A great food and much more...

As well as being good to eat, olive oil was much revered in ancient times, for it is said in Greek mythology that Zeus challenged the gods and goddesses to bring him the most useful invention and if they were the winner they would win Africa. It was the goddess Athina who won for suggesting the olive as it can provide shelter, wood, food to eat and precious oil to keep you healthy! Since then its use was recommended by Hippocrates and used by villagers for generations to cure many different illnesses. Ancient Greeks even bathed in olive oil, gently scraping their skin to remove dirt and finding their skin afterwards wonderfully clean and soft. Rubbing olive oil into limbs is still said to ease muscular pain. Warmed olive oil rubbed into to the chest and back kept colds at bay and bad ear ache could be eased with olive oil dipped on cotton wool. Those suffering from a stomach upset could be helped with a large spoonful of olive oil- but throughout history the prime use of olive oil has been to give a delicious flavour to local cooking!

At one time a very special treat...

Interestingly up until a hundred years ago, olive oil was an expensive commodity in Cyprus. Many Cypriots could ill afford to buy milk and meat and relied on what they could produce themselves - if they produced olive oil, they were lucky, as otherwise, only middle class families could afford to buy it. A cheaper alternative made from cotton seed was used by many families for cooking so that the delicious taste of olive oil could be savoured when it was used for sprinkling on salads and bowls of pulses. Because many Cypriots worked extremely hard at harvest time, olive oil was often enjoyed in this special seasonal treat-

Katimeres - celebrating a successful harvest!

250g shortcrust pastry
100 ml olive oil
50g caster sugar

· Roll the pastry out carefully until it is only about 2 mm thick.
· Cut carefully into squares measuring 10cm X 10cm. Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with caster sugar
· Bring each corner of the pastry square into the centre.
· Fry in olive oil until golden brown and crispy.
· Add a spoonful of jam in the centre or a spoonful of anari cheese sprinkled with cinnamon if you would like.
· Serve immediately.

Still considered special by many...

Eating bread and olive oil with a friend is still considered to be a special sign of friendship whilst many children still start the day with a slice of toast spread with olive oil. Another popular breakfast was a small bowl of warmed olive oil with plenty of bread to soak in it. If you are a fan of the 'good ol' English breakfast' try fried bread - fried in olive oil of course- but make extra slices to prevent a stampede!

Olive oil an intrinsic part of the taste of vegetable souvlakia

There are many dishes in Cyprus that have a distinctive taste from the olive oil used in preparing them. One of these is vegetable souvlakia, these taste extra good because the vegetables are marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs before they are cooked. Simply choose a variety of vegetables including mushrooms, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. Prepare all of the vegetables, cutting them into roughly even sized quarters / thick slices. Pour some olive oil into a large dish and mix with a tablespoon of dried oregano and another of thyme and a sprinkling of salt. Place all the vegetables in the dish and toss gently in the oil. Cover and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Divide the vegetables between six skewers and cook on the barbecue for ten minutes, basting throughout with any leftover marinade

The Cyprus diet is changing now...

Sadly the biggest threat to the traditional enjoyment of olive oil in Cyprus is the arrival of American fast food and many European style foods. Those that are fried, of course do not use olive oil and today's younger generation are learning how to cook a completely new style of food for their family - of course using much less olive oil than before. So, although the Cypriot diet is heralded as being an extremely healthy one, all that could change in the next few years….

Olive bread - a traditional recipe that still cannot be bettered...

1kg village flour
150g pitted black olives
2 mls of dried yeast
5 ml salt
3 ml dried thyme and oregano
75 ml olive oil
40g fresh chopped coriander
500 ml warm water
5 ml olive oil
5 ml sesame seeds

· Preheat the oven to 230C/ 450F/ Gas Mark 8 to get it really hot.
· Sift the flour in a large mixing bowl add the salt, thyme, oregano, yeast and coriander- mix well.
· Add the water and mix evenly. Rub a little olive oil into your hands and on a floured surface, knead the mixture well until it becomes a smooth dough.
· When the dough is ready, carefully knead in the olives. Cover and place in a warm place to rise.
· When the dough is double the size{after about 30 minutes}, knead gently to 'knock back'.
· Shape into two good sized loaves, gently rub the top of each with the 5ml of olive oil and scatter with sesame seeds.
· Recover and leave in a warm place to rise for a second time for another 30 minutes.
· Cook in the oven for 25 -30 minutes to test if the loaves are cooked, gently turn over and tap the bottom- a hollow sound means time to call everyone to the table!