Wedding treats - after the ceremony
The treats offered to the guests after a wedding ceremony consisted of zivania, raisins and koufetta (sugarcoated almonds).
Functional and symbolic role
After the wedding ceremony, the wedding couple would return to their new residence and the bride with a tray in her hand would treat the guests to spoon sweets and the groom would serve zivania with raisins and koufetta (sugarcoated almonds). The fiddlers would start to play and the guests would join in the dancing. (Georgiou E. 1989, p. 67)
Additional information and bibliography
Georgia Elias (1989) Ιστορία και λαογραφικά της Αλάμπρας.
Eleni Christou
Traditional Recipes
Bread with raisins
A recipe of a sweeter variation to the regular bread. “Knead the dough, then add the raisins." (Athena Kamintzi, Kyperounda)
Foods
Cypriot wine: A 5500 year old tradition
The grapes intended for wine production are picked from vines of selected varieties.
Foods
Foodstuff offered as wedding gifts
Some of them would give to the newlyweds wheat, barley, potatoes and some others would give money.
Foods
Koufeta amygdalou Geroskipou - sugar-coated roasted almonds from Geroskipou
Registered as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 03/03/12.
Foods
Kourabiedes Athienitiki
A Christmas almond butter biscuit, which used to be offered to wedding guests. The dough for kourabiedes consists of flour, roasted almonds, sugar and various spices, such as cinnamon.
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
Ressin
A traditional pilaf-like dish made from wheat cooked in meat broth. Resi is directly linked to the Cypriot wedding, since it was offered to the wedding guests at the dinner following the wedding…
Traditional Recipes
Tiganítes with honey and dried fruit
Pancakes get a local character in this recipe since the filling is made of pure Cypriot ingredients: dried figs, raisins, honey, carob syrup and almonds.