cypriot and proud

Rebel Soups

proud cypriot — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:21:55 +0000

For orders call Nicholas Shantos, 96668836, LEMESOS (LIMASSOL)
rebel.soups@gmail.com
Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the fact that, if there is no meat and salad we don’t consider it to be a meal, but the statement that soups are not in our every-day life is a fact. I remember when I lived in London having a small soup in a paper-cup with bread for lunch was quite normal (for other people). Needless to say that in the five years I was working in the City I never ever had it as I always found it to be a bit too little for lunch…however, then came Rebel Soups.
Given that copying each other’s business and being faithful trend followers is in our genes, I generally like Cypriots who take a risk and try something different in the entertainment sector, (always assuming it is not something utterly and obviously stupid). Fortunately, the creator of Rebel Soups is neither stupid nor a trend follower but, in my opinion is a trend setter who has provided us with a lunch option which is home-made, adapted to Cypriot lifestyle (and weather) and very tasty!
The proud owner of Rebel Soups is a Cypriot born gastronomy lover who lived in London for many years. Architect by profession but food lover by nature, he had this idea for sometime as he saw a gap in the market. We are not talking about plain tomato soups or simple lentil soups, but daring combinations like delicious pumpkin soups with ginger, curry powder and carrot, cucumber soup served chilled with grapes, almonds and avocado as well as healthy zucchini, yoghurt and parsley soup.
He makes the entire selection of cold and hot soups himself in his kitchen (with sterilised utensils following USDA guidelines) using fresh local ingredients. At the moment there are 12 different soups offered daily in two sizes. Although you can also get them on certain days at Library Bar (Limassol) and on other days at Sousami, you can always get them delivered to your house or work with a few hours up to a day’s notice.
The soups come in two sizes (375ml and 675ml) and cost only 3-5€, respectively. The good thing is that they can be kept in the fridge for 3 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months without losing their taste and their nutritional value.
Even though I am thinking of ordering large quantities and freezing them for a rainy day, for the moment it is a great solution for a light lunch at home or at the office for the health conscious, quality seeker and good food lover that I am. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a home-made chilled soup for 5€ without stepping out of their office? Even Mr Proud Cypriot, the passionate “magirio” (local restaurant with home-made food) lover is having them twice a week! The main issues for now are that one can only find them in Limassol, and that they don’t have a website or a shop.

Clcik here for the entire soup range and email rebel.soups@gmail.com to be added on the Rebel Soups daily availability list

“Μνήμη φέρε μου πίσω απόψε” for 4 nights only at Theatro Ena

proud cypriot — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:05:09 +0000

150 years have passed since the birth of the poet from Alexandria, Constantinos Kavafis. He was born on April 29th and died on the same day 70 years later.

The Ministry of Culture has announced that 2013 will be the year of Kavafis. With this opportunity Theatro Ena will be hosting a night at their foyer to present a selection of Kavafis poems brough to life by 3 actors and live music. The event is directed by Andreas Araouzos.

When? 21st, 23rd, 28th, 30th of May at 20:30

Where? Athinas, NICOSIA

Entrance is 10€ with a glass of wine. For reservations call 22348203

Zambartas wine tasting at Cava Nostra this Thu 23/5

proud cypriot — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:54:46 +0000

Zambartas Wineries and Cava Nostra invite you to a tasting of Zambartas Wines on Thursday 23 May from 6.30PM onwards.

The full range of wines will be available for tasting at the wine shop. For those of you who wish to continue the evening enjoying the wines, you can order them by the glass at “Silver Star Wine Bar” opposite for a special price on the evening.

