July 2010 Issue 1 - Cyprus Food and Drinks · July 2010 Issue 1 c ontents Product of the month Benevie by Kouroushis Dairies ... buyers, traders and ... Though milk based

July 2010 Issue 1

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Product of the month

Benevie by Kouroushis Dairies Ltd ….. 3

Authentically Cypriot

Cyprus indigenous wine varieties, Maratheftiko …. 6

Cyprus’ Gastronomy Routes

CyTaste route 1, Nicosia to Troodos mts …… 7

Literature on Cyprus Food & Wine.

Cyprus Comprehensive Wine Guide .…..13

Food for thought

Kypriaka, a fl avour of Cyprus …..15

Authentic Recipes Corner

By Cychefs.com …………………16

COMPETITIONS

5th CYPRUS WINE

COMPETITION 5 – 8 May, 2010 ..... 17

Cypriots trace their gastronomic heritage to their long, turbulent history and to the geographic position of the island in the East Mediterranean, acting as the hub between three continents. The local gastronomy has been infl uenced over the centuries by an array of factors that have shaped the traditional diet along with its authentic products. Today, there is a widespread acceptance that Mediterranean products represent an excellent choice in gourmet needs.

In recent years, the local food and drink businesses have in-vested heavily in an effort to modernise their production units and develop new products. The new generation of managers

Ta s t e o f C y p r u s 4

{ Editor ’s Note }

W hen it comes to discussing the authentic Mediterranean cuisine, one cannot take for granted the gastronomic heritage that Cyprus proudly preserves.

have been eager to develop products that meet today’s con-sumer needs but the dedication on tradition has meant that new products maintain an authentic character, made with simple pro-cesses and a few basic agricultural ingredients.

Taste of Cyprus is the electronic publication for presenting the gastronomy of Cyprus, its authentic products and the businesses involved in the production and supply chain. The effort to promote the local food and drink industry stems from the need to create greater awareness on the broad range of authentic products offered, most of which fall within the broad spectrum of the Mediterranean range. The bulletin aims to provide consumers, buyers, traders and journalists with re-liable information that will enhance their knowledge on the Cyprus food and drink industry and the authentic gastronomy associated with it.

Published by www.cyprusfoodndrinks.comCyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry38, Grivas Dhigenis Ave. & 3, Deligiorgis Str., P.O. Box 21455, 1509, Nicosia, Cyprus

T.: +357 22889732 F: +357 22665685E: [email protected]

Editor: Savvas Maliotis, Network coordinatorJournalist: Natalie MichaelidouArtwork & technical preparation: Artypos Ltd

by Kouroushis Dairies LTD

Experience and targeted research of the consumer’s everyday nutritional needs concluded to the demand for a new range of functional products that would combine healthy eating habits with delicious fl avor.

3 Ta s t e o f C y p r u s

{ Product of the month }

The new range of products BeneVie will soon be launched in the local market offering a selection of yoghurt and kefi r with 4 functionalities that naturally support our health. Kouroushis Dairies hope to

boost the consumer’s diet with “daily essentials” in delicious fl avors

F or 51 years N. TH Kouroushis Dairies LTD has been producing products such as yoghurt, kefi r, airani, halloumi, anari and kefalotyri using fresh Cyprus milk. One of the industry’s main goals is the making of high in nutritional value products.

About the industryN.Th Kouroushis LTD, a dairy products industry was established in 1959 in Cyprus as a family enterprise. Kouroushis dairy indus-try is one of the most signifi cant and well known producers of traditional halloumi cheese and other dairy products such as fetta, anari, kefalotyri, yoghurt, fl aouna cheese, airani and kefi r, with a high volume of sales in the Cyprus market. Kouroushis industry is committed to the high quality of its products, in the use of high specifi cations of hygiene and production, as well as strict qual-ity control. To this aim the company applies the Cyprus models of production, the European directives of hygiene, the model of safety of foods HACCP and the Quality Management System ISO 9001: 2000.

During the manufacture of BeneVie the

downside of fat and lactose in milk based

products is also taken into consideration.

This new range of yoghurts and kefi r are

both fat and lactose free!

A matter of healthThe new range of functional products BeneVie, promise a well balanced diet if combined with overall healthy nutrition and exer-cise. All BeneVie products feature the 4 following functional and nutritional characteristics:

1. ProbioticsProbiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefi t on the host by improv-ing its intestinal microbial balance and are therefore salutary for the digestive system.

