Oil extracted from the seeds of the šinnos (shinnos) plant (Pistacia lentiscus L).
Name - Origin
Σχοινέλαιο.
Functional and symbolic role
Both Archimandrite Kyprianos and A. Sakellarios mention shinéleo. Sakellarios specifically mentions: ‘And from them (the fruit of the shinia/šinniá tree) they extract good quality oil for consumption while fresh and for frying, and even afterwards, it is used as lamp oil’ (Sakellarios A., 1855).
Additional information and bibliography
A characteristic of shineleon is that in winter it becomes solid and resembles animal fat. It was used in folk medicine as a rubbing/massage oil as it is a very aromatic oil (oral testimony of N. Patapiou).
This oil was produced in many areas of Cyprus, in Akamas, Mazotos, Larnaca and Karpasia and others (Hadjikyriakou, 2007).
Sakellariou AA. (1855). Τα Κυπριακά vol. 1, Io Angelopoulou Publications, Athens.
Hadjikyriakou G.N. (2007). Αρωματικά και αρτυματικά φυτά στην Κύπρο, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Nicosia.
Antonia Matala, Demetra Demetriou
Traditional Recipes
Game birds with lemon and šinnos
A recipe for cooking game birds (song thrush or others). They are boiled and flavoured with šinnos (pistacia lentiscus) and lemon juice.
Traditional Recipes
Šinnopittes
A recipe from Rizokarpason regarding a type of very thin and crispy pitta containing seeds from the šinnos plant (Pistacia lentiscus).