When? Thursday 23rd of May, from 18:30 onwards

Where? Sofouli 5A, 22375336, NICOSIA

Piccadilly

proud cypriot — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:43:09 +0000

Arch. Kyprianou 1, 99261316
Mon & Fri 8:00-17:00, Tue-Thu 8:00-10:00, Sat 12:00-18:00, Sun 18:00-1:00
Food: 2 out of 5 stars 2/5
Service: 3 out of 5 stars 3/5
Ambiance: 3 out of 5 stars 3/5
Despite the risk of insulting a few Limassolians I feel I need to be honest: After personal experience I came to the conclusion that Limassol is a bit behind in the burger scene. They have Library Bar which is good, Milk Bar which serves a fairly good burger (although I prefer a sauce, tomato and lettuce with my burger whilst theirs is plain) and basically that is it! I know there are a few pubs like Drifters’ and Chesters which offer a decent burger, but I wouldn’t call either their burgers a “truly fantastic burger”. I was therefore particularly happy when I saw that a specialised burger house had opened its doors in the centre of the old city. Unfortunately I can’t say that it fills the gap in the market perfectly. Ambiance-wise, service-wise and concept-wise they nailed it but unfortunately that’s all they have nailed! I still hope, however, that it will bring the beginning to a new burger era.
Piccadilly is small and cute and reminds me of an American café, although the name and the decorative ornaments are clearly of British origin. I like the fact that it is not too fancy, over-decorated or too big as it the size and style both give the place a casual character suitable for the old city. Although I wouldn’t say they have made huge renovation works to the place they have added some smart elements that give it its particular style, like the painted red phone booths on the wall, the newspaper stands at the entrance each of which add up to the “diner” effect of the place.
At first glance its menu looked short and as expected: it has a list of burgers, salads and sandwiches, as well as 3 choices of pasta. What was more surprising though were the prices. Despite looking a bit too-good-to-be-true, I didn’t want to be negative so I simply thought that restaurateurs have finally come to their senses. I should have known that it is not so feasible to sell a tasty and high quality cheeseburger for 5.50€.
My cheeseburger, which was served on thin paper in a metal plate, was quite large in size, even though the bun was average in height and not so foamy. As soon as I took it in my hands and got ready for the first bite it immediately flattened, something which I didn’t particularly like. The beef patty was also quite thin, something I didn’t think was an issue at first. It was only half way through the burger when I started forming a more solid opinion on it. The meat as such could have had a few more spices and herbs to make it more flavoursome as it was quite neutral in taste. I also thought it was a bit too ground making it look and feel like a ready-made frozen beef burger, something that I was reassured by the very kind owners wasn’t true at all. What really put-me off however was that I found at least 5 pieces of bone in my burger, a real deal-breaker, despite the fact that I was told that that’s “normal” as the meat grinding machine inevitably leaves some pieces behind due to its nature. I also commented on the fact that the the paper which the burger was served on was a problem as I almost ate some of it as it became too soft from the ketchup and burger sauce.
It is only fair to say that the thick and salty fries that were served with the burger were very tasty and looked home-made, but the fact that the ketchup that came with them was a funny brand with an Arabic inscription on the plastic little individual bag was inappropriate and that they should have made an effort to have larger glass (or even plastic) bottles of good quality ketchup. It is after all a small diner with character and not a fast food take-away place.
As my proud Cypriot friend (who is actually the one and only Aphrodite’s kitchen maker) and I both wanted to try the burgers we didn’t have the opportunity to try the sandwiches or the pasta.
The fact that the friendly waiter (who must have been the owner) was extremely kind and cool, asked us what we thought and truly wanted an answer besides “it was great thank you”, and the fact that our drinks were on the house made the experience a lot more pleasant. I would really like this place to do well as I appreciated their effort, the fact that they are specialised and that they did something that doesn’t really exist in Limassol, but in my opinion they would have to make serious improvements in their meat and bread quality should they want to actually make a difference. In case they are reading this, I would also be prepared to pay 2€ more (7€-9€ per burger + fries) for higher quality.

Erotokritos & Ruth Erotokritou Sample Sale for a few days only!

proud cypriot — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:07:08 +0000

Take advantage of the Spring/Summer 2013 Sample sale designed by the talented Ruth Erotocritou and Erotokritos. The collection includes unique pieces at great prices.