For 51 years N. THKouroushis Dairies LTD has been produc-ing products such as yoghurt, kefi r, airani, halloumi, anari and kefalotyri using fresh Cyprus milk. One of the industry’s main goals is the making of high in nutritional value products. Experience and targeted research of the consumer’s everyday nutritional needs concluded to the demand for a new range of functional products that would combine healthy eating habits with delicious fl avor.

The new range of products BeneVie will soon be launched in the local market offering a selection of yoghurt and kefi r with 4 functionalities that naturally support our health. Kouroushis Dairies hope to boost the consumer’s diet with “daily essentials” in delicious fl avors

N.Th Kouroushis LTD, a dairy products industry was estab-lished in 1959 in Cyprus as a family enterprise. Kouroushis dairy industry is one of the most signifi cant and well known producers of traditional halloumi cheese and other dairy products such as fetta, anari, kefalotyri, yoghurt, fl aouna cheese, airani and kefi r, with a high volume of sales in the Cyprus market. Kouroushis industry is committed to the high quality of its products, in the use of high specifi cations of hygiene and production, as well as strict quality control. To this aim the company applies the Cyprus models of produc-tion, the European directives of hygiene, the model of safety of foods HACCP and the Quality Management System ISO 9001: 2000.



Clinical dietician Eleni Andreou, explains the importance of functional food to our Health:

The primary role of diet is to provide suffi cient nutrients to meet the nutritional requirements of an individual. There is now in-creasing scientifi c evidence to support the hypothesis that some foods and food components have benefi cial physiologi-cal effects over and above the provision of the basic nutrients. Nowadays, nutrition science has moved on from the classical concepts of avoiding nutrient defi ciencies and basic nutritional adequacy to the concept of “positive” or “optimal” nutrition. The

2. Prebiotics Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of bacteria (mainly of probiotics) in the digestive system which are benefi cial to the health of the body. They are considered a functional food.

3. Fat – freeBeneVie contain less than 0.5% fat per 100 grams, and are a healthy choice for anyone trying to reduce the many health risks associated with being overweight (heart disease, diabetes etc).

4. Lactose – freeLactose is the main sugar found in milk. The percentage of lac-tose- intolerant adults (people with the inability to metabolize lactose, because of a lack of the required enzyme lactase in the digestive system) worldwide is notably high.

Though milk based (not soya based) BeneVie products do not contain lactose.

Taste also mattersBeneVie yoghurt is available in three different but equally ex-traordinary delicious fl avors deriving from fruit and spices: • apple, raisins and cinnamon, • banana, palm and nutmeg, • peach and passion fruit

BeneVie kefi r contains no added sugar or preservatives and is available in the following fl avors: • Banana, vanilla and honey • Passion fruit • Pineapple, papaya and mango.

Expert’s View

research focal point has shifted more to the identifi cation of biologically active components in foods that have the poten-tial to optimize physical and mental well being and which may also reduce the risk of disease. Many traditional food products including fruits, vegetables, soya, whole grains and milk have been found to contain substances with potential health benefi ts. In addition to these foods, new foods are being developed to enhance or incorporate these benefi cial components for their health benefi ts or desirable physiological effects.

What are functional foods? The concept of functional foods was born in Japan. In the 1980s, health authorities in Japan recognised that an improved quality of life must accompany increasing life expectancy for the expanding number of elderly people in the population if health care costs were to be controlled. The concept of foods that were developed specifi cally to promote health or reduce the risk of disease was introduced. Functional foods have not as yet been defi ned by legislation in Europe. Generally, they are considered as those foods which are intended to be con-sumed as part of the normal diet and that contain biologically active components which offer the potential of enhanced health or reduced risk of disease.

Examples of functional foods include foods that contain spe-cifi c minerals, vitamins, fatty acids or dietary fi bre, foods with added biologically active substances such as phytochemicals or other antioxidants and probiotics that have live benefi cial cultures. As interest in this category of foods has grown, new products have appeared and interest has turned to the devel-opment of standards and guidelines for the development and promotion of such foods.

by Kouroushis Dairies LTD

P R O D U C T O F T H E M O N T H

E x a m p l e s o f f u n c t i o n a l f o o d s



FUNCTIONAL FOOD ACTIVE FOOD COMPONENT TARGET FUNCTION

Yogurts, sugar Probiotics: Foods with benefi cial live cultures as a re-sult of fermentation or that have been added to improve intestinal microbial balance, such as Lactobacillus sp. Bifi dobacteria sp Prebiotics: A non-digestible component that has benefi cial affects by stimulating the growth of bacteria in the colon. Examples include inulin and oligofructose.

