Animal fat (mainly pork fat).
Name - Origin
Λίπος ζώου.
Mylla is the animal fat, mainly pig fat (Yangoullis 2009, entry μύλλα,η, 302; Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Μύλλα, 100).
Pavlos Xioutas points out that it is melted pig fat, lard. It was pale yellow in colour, it gave off an unpleasant smell and it could easily go rancid. On the contrary, mylla (fat) from a pig's peritoneum was odourless and palatable, hence the housewives of the Pitsilia region would use it for immediate consumption. This fat was called ''mílla kafoúra'', probably because of its white colour (Xioutas 1978, 150-152). Kafoura means white (Yagoullis 2009, entry αφούρα,η - καφούριν,το, 198).
ETYM. < ancient Cypriot μύλα < μύλαμαι (to rinse) (Yangoullis 2009, entry μύλλα,η, 302; Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Μύλλα, 100) Ioannis Erotokritos in his Glossary (Kypri 1989, entry μίλλα,η, 37), notes that the word comes from the verb millono, which means to eat fat and so to eat meat, hence, "to eat meat in the fasting period" (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry μίλλα,η, 26). George Lucas in his Glossary marks the word with both -i and -y and speculates that it derives from the verb myllo, because when mylla is dissolved it looks as if it were ground (Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry μίλλα ή μύλλα,η, 311). Pork fat is also called σ̆οιρόμυλλα - s̆irómylla.
Once the animal has been slaughtered, the skin is separated from the fat with a sharp knife and the pure fat is cut into small pieces, called tsiríntz̆es. These pieces of fat are then placed with a bit of water (and no salt) in a copper pot and boiled over low heat. After fat begins to melt, the heat is turned up and the tsiríntz̆es are stirred regularly until almost all of them have melted. The mixture is allowed to cool down (to become lukewarm) and the fat is poured into a special container, called láginos, and stored in the cellar, partially covered, to cool and thicken (Xioutas 1978, 150-152).
Functional and symbolic role
Milla was a substitute for butter for poor farmers. All fried and yahní dishes were cooked using milla. Mothers would spread milla on toast, sprinkle it with sugar and give that to their children as a sweet. In Rizokarpaso, milla was used to make millópittes (Xioutas 1978, 150-152).
According to historical documentation, since the time of the Venetian occupation of Cyprus, people used to make milla (Nicolaou Konnari - Schabel 2005).
At Palaikythro, in the Nicosia district, at the feast offered by the landowner at the end of the harvest, millopittes were offered to the harvesters as 'potherka' and the workers would wish the landowner 'good luck' (Kyprianou 1992, 71).
Additional information and bibliography
After 1960, the traditional use of mylla in Cypriot households receded and was replaced by the use of seed oils, (as per the changes brought about by the industrial revolution) due to their high production and low cost. It is worth noting that in 1998/99, the daily per capita consumption of seed oils in Cyprus reached 43 grams, following a continuous upward trend. The semantics around seed oils in contemporary Cypriot society are interesting: Cypriots refer to peanut oil when they want to talk about seed oil. It should be noted that peanut oil is not used at all in Cyprus, but the use of its name is generalised and denotes corn oil, sunflower oil or soybean oil (Gregoriou 2000).
Yangoullis K. G. (2014), Θησαυρός Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου. Ερμηνευτικό, Ετυμολογικό, Φρασεολογικό και Ονοματολογικό Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής και Νεότερης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου, Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Gregoriou C. (2000), Olive oil and οlives in Cyprus. Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1979 [2002²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Α΄, Γλωσσάριον Γεωργίου Λουκά, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XLI, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Β΄, Γλωσσάριον Ξενοφώντος Π. Φαρμακίδου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1989), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Γ΄, Γλωσσάριον Ιωάννου Ερωτοκρίτου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XIV, Nicosia.
Kyprianou P. Chr. (1992) «Λαογραφικά του Παλαίκυθρου», Λαογραφική Κύπρος 42 (παράρτημα), 1-101.
Nicolaou Konnari A. - Schabel C. (επιμ.) (2005), Cyprus: Society And Culture 1191-1374, Brill.
Xioutas P. (1978), Κυπριακή λαογραφία των ζώων. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XXXVIII, Nicosia
Papangelou R. (2001), Το Κυπριακό Ιδίωμα, Εκδόσεις Ιωλκός, Λευκωσία.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Demetra Demetriou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim
Foods
Afelia
Pieces of pork, fried and cooked in wine and coriander, often served with pilaf bulgur with yoghurt.
Traditional Recipes
Kaourmas
A dish with pork and potatoes in a rich wine and tomato sauce, with aromatic herbs and spices. The recipe comes from Agios Theodoros in the mountainous region of Solea.
Traditional Recipes
Kokkaloú cured pork ribs
The method of preparation of kokkalou is reminiscent of lountza. Cured kokkalou is cut into pieces and either barbecued or fried.
Traditional Recipes
Pilaf bulgur with titsiri(d)es
Fatty titsiries added to pilaf pourkouri give a special taste and aroma.
Traditional Recipes
Pork chops in wine
The chops are marinated overnight in wine and coriander. The marinade ingredients are later used during cooking, forming a delicious sauce.
Traditional Recipes
Pork pancetta with thyme honey
Traditional Cypriot ingredients, such as wild asparagus and smoked hiromeri, accompany this modern pork dish.
Traditional Recipes
Pork with beetroot
The dish has the characteristic red colour of the beetroot, which is also used to colour all the other ingredients. It used to be cooked with onion and celery at weddings in the area of Pitsilia.
Traditional Recipes
Souvla krasáti
Recipe from the village of Lysi. Before being barbecued on the charcoal, the meat is marinated in wine and spices.
Traditional Recipes
Souvla with vegetables
While barbecued with vegetables, the meat absorbs their flavours.
Traditional Recipes
Spare ribs in tomato sauce
"In a pot, sauté the spare ribs until they are golden brown. Add the tomato juice, salt, pepper and the potatoes and let them simmer." (Ourania Christodoulou, Kyperounda)
Traditional Recipes
Stuffed pork fillet with commandaria sauce
A contemporary recipe with pork stuffed with halloumi, dried figs and rockat and served with a rich commandaria sauce. Pork is often used in Cypriot cuisine while commandaria, a red sweet wine…
Traditional Recipes
Stuffed pork tenderloin
A modern recipe that draws inspiration from international cuisine in its conception and presentation, yet maintains the local flavour through the variety of traditional Cypriot ingredients.
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.
Traditional Recipes
Titsiri(d)es
“Cut the fat of the pig into small pieces. Fry them until they are well cooked” (Panayiota Mikkeli, Kyperounda, Limassol).
Traditional Recipes
Titsiri(d)es Souvlakia
“We fry the titsiries and then add parsley and lemon. We put them on the skewers and eat them as souvlaki (kebab)”. (Iphigenia Eleftheriou, Kyperounda)
Foods
Titsiria (pl. titsiri(d)es), tsirintz̆in (pl.tsirintz̆ia)
The remainder of rendered pork fat in a pan.
Traditional Recipes
Titsirópittes
These are pittes (bread) with titsirides, i.e. fried pieces of pork fat.
Traditional Recipes
Vaftó
A unique mezé of melted pork fat on freshly baked bread. Recipe from Marathasa valley.