Designer’s Bio:
Ruth Erotokritou Knitwear was set up in the year 2000 by Ruth Erotokritou. A graduate of Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in London, where she received the Queen’s Scholarship Award and graduated with a first class honours degree specialising in Knitted Textiles. Upon leaving St. Martins Ruth focused on designing Knitted Fabrics for a number of Big Fashion Houses, including Ralph Lauren, Givenchy and Lacroix among others. After gaining the necessary experience, she then went on to create her own Knitted Accessory Collection, consisting of Wraps, Scarves and Shawls which were sold exclusively in Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty among other UK stockists.

In the year 2003, she proceeded and set up the ready to wear line, launching Ruth Erotokritou Womenswear.
Ruth Erotokritou herself teaches regularly at Central St. Martins on the BA Textile Design Course.

http://rutherotokritou.com/

Where? 15 Iroon Street, NICOSIA

When? From Friday, May 17th 14:00 until Saturday, May 18th 13:00

Kapari (Pickled Baby Caper Stems)

Aphrodite's kitchen — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:37:37 +0000

What is “Kapari” & Health Benefits

For those who don’t know what “kapari” is, it is baby caper stems pickled in red wine vinegar. It is different to pickled caper buds, which is what most people know. The pickled caper bud is, surprise, the pickled bud of the caper plant. It is also hard to find outside of Cyprus and Greece. In my opinion “kapari” is not very similar to pickled caper buds as I find “kapari” fleshier in texture because it consists of a caper stem and leaves, and it also isn’t as tart as pickled caper buds. I don’t know what you think. Pickled caper buds go well in sauces and the like, but I am not really sure if “kapari” would go well in a puttanesca sauce. In Cyprus, it is often served together with salad, meat or fish and it generally goes as a side pickle with many foods. Sometimes, I can even put some “kapari” in a bowl and eat it just like that, even though I am not sure if that is normal. I’ve also heard of someone putting “kapari” in a dry martini as a substitute for an olive. New drink anyone?

OK, so the health benefits. Apparently in Greek popular medicine, a herbal tea made of caper root and young stems is considered beneficial against rheumatism. Also, in ancient Greece, apparently the caper was used as a carminative, i.e. something that helps prevent the formation of gas prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract.

Caper plants (capparis spinosa) are said to be native to the Mediterranean basin, but their range stretches from the Atlantic coasts of the Canary Islands and Morocco towards the east to the Caspian Sea and into Iran.

How to Make “Kapari”

So, how do you make it?

1. Go to a mountainous area and pick baby caper stems. A lot easier said than done. Caper plants like to grow in rocky places. Sometimes steep, rocky places. They can grow in cracks and crevices of rocks, and in stone walls. Basically these plants are fighters – rather then die, they seem to thrive in nutrient poor, sharply drained and gravelly soils. The first time I went to pick caper stems my aunt took a stick with a hook on it and wore runners and trousers – in the Cyprus May heat. Weird I thought. I wore ballet flats, took a camera and a plastic bag. My aunt gathered three bags full of caper stems. I gathered a measly half a bag, was attacked by insects and had to be rescued from a cliff side. Moral of the story: Wear runners. Wear trousers. And take a guide the first time you go. Unless you know what you are looking for, caper plants can be hard to spot. They can grow on the sides of roads, in rocks and in between an assortment of other plants. When you find the plant, you need to pick the top part of the stems so that they are each about 10 to 15 cm long. Those with big leaves, uneaten by insects, are best. Watch out as caper plants have thorns! So you have to make sure not to get pricked. Also, there is only about a 2 month window when you can pick these baby caper stems, i.e. between April and May, because after this the plant will mature and be too big.

2. After you gather the caper stems, you need to remove the thorns from the same. There is no other way to do this, but to sit down and go through each stem individually and cut off the thorns with a knife or with your fingers. Also throw out any leaves which have worm holes in the same.