Yogurts

Added plant sterols and stanols estersMargarines Decreased LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol)Decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)

Omega-3 fatty acidsOmega-3 fatty acids enriched eggs

Control of hypertension,lipids metabolism

Why do we need functional foods? Consumer interest in the relationship between diet and health has increased substantially in Europe. There is much greater recognition today that people can help themselves and their families to reduce the risk of illness and disease and to maintain their state of health and well being through a healthy lifestyle, in-cluding the diet. Ongoing support for the important role of foods such as fruit and vegetables and wholegrain cereals in disease prevention and the latest research on dietary antioxidants and combinations of protective substances in plants has helped to provide the impetus for further developments in the functional food market in Europe. Trends in population demographics and socio-economic changes also point to the need for foods with added health benefi ts. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, func-tional foods can make a positive contribution to health and well being. The EU Concerted Action supports the development of two types of health claims relevant to functional foods, which must always be valid in the context of the whole diet and must relate to the amounts of foods normally consumed.

These are:1. TYPE A: “Enhanced function”claims that refer to specifi c physiological, psychological functions and biological activi-ties beyond their established role in growth, development and other normal functions of the body. This type of claim makes no reference to a disease or a patho-logical state, e.g. certain non-digestible oligosaccharides im-prove the growth of a specifi c bacterial fl ora in the gut; caffeine can improve cognitive performance.2. TYPE B: “Reduction of disease-risk”claims that relate to the consumption of a food or food component that might help reduce the risk of a specifi c disease or condition because of

specifi c nutrients or non-nutrients contained within it (e.g. folate can reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with neural tube defects, and suffi cient calcium intake may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life).

Functional foods offer great potential to improve health and/or help prevent certain diseases when taken as part of a bal-anced diet and healthy lifestyle. The subject of health claims is becoming increasingly important and there is broad consensus that there needs to be a regulatory framework in the EU that will protect consumers, promote fair trade and encourage product innovation in the food industry. The research opportunities in nutrition to explore the relationship between a food or a food component and an improved state of health and well-being, or reduction of disease, present the greatest challenge to scientists now and in the future. The communication of health benefi ts to consumers is also of critical importance so that they have the knowledge to make informed choices about the foods they eat and enjoy.

Since its establishment, Kouroushis Ltd has always valued human health high when developing its range of dairy prod-ucts. A balanced nutrition is a necessity for a good life; Ben-evie combines these values with a great taste.


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{ A u t h e n t i c a l l y C y p r i o t }

Indeed, vine as a cultural commodity of Cyprus has one of the oldest stories in the world, as revealed by the recent exca-vations on the island by Italian archaeologists whose pickaxe has revealed beyond doubt the sensational truth that in this little corner of the Eastern Mediterranean, the production of wine dates back some 6,000 years. At the village of Pyrgos in Lemesos District two jugs were found, that had been used for storing wine. At the nearby village of Erimi 18 pots were discovered, twelve of which had been used for wine at some period between 3500 and 3000 B.C. This cultural heritage is the oldest in the whole Mediterranean basin and leads to the assumption that Cyprus triggered the spread of winemaking to Greece, Italy, France and other Mediterranean regions. Earlier evidence is only to be traced at the Ajii pots found in Armenia, dated since 5.500 BC.

Maratheftiko or Bambakada red grapeProfessor Mouillefert was the fi rst to refer to Maratheftiko or Bambakada in 1893, using the word Marathophiko. More re-cently, in 1988 to be exact, Robinson refers to this variety as “a local variety of superior quality found among the indigenous Mavro stocks in many vineyards. It makes for a very concen-trated wine of which the tannin, fragrance, colour and structure are extremely close to those of a Cabernet. Very promising but too rare.”

This variety is also known by the name Bambakada or Bam-bakina. It is a very rare variety, and it is estimated that only some 183 hectares are under cultivation in the whole of Cy-prus, accounting for 1.5% of the total cultivated area of wine varieties. Unfortunately, the variety faces a serious viticultural problem, for it has a propensity to severe bud loss resulting in thinly clustered grape bunches. The reason for this is the fact that Maratheftiko is one of the very few varieties in the world which are non-hermaphroditic. Its buds are physiologically

Cyprus indigenous wine varieties, MaratheftikoOne can be excused for not thinking of Cyprus when referring to the art of wine making and the plea-sure of drinking it. But one would be very wrong to ignore the deeply rooted wine tradition of Cyprus

and even more to completely dismiss its end products.

iven the close proximity of the island to the Middle East where the vine appears to have originated, Cyprus ranks among the oldest wine producing countries in the world, prob-ably even before the Greeks and Romans learned to cultivate the vine tree.

female and consequently it has to be planted in mixed vine-yards to ensure pollination. It is a multi-dynamic variety that can give a multitude of wine types - from rosés and light reds to reds suitable for ageing. At its best it produces high quality red wines of intense colour, thick fruity aroma reminiscent of cherries and blackberries, vanilla and wood and full body with select tannins that render it amenable to extended ageing.

