Ππαλουζές (μουσταλευριά). Πηγή: Ζηνοβία Χαραλάμπους.
Originally, these products were the farmers' essential dry food during the working day. Later, they were consumed by all as a dessert or treat.
Name - Origin
Γλυκά από μούστο σταφυλιού.
Sweets made from grape must.
Must: from the French word mout. Latin: Mustum (PetrouPoeitou 2013, 90).
Moustári (grape must) is used to prepare traditional sweets, such as: šoušoúkkos - almonds or walnuts are threaded through a cotton thread which is then dipped into the grape must over and over again in layers ppalouzés - a thin cream made of reduced grape must bound with flour ï kkioftérka - dried ppalouzes cut into rectangular pieces épsima - grape syrup (like petimezi) Portós - a sweet made from boiled grape must, coarsely ground wheat and sesame seeds (MANRE 2010).
In order to make these sweets, grape juice (moustari - must) is extracted from crushed grapes, then filtered and boiled. It is first boiled and then some white soil is added to remove impurities or to stop the process of 'boiling' the must - a process which turns the sugars into alcohol. The must is then carefully strained. After cooling, the must is transferred to a clean container, re-boiled and flour is gradually added. The must is stirred and either rosewater or rose geranium is added (Kythraiotou 2013, 46). According to further processing of the must, traditional sweets are prepared (MANRE 2010).
Find recipes for each one of moustari, šoušoukkos, ppalouzes, kkiofterka, epsima and portos in the traditional recipes section.
Find also additional recipes for sweets prepared with epsima, such as katsoures with epsima, tertžellouthkia with epsima, halvas with epsima, retšelia, lalagouthkia, gerouthkia, souppouthkia, kaïkanas, sisamopittes, and others.
Chambis Christodoulou Nyssi (born in 1898 in Lemythou, Folklore Archive T. 566) states: "We bring the grapes, we press them and make the juice, we boil it and clean it. We bring the white soil from Omodos and add it to the boiling juice and then we skim it. Out of this juice, epsima is made, which is used to make soutzoukkon and kkiofterka. In order to make portos, they coarsley grind (boiled and sun dried) wheat using a hand mill, and they add it to the must. When it is set, the women transfer it to a koumnin. They add sesame seeds and stir it. They eat it in winter" (Ionas 2001, 103-106).
Functional and symbolic role
These five traditional sweets are made from grape juice in the villages of Troodos. Originally, these products were the farmers' essential dry food during the working day. Kkiofterka, fo example, were very nutritious and could be stored up to the time of sowing, i.e. for 2 or 3 months. Later, they were consumed by everyone as a dessert or treat. Šoušoúkkos, ppalouzés and kkioftérka are nowadays used as accompaniments to beverages, especially to zivania. Epsima is used in various sweets or as a substitute for honey and sugar. Portos is used as a jam (MANRE 2010)
They were sold at religious festivals (note: Stalo Lazarou).
Additional information and bibliography
Archim. Kyprianos in his book "Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου" (Chronological History of the Island of Cyprus), lists the types of sweets that were made from grape must during the 18th century: soutzoukia (šoušoukkos) with the addition of almonds and walnuts, portos with the addition of wheat to the must and other sweets with the addition of apples and pears. The village of Koilani was famous for the production of such products (Archim. Kyprianos 1788, p. 543).
Marathasa is famous for its must sweets until today. Preparations with must as a raw material are abundant. It is no coincidence that the people of Marathasa were the best street vendors of such delicacies, the most famous festival organisers/ participants in Cyprus (Kythraiotou 2013, 10).
Ionas, I. (2001). Παραδοσιακά επαγγέλματα της Κύπρου (Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research XXXVII), Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia.
Kythraiotou, F. (2013), Γαστρονομικός οδηγός Μαραθάσας, Ministry of Education and Culture - Pedagogical Institute, Nicosia.
Archimandrite Kyprianos (1788). Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου (Chronological History of the Island of Cyprus), Evagora press, Nicosia.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Where do they come from. Words and stories from the world of taste, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture (2010). Gastronomic Map of Cyprus, Press and Information Office ( P. I.O. 379/2010-2.000), Nicosia.
