For the preparation of xidates olives, women used to cut the flesh of the olives with a blade and soak them in water for 6 days. Then they would drain them and put them in a container with brine for 20 days.
Name - Origin
Olives preserved in vinegar.
They were called xidates because they were preserved in vinegar.
For the preparation of xidates olives, women used to cut the flesh of the olives with a blade and soak them in water for 6 days. Then they would drain them and put them in a container with brine for 20 days. They were preserved in vinegar and brine (Ministry of Agriculture 2010, 7).
Functional and symbolic role
Olives were the most common food for farmers, while they were always an accompaniment to legumes. They were also consumed during fasting periods ( Hadjicostas 1995, 151).
Additional information and bibliography
Olives were collected in the end of October (MANRE 2010, 7)
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture (2010), Preservation of olives and olive preparations, Press and Information Office, Nicosia.
Hadjicostas L. (1995), «Η ελιά στο χωριό μου την εποχή του μεσοπολέμου», Λαογραφική Κύπρος 25,45, 149-154.
Dimitra Demetriou, Petroula Hadjittofi, Argyro Xenophontos