The vineyards of Cyprus are among the very few in the world that were not affected by the vine louse, known as phylloxera, a disease that fell upon the greatest part of Europe’s vineyards at the beginning of the twentieth century, destroying them almost completely. Cyprus, being an exception, maintains its authentic varieties therefore offering to admirers of true Mediterranean and European viticulture the unique taste of its wines.

Check on the On-Line Hall www.cyprusfoodndrinks.com for Wineries that produce this rare and truly Cypriot Wine.

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CyTaste route 1, Nicosia to Troodos mtsThe suggested route begins in the capital city of Nicosia, the beautiful town that lies in the centre of the island.

The route progresses uphill and on to the mountains of Pitsilia and should be enjoyed at a leisurely pace as the climb offers magical sceneries that transform into spectacular panoramic views. Especially if one chooses to enjoy this trip

on a glorious spring morning, under the warm rays of the golden Cyprus sun!

Starting from Nicosia we take the road E903 for Palechori and Agros. About twenty minutes later we take a left turn for Klirou village. Only a few kilometres away is our fi rst stop, a village called

Kalo Chorio Orinis. Scratch the surface and you will dis-cover a village with such a rich history, embraced by the forest Adelfoi!

{ Cyprus’ Gastronomy Routes }

Find the route details on www.cyprusfoodndrinks.com



“I am as passionate about Cyprus wine heritage now, as I was ten years ago when we started out as a group of friends.”

George Tripatsas the owner of Aes Ampelis Winery

Aes Ambelis Winery

But George Tripatsas, the current sole owner, has no regrets! “I am as passionate about Cyprus wine heritage now, as I was ten years ago when we started out as a group of friends. My goal right now is to make the winery a meeting place for wine enthusiasts like myself, where they will also be able to enjoy good food” he says. Aes Ambelis was founded with a strong, clear vision to produce in Cyprus unique wines of premium quality. Unique in architec-tural style, the estate is a two-level structure that includes mod-ern winemaking facilities equipped with the latest in winemaking technology, an underground cellar for cask and bottle aging, as well as a tasting room and a wine shop.

“Achieving premium quality in a wine begins in the vineyard” explains George Tripatsas. As a result, the estate vineyards have been carefully planted and are closely managed so as to achieve high standards of quality in wines. Aes Ambelis wines are skillfully crafted using methods that balance tradition with the latest developments in winemaking. Primary emphasis is placed in achieving aromatic complexity and rich, full fl avours. In this respect, the red wines are aged in fi ne new French oak barrels in the underground cellars so as to further enhance and enrich their unique character.

A es Ambelis is a ten year old business located on the slopes of Kalo Chorio Orinis, whose owner gave up banking to start a winery with a few friends.



Next stop Agros, after a marvellous ride through the mountains and a stunning view of what Cyprus nature has to offer! The village is situated near the Troodos Mountains, at an altitude of 1100m and is an undeniable tourist attraction. While wandering in the picturesque roads of Agros one can meet the tradition, history and culture of the island. The traveller will

be amazed by the beautiful buildings of folklore art which decorate the centre of the amphitheatrically built village.

P itsilia area is famous for its traditional meat products where one can fi nd at Kafkalia’s shop. This family business was founded in 1978 and started producing

traditional smoked meat products in wine. Located near the centre of the village, the shop is just as inviting as the tasty products. Georgia, one of the founder’s daughters greets us with a smile, an offering of mouth watering hiromeri and a shot of zivania. Mr Chrysostomos who started out with a small workshop and authentic traditional recipes more than thirty years ago salutes us while standing behind the counter. To-day, despite the continuous expansion and improvement of the company and its equipment, Kafkalia company still produces quality products, using traditional methods and fresh meat.

Kafkalia’s range includes the local “posirti” (a smoked bacon matured in local red dry wine, salt and spices that can be eaten both raw and cooked), “lountza” (a fresh, top quality pork loin fi l-let, matured in village wine and traditionally smoked), “loukanika” (traditional sausages), tsamarella (that is now an international SlowFood Presidium made from pieces of selected goat rump), “zalatina” (pieces of pork cooked in a mixture of vinegar, citron, lemon, rosemary, cumin and salt), and the sun dried “pastourma” (fresh minced beef seasoned with salt, garlic and other spices are used for making pastourmas).

