Toasted bread /roasted pork.
Name - Origin
Well-known in Greece, it is the toasted bread (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry καπύρα,η, 306) - bread or slice of bread on the grill, well-baked (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Καπύρα, 51). George Loukas in his Glossary notes that it is bread, usually breakfast bread, toasted or sautéed: 'It smells like burnt bread and seems like you made kapyres' (Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry καπύρα,η, 191). Ioannis Erotokritos points out that it is a slice of bread, grilled or fried with oil or butter
Kapyra was also the name given to roasted pork (on the charcoal): 'what a fat pork for kapyran' (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry καπύρα,η, 306) - the crispy pork (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Καπύρα, 51; Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry καπύρα,η, 191).
ETYM. < verb kapyrizo. The word, though Greek, is perhaps derived from kato (down) + pyra (fire) and means burning directly on fire, without there being anything in between. Or from the preposition kata, kata+pyra, katapyra, kapyra (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry καπύρα,η, 306). < ancient kapyrion (Yangoullis 2009, entry καπύρα,η, 181) < Greek phrase "kapyria pyra" of Athenaeus (PetrouPoeitou 2013, entry Καπύρα, 51)
synonym: katsoura (Kypri 1989, entry καπύρα,η, 450)
Both the bread and pork were cooked in the oven/pan (Kypri 1989, entry καπύρα,η, 450).
Functional and symbolic role
People with diabetes or other diseases, who are forbidden to eat bread, cut slices of bread, put them on the fire and eat: "Make me a kapyran, because the doctor has prevented me from eating bread!" (Kypri 1989, entry καπύρα,η, 450).
Once fried, kapyres are dipped in melipikton [a sweet made with sesame and honey; pasteli (Babiniotis 2005, entry μελίπηκτο,το, 1069)] and eaten as a sweet (Kypri 1989, entry καπύρα,η, 450). This is also reported by Pavlos Xioutas; that mothers would give their children kapyres spread with fat and sugar as a sweet, usually in the afternoon (Xioutas 1978, 151).
A type of dish is also prepared with fried kapyra and woodcock and partridge (Kypri 1989, entry καπύρα,η, 450).
Additional information and bibliography
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1979 [2002²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part A, Glossary of George Loukas, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XLI, Nicosia.
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.
Yangoullis K. G. (2009), Thesaurus of the Cypriot dialect. Interpretative, Etymological, Phraseological and Nomenclatural Dictionary of the Medieval and Modern Cypriot Dialect, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Babiniotis G. (2005), Dictionary of Modern Greek Language. With comments on the correct use of words. Interpretative, Orthographic, Etymological, Synonyms, Main Names, Scientific Terms, Acronyms, Centre for Lexicology, Athens, Greece.
Xioutas P. (1978), Κυπριακή λαογραφία των ζώων, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XXXVIII, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou, Demetra Dimitriou, Tonia Ioakim, Argyro Xenophontos
Foods
Katsoura
“We used to toast katsoura on the charcoal, dip it in olive oil and season it with salt” (Lazarou 2004, 29).
Foods
S̆iros, shiros
Every part of the animal, even the theoretically useless parts, such as the ears, the intestines and the feet were important and useful.