of FLAVOURs CYPRUS

Whet your appetite for minted Halloumi, smoked sausages and the world’s oldest wine

In a nutshell Cyprus is an island divided, perched on the culinary crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe. Turkish traditions reign in the north while the south is Hellenic, creating a mosaic of flavours with Middle Eastern, French and Italian roots, resulting in vibrant dishes made to share. Key ingredients The land provides – wild garlic, mint, thyme and coriander grow in abundance and a 650km shoreline offers up octopus, mullet, sea bass and cuttlefish for the grill. Pork, beef and lamb are stewed or skewered and bread accompanies most dishes, traditionally baked over carob and olive wood – expect walnuts, tahini and the renowned Cypriot cheese Halloumi alongside. Popular dishes For an overview of the local food scene, opt for a meze. It might include some 30 plates, from green olives, cacik (cucumber dip) and Feta-filled börek pastries to stifado beef stew, Loukaniko smoked sausages and grilled Halloumi. In the south, menus fuse Greek favourites such as stuffed vine leaves, lamb souvlaki and fasolada bean soup with dishes like ofto kleftiko (lamb slow-cooked with olive oil and bay leaves in a clay oven) and pastitsio (pasta bake with beef, Halloumi and mint). Up north, try pirohu (cheese-filled pasta squares) and lahmacun (flatbread with minced lamb, tomatoes and herbs), with soutzoukos sweetmeat or ceviz macun (green walnuts in syrup) for dessert. To drink? A meal in the north wouldn’t be complete without a Turkish coffee, brewed with sugar in a copper pot. In the south, sip on the world’s oldest named wine, Commandaria, or its stronger cousin, zivania pomace brandy. Where to go Experience a fusion of traditional and contemporary at the family-run, Greek-Cypriot Ousia in Fitzrovia. For a taste of Selin Kiazim’s TurkishCypriot heritage, head to Oklava in Shoreditch. ousia.co.uk oklava.co.uk