Kafkalias traditional meat

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Ta s t e o f C y p r u s 1 0

for a taste of heavenly traditional sweets? A few minutes af-ter entering the shop – located right abovethe factory – the woman herself enters smiling and surrounded by a sugary es-sence. Mrs Niki is eager to show her products – spoon sweets, marmelades, jams and jelly, all on a perfect display in various sizes jars on the shelves. For many centuries now, this kind of sweet has been considered a symbol of hospitality and is a traditional offering to guests. “It all started many years ago” she says “in an effort to support my family”. Using her mother’s traditional recipes and adding her own passion, gusto and hard work, Niki started out twenty years ago by making small quan-tities of home made spoon sweets.


Niki’s traditional sweets

Before leaving Agros one must defi nitely taste the sweet side of Cyprus heritage. And what trip to Agros would be complete without visiting Niki’s

Little did she know then that her “amateur project” would grow into a tradition preserving industry, exporting products in coun-tries such as the UK, France, the USA, Australia and Japan. The company has been following the traditional recipes made with love for twenty fi ve years. Its premises comply with European standards and are certifi ed with the ISO 22000. Some of Niki’s traditional products include spoon sweets, marmalade, soutzi-ouko, carob syrup, grape syrup, sweets and jam with no sugar made especially for diabetics, as well as a variety of organic traditional sweet products.

1 1 Ta s t e o f C y p r u s


From Agros our road moves up to Kyperounda, one of the larger villages of Pitsilia. The route to Kyperounda is as magical as the village itself. Divided by river Kourris in narrow but deep valleys this picturesque village has an exquisite

climate and is connected to its surrounding villages with small winding roads.

T he winery is located at the outskirts of Kyperounda, in the Pitsilia area of the Troodos range, 75 km from Nicosia and 50 km from Limassol.

At an altitude of 1140 m, it prides itself as sitting on one of the highest point than any other winery in Europe. It was setup in the late 1990s by a few local grape producers and in the year 2000, Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd joined as a ma-jor shareholder to be followed soon by the famous Greek wine maker Boutaris. Today the company is owned by more than 40 shareholders with control and management placed in the hands of the Photiades Group and the Greek wine maker, Boutaris.

Situated in this idyllic setting and designed to the specifi cations of experienced winemakers, the winery is built on three levels in order to take advantage of gravity to move the grape juice in the gentlest possible way. The winery’s underground cellar holds two hundred and fi fty 225lt oak barrels, in which the wine of Kyperounda matures and develops character. The produc-tion capacity of the winery is about 200,000 bottles.

Kyperounda Winery

The winery runs its own vineyards of 4 hectares planted with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes located at an altitude of 1,400m. The Kyperounda vineyards have al-ways been famous for their superior quality. The sandy clay soil, the steeply sloping terrain and the high altitude shape a perfect environment for the production of superb wine grapes. The low yields and favorable mild temperatures, which are unique to the region, produce perfectly ripened grapes of the highest quality.

The winery’s fi rst wines were bottled in 2003 and their appear-ance on the local wine market was welcomed with enthusiasm. The four labels of this modern winery, two for white and two for red wines are rated highly among the wine lovers of Cyprus. They include a very good Chardonnay, an exceptional wine from the indigenous Xynisteri grape (Petritis), and a Cabernet Sauvi-gnon of a density, structure and balance that effortlessly place it at the top of Cyprus reds.

Ta s t e o f C y p r u s 1 2


Fresh Herbs by Yianoulla Lazarou

MShe started the herb farm about 15 years ago, close to her home village, Korakou and today she owns one of the biggest herb farms in Cyprus. In an area of 3 hectares Mrs Yianoulla culti-vates a range of more than 50 medicinal herbs, transferred to the company’s own small processing unit and made into herbal teas and essential oils. A variety of herbal teas are packed in at-tractive, air tight packaging following traditional drying processes where herbs are left to dry naturally in shaded and well aerated rooms. Additionally, a broad range of organic essential oils are available in retail bottles. Specially blended essential oils, with olive oil as a base ingredient, are prepared for use as medici-nal remedies and spa treatment oils. Among its essential oils product line, the company also distils herbs that are grown in the wild such as pine and cypress, harvested under permission from the local authorities. Following years of research, a new line of business has recently been launched involving the production of a range of herbal cosmetics and facial creams. Mrs Yianoulla would be happy to guide interested visitors in her herb farm and uncover the secrets of herbs and essential oil processing and their associated attributes.

