouthkia
Cubes of fried bread with carob syrup or epsima. This sweet dish was consumed daily in the old days, since it was tasty, affordable and very beneficial. The two variations of the recipe come from…
Traditional Recipes
Sourdough Bread
The Holy Water from the feast of the Holy Cross (14 September) is used for the preparation of the sourdough starter. The initial starter is formed by combining this holy water and some flour… it is…
Traditional Recipes
Vaftó
A unique mezé of melted pork fat on freshly baked bread. Recipe from Marathasa valley.
Foods
Wheat bread making process
Types of wheat bread: wheat bread, bread with semolina, afratítzia, bread with semolina flour, pomágnena, mágnena.
Production Methods
αλώνισμαν,το ΕΝ
Τα ζώα έσερναν τη δουκάνη κυκλικά, για ώρες, πάνω από τα δεμάτια. Ο γεωργός, τον οποίο ονόμαζαν αλωνευτή, έβαζε μια καρέκλα και καθόταν πάνω στη δουκάνη.