Tonia Ioakim, Stalo Lazarou / Petroula Hadjittofi
Ππαλουζές. Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
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Σιουσιούκκος. Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
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Συσκευασία του σιουσιούκκου. Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
Σιουσιούκκος, ππαλουζές, κκιοφτέρι και έψημα Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
Κκιοφτέρκα. Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
Σιουσιούκκος, ππαλουζές, κκιοφτέρι και έψημα Άδεια δημοσίευσης: Υπ. Γεωργίας.
Πορτός (Λευκωσία, 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Πορτός, σε κομμάτια (Λευκωσία, 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Traditional Recipes
Apple Ppalouzés
A quick and easy recipe of ppalouzé made from apples: a thin cream made from apple juice bound with flour.
Traditional Recipes
Epsima
Dark coloured thick syrup, ”honey" with a sweet and sour taste. Prepared from grape must by prolonged boiling, without prior fermentation, until it becomes dark and syrupy. Used as a sugar substitute…
Traditional Recipes
Grouta with epsima
Easy and quick sweet porridge recipe with espima (grape syrup).
Traditional Recipes
Halouvás with epsima
In Dora village, Limassol this preparation was made during the feast of Apostle Andreas (Aristi Yiannakou, Dora Limassol).
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures with epsima (grape syrup)
Slices of bread fried in olive oil and drizzled with epsima (grape syrup).
Traditional Recipes
Kkiofterka
"Kkiofterka are prepared just like ppalouze. When ppalouzes is ready to eat, we cut it in small square or long pieces and place them in a shady, cool place to dry' (Antroulla Christou, Agridia -…
Traditional Recipes
Lalagouthkia with anari
Traditionally, lalagouthkia were made without filling and served sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with honey or epsima. In this newer version, anari filling is added to lalagouthkia.
Traditional Recipes
Loullouthkia
A version from Rizokarpaso of a popular Cypriot recipe for "tertžellouthkia" or "koullourouthkia with honey". The tertžellouthkia, just like the loullouthkia, were baked either in teratsomelo (carob…
Traditional Recipes
Moustari
Moustari is used to prepare traditional sweets, such as ppalouzes, shoushoukkos, poltos and kkiofterka.
Traditional Recipes
Pishíes from Marathasa
In Marathasa, fried pishíes are served with honey or epsima (petimezi).
Traditional Recipes
Portós-Poltós
A sweet pulp made from boiled grape must, coarsely ground wheat and sesame.
Traditional Recipes
Portós-Poltós with epsima
Epsima is made after continuous boiling of the must, i.e. the juice of grapes. Wheat is boiled in this syrup until the mixture thickens and a pulp is formed.
Traditional Recipes
Ppalouzés
A thin cream made of reduced grape must bound with flour. When ppalouzés is cut into pieces and dried in the sun, we get ‘kkioftérka’ (kioftéria).
Traditional Recipes
Raisins
"Boil the water, add the soda and a bit of oil to give a gloss to the raisins. When the water boils, add the raisins..." (Marina Kiliari, Kyperounda)
Traditional Recipes
Retshellia, rets̆éllia
This recipe uses apples or quinces which are prepared using grape must as a sweetener and originates from Marathasa valley.
Traditional Recipes
Sisamopittes
The recipe comes from Marathasa. Sesamopites were one of the products sold by the people of Marathasa at festivals, along with porika, nuts, shoushoukko and pastellin.
Traditional Recipes
Šoušoúkkos
S̆ous̆oukkos is one of the most famous traditional sweets of Cyprus and you will find it in villages where grapes are cultivated.
Foods
Stafili - grapes
Grapes were consumed as a fruit and were used to produce sweet wine, especially Commandaria, dry wine (mostly red), zivania and vinegar.
Traditional Recipes
Teržellouthkia with epsima
Biscuits, shaped like hoops, boiled in water and dipped in epsima. “In the old days we used to prepare these biscuits when the grapes were ripe. We would collect the grapes from the vineyard and make…
Traditional Recipes
Xerotíana
“When they are golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a platter. Either sprinkle with sugar or drizzle some honey or epsima. (Sotiroula Kyriakou, Kyperounda)