Leaving the village of Kyperounda, we head for the main Nicosia-Troodos road, taking a right turn at the so called ‘Karvounas junction’. On the main road, the valley of Solia comes to sight and our journey takes us past the villages of Kakopetria and Galata for the picturesque village of Korakou. Korakou is a fairly remote village about 4 kms off the

main Nicosia-Troodos road, close to Evrichou.

Mrs Yianoulla is a botanologist and she routinely gives TV presentations about herbs, essential oils and their great medicinal values.

Lazarou Farms are now the sole distributor of the authentic replica of the ancient cosmetic, traces of which were found by archaeologist, Maria Rosario, at the village of Pyrgos, near Limassol. Archaeology has uncovered one of the old-est perfume factories of Cyprus, along with traces of the ancient perfume that it today been reproduced and mar-keted by the Lazarou company. The perfume is made from a combination of herbal components and labdamon. The perfume scents are made of labdamon, marjoram, myrtus, ayioklima, bergamont and olive oil.

Cyprus Comprehensive Wine GuideThe fi rst book ever of extensive tastings and evaluations of the wines of Cyprus has already hit the

bookshelves, offering readers insight into local wines.

Ta s t e o f C y p r u s

he book is very accurately described by its author Xenia Theodotou Schneider as “an atlas of the Cyprus wines” as all featured wines are pro-

fessionally tasted, commented, rated and paired with local and international dishes. The Cyprus Comprehensive Wine Guide is unlike any other wine book about Cyprus. Based on the author’s personal research and tastings and, at the same time, following in-ternational wine-guide standards for wine tasting notes and

rating scales, the book offers a crisp and the most recent picture of the Cypriot modern wine era featuring 39 wineries and over 200 wines. Illustrated with many photographs, maps, useful charts and diagrams the book is valuable for all wine enthusiasts wishing to explore the Cypriot wine region.

Wine Guide

Asked to describe Cyprus wines,

the author refers to “unique

wines coming from the most

ancient wine appellation in the

world”. She strongly believes

that Cyprus has the potential and

all the ingredients to create high-

quality wines.

{ L i t e r a t u r e o n C y p r u s F o o d & W i n e }

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Xenia Theodotou Schneider , MBA, certifi ed sommelier and member of the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS), is a passionate wine and food enthu-siast. When not consulting or teaching, she spends most of her time visiting wineries worldwide. She is the founder of the wine2discover.com. in 2007 she organized the fi rst Cyprus wine tasting in Rome and published an extensive article on the Cypriot wines in the Italian wine magazine Bibenda. Asked to describe Cyprus wines, the author re-fers to “unique wines coming from the most ancient wine appellation in the world”. She strongly believes that Cyprus has the potential and all the ingredients to create high-quality wines. “In my opinion, there are several things that can be done to improve the quality and sales of Cypriot wines. One of the ways to achieve this is by concentrating on local varieties such as Maratheftiko and Xynisteri, that are unique in the world. In fact, I know one place in Europe where there are experimental plants of these two varieties” she explains. Faced several times with the “Where are you from?” and “Does Cyprus produce wine?” each time I am visiting a wine region, Schneider fi nally came up with the idea of writing The Cyprus Comprehensive Wine Guide.

the Author The guide is arranged in three main sections

»Section 1 describes the Cyprus Wine Country and features concise descriptions of the islands wine history, “terroir”, viniculture, local and international grape varieties. It also includes the wine routes of Cyprus and a special praise to Commandaria and Zivania.

»In a lively and practical fashion Section 2 explains all the things someone needs to know about enjoying wine. From how to buy, transport, store, taste, serve and order wine in a restaurant, to which glass goes with which wine and how to pair and enjoy wine with food.

» Section 3 includes a short presentation for each of the 39 local wineries), technical notes and wine making techniques, names, phone numbers and opening hours. Each of the winery’s wines are fea-tured with a picture of the wine label, tasting notes and rating, grape varieties, winery retail price, where to buy it in Cyprus and abroad and suggested food pairing with Cypriot and International Dishes for enhancing the wine’s qualities.

“It is really very well designed and written. It is indeed a great contribution to Cyprus wines.” Tassos Angelis, General Manager, Cyprus Cultural Foundation

“… a superb job in promoting the wines of your native country, and I am sure that this book will serve me well each time when choosing the fabulous Greek-Cypriot wines.” H.E. The Ambassador of the United States in Cyprus Mr. Frank Urbancic, Jr.

“This wine guide deserves to be talked about. The material is professionally written and well presented.” Terenzio Medri, President, Associazione Italiana Sommeliers

“It is remarkably down to earth, without being at least bit patronising. The tasting notes areprofessionally written and clearly portray Xenia’s experience in tasting wines… The tasting notes arefollowed by suggested pairing with food, both Cypriot and international. It is very useful indeed.” Cyprus Mail, George Kassianos, President of the Cyprus Sommelier Association.

B o o k r e v i e w s


Kypriaka, a fl avour of CyprusA national competition looking to fi nd hidden gems amongst Cypriot products was launched by CTC-ARI. This major new initiative around their ‘Kypriaka, a fl avour of Cyprus’ concept is set to expand and

enhance the destination merchandise range at the international airports of Larnaka & Pafos.


{ F o o d f o r t h o u g h t }

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Aiming to present the best of what Cyprus has to offer and provide passengers with access to an extensive and unique range of products CTC - ARI managed to create a renewed air of interest around its Kypriaka concept. The competition showcases “our Kypriaka concept and indeed the whole airport to a very wide audience” said General Manager Danny Galvin. The competition features four categories - food, drink, souvenir and other - and will have one winner per cat-egory. The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges consisting of representatives from CTC-ARI, several government departments and guest judges relevant to each category and will be sold in Kypriaka store at Larnaca Zenon airport. The competition created a vast amount of interest country - wide and many entries, as initially expected. The winners of the competition will receive a host of benefi ts, with the support of the agriculture and tour-ism Ministries.

Trachanakia – Winner in the food categoryTrachanas is a food directly related to the Cypriot cul-ture and rural life. Trachanas is a true national dish and it is the main ingredient for making the authentic soup of Cyprus, made only with a few simple natural ingredients, exactly as it was made decades ago. Tra-chanas is a porridge made from cracked wheat and soured goat’s milk. The name refers both to the sun dried dough porridge and to the soup that is made from it. Every cookbook of authentic Cypriot cuisine contains a recipe for trachanas soup with minor varia-tions regarding its preparation.

Trachanakia, is an innovative product that uses the traditional recipe for making trachanas for delivering a range of fl avoursome snack sticks. Trachanakia sticks are a natural, nutritious snack offered in four different fl avours, - Original - Sun dried tomato and oregano - Mint - Cinnamon

Producers of this winning product are now in a rush to come up with the new range of products that will be launched into the market initially through the ‘Kypriaka’ stores located in the two main airports of the island.

hether a gastronomy delight, an original cocktail recipe, a unique variation of a tradi-tional drink or an extraordinary souvenir, all a good idea needs to become a successful one is a little help from a major competition!

W


from: www.cychefs.com

Risotto with haloumi cheese and smoked lountza

Ingredients for 4 portions• 2 cups Arborio rice or Carnaroli • ½ chopped onion• 2 garlic gloves chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped fennel • 4 tablespoons olive oil • ½ cup white wine • 1 liter chicken stock • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs (dill, oreg ano, tarragon, parsley, basil, mint) • ½ halloumi cheese cut in small cubes • 3 slices of smoked lountzacut in small cubes • 2 tablespoons cold butter Method:• Heat a non-stick pan and add a few drops of olive oil. Sautéthecubedhaloumiuntil it turns a golden colour. Remove from heat and place the haloumi on a paper towel to dry. • Bring the stock to a boil in a medium sized pot and make sure you keep it warm. • In another deep pot, heat a little olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and fennel. Add the risotto and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. • Add the wine to the risotto mixture and allow the rice to absorb it. • Lower the heat and slowly add small amounts of the stock to the

Authent ic Recipes Corner

Ingredients for 4 people • 4 pork fi llets • ¼ glass olive oil • 1 chopped onion • 1 glove garlic • 1 stick fresh thyme • 4-5 large wild mushrooms • 1 glass commantaria • 3-4 soup spoons honey • Salt - pepper

Method:• Clean and remove the fat from pork fi llets.• Heat the olive oil in pan and fried slightly the meat.• Add onions, mushrooms and garlic and keep frying.• Remove the excess oil and pure the commantaria.• Add the thyme and the honey and remove the fi llets.• Slow cook the sauce until start to be thick and cor rect the seasoning.• Remove from fi re and pass from chinois.• Cut the fi llets in slices and serve them with the sauce.

Shallow fried pork fi llet with commandaria and honey

O F C Y P R U S

1 1 7 Ta s t e o f C y p r u s

{ COMPETITIONS }

The Cyprus Wine Competition has been established as the annual event of the wine industry, organized by the Wine Products Council, as the Competent Authority.

The 5th Competition was organized between 5 – 8 May 2010.

The competition is open to all Cypriot origin wines produced and labeled in accordance with national and EU regulations and consistent with the defi nitions of «global code of oenologi-cal practices». Eligible to awards are the wines, which carry a cer-tifi cate of Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical

Indication and the right to indicate the variety and vintage of the competent authority. Wines not included in the above categories are entitled to participate in the contest and get their score, but are excluded from the awards and medals.

Under conditions of intense competition, the best of Cyprus wines were judged and evaluated using a set of specifi c product charac-teristics, quality and acceptance by the consumer. The full list of results of the competition is available on www.wpc.org.cy

5th CYPRUS WINE COMPETITION 5 – 8 May, 2010

he choice for Cyprus for improving the quality of wine products is clear and stable. The confi rmation of the outcome of this choice can only come from judgments and evaluations of the wine experts. T

G o l d M e t a l s

Brand name Wine Type Vintage Company Regio Varieties

ALASIA RED SWEET 1989 COMMANDARIA BLENDED

MOSXATOS WHITE SWEET 2009 AGIA MAVRI WINERY LTD R.W. LEMESOS MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA

EROS ROSE SEMI-DRY SEMI-DRY

2009 AGROKTIMA EZOUSA LTD R.W. PAFOS MARATHETIKO

LOEL PUBLIC COMPANY LTD

KYPEROUNTAS – Shiraz

RED DRY 2008 VASILIKO KYPEROUNTAS WINERY LTD

R.W. LEMESOS SHIRAZ

KYPEROUNTAS – Chardonnay

WHITE DRY 2009 VASILIKO KYPEROUNTAS WINERY LTD

R.W. PAFOS CHARDONNAY

VLASIDES – Cab. Sauv.

RED DRY 2007 VLASIDES WINERY LTD R.W. LEMESOS CABERNET SAUNIGNON

Z A M B A R T A S – Rose

ROSE DRY 2009 ZAMBARTAS WINERIES R.W. PAFOS BLENDED

CONSTANTINOU – Shiraz

RED DRY 2008 C.G. CONSTANTINOY DISTILL-ERY LTD

R.W. LEMESOS SHIRAZ

CONSTANTINOU – Cab. Sauv.

RED DRY 2008 C.G. CONSTANTINOY DISTILL-ERY LTD

R.W. LEMESOS CABERNET SAUVIGNON

GOLD MEDALS

G o l d M e t a l s


PETRITIS WHITE DRY 2009 R.W. LEMESOS XINISTERI

ST. JOHN RED SWEET 1984

VASILIKO KYPEROUNTASWINERY LTD

GRAND GOLD MEDALS

KEO MALLIA WINERY LTD (KEO plc)

COMMANDARIA BLENDED

G o l d M e t a l s


PETRITIS WHITE DRY 2008 VASILIKO KYPEROUNTAS WINERY LTD

R.W. LEMESOS XINISTERI

Z A M B A R T A S – Maratheftiko

RED DRY 2008 ZAMBARTAS WINERIES R.W. PAFOS MARATHEFTIKO

AMBELIDA WHITE DRY 2009 I.P. GAIA OINOTECHNIKI LTD R.W. PAFOS XINISTERI

KYPEROUNTAS – Chardonnay

WHITE DRY 2008 VASILIKO KYPEROUNTAS WINERY LTD

R.W. PAFOS CHARDONNAY

MAKKAS – Syrah RED DRY 2008 MAKKAS WINERY LTD R.W. PAFOS SHIRAZ

Z A M B A R T A S – Shiraz / Lefkada

RED DRY 2008 ZAMBARTAS WINERIES R.W. LEMESOS SHIRAZ

FIKARDOS – Shiraz

RED DRY 2008 FIKARDOS WINERY / FIKARDOS DISTILLERIESLTD

R.W. PAFOS SHIRAZ

A M P E L O N E S A R G Y R I D E – Mourvedre

RED DRY 2007 R&A VASA WINERY LTD R.W. LEMESOS MOURVEDRE


1st Price 2nd Price

Documents

July 2010 Issue 1 - Cyprus Food and Drinks · July 2010 Issue 1 c ontents Product of the month Benevie by Kouroushis Dairies ... buyers, traders and ... Though milk based