3. Next, you need to place the caper stems in a bottle or bucket filled with enough water to cover all of the caper stems. If the caper stems are in a bucket, you can place a lid with a rock over top the lid to make sure the caper stems are submersed. Personally, I don’t like to have buckets filled with fermenting stuff in my kitchen, so prefer the bottle method. Place the bottle in a dark place for 4 days. On the 4th day, the water will have turned a muddy yellow-green colour. Empty the water from the bottle. It will smell. Then refill the bottle with enough water to cover all of the caper stems. Let sit for another 3 to 4 days, until the caper stems become dark green in colour and the water yellow again.

4. Drain the caper stems in a sieve. Rinse the caper stems well with water.

5. Next, cover the caper stems with salt and let sit for about ten minutes, until the caper stems dry. How much salt? Well, this is a rough rule of thumb that I observed. It is very difficult asking my aunt for precise measurements. But this is what I observed: 1 heaped teaspoon salt for about every 7 caper stems. Basically, each caper stem should have a generous sprinkling of salt on it like in the feature image above.

6. Place the caper stems in a bottle and fill with red wine vinegar until the caper stems are covered. Place in a dark cupboard where the “kapari” should last for up to a year. Don’t worry if little white spots start to appear on the “kappari”, this is part of the fermentation process. When serving, drizzle a little olive oil over the same to reduce the sharpness of the vinegar.

7. Serve “kapari” as a side dish with most meals. I particularly enjoy it on lentils, with salad, and most meats.

Thiseas Art Gallery presents “(S)HE” by Meletios Meletiou

proud cypriot — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:45:24 +0000

Thiseas Art Gallery presents the Structure/Sculpture exhibition of MELETIOS MELETIOU, “(S)HE”.
The exhibition is opening on Friday the 17th of May.

This innovative Structure and Sculpture Exhibition by the young and gifted Cypriot artist Meletios Meletiou is due to take place in Thiseas Art Gallery in Limassol, from 17th to 29th of May. The metal constructions and sculptures presented in the exhibition aim to question the theme of androgyny and hermaphrodite.

The sketches’ deliberate transfer to three-dimensional metal imaging will be exposed, in which sex is coded between the lines that shape each piece of art. Your objective criteria will bring to the surface the conception of two or more sexes, enclosed in your own personal temperament.

When? Friday 17th May (opening at 20:30) to Wednesday 29th of May

Where? Thiseos 9, 99674243, LIMASSOL

http://www.thiseas-art-gallery.com

http://g.co/maps/ceueb

Agia Fyla Hunters’ Club (“Kynigetikos Syllogos”)

proud cypriot — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:05:54 +0000

Opposite Panagia Chrysaliniotissa church, 99645225, LEMESOS (LIMASSOL)
Mon-Sat 19:00-23:00
Food: 3 out of 5 stars 3/5
Service: 3 out of 5 stars 3/5
Ambiance: 1 out of 5 stars 1/5
I can confidently say it doesn’t get much more “Cypriot and Proud” than the “Kynigetikos Syllogos” (Hunters’ club) of Agia Fyla! Only minutes from central Limassol is the old centre of Agia Fyla that used to be a small village but is now a residential suburb. Before talking about this particular “syllogos” it is only fair that I defined what a “syllogos” is: it is a club which looks like a traditional coffee place and/or restaurant where people meet during the day and night to have coffee, nibble, play “tavli” (backgammon) and mingle with each other. The “syllogos”/club can be of a team (although in that case it would most likely be called a “somatio” (body), a city or a village or basically any club that brings people together.
The truth is I never knew that were Hunters’ clubs (“Kynigetikos syllogos”), but due to the nature of the place it is easy for one to subconsciously think that the food would be good. Unfortunately they don’t cook “game of the day” but from what I experienced, they must have access to good quality meat.
I won’t even discuss the ambiance and décor as these are practically non-existent. Be prepared for plastic chairs, plastic table covers, fluorescent lighting and a plain and 4 white walls. The only pictures hanging on its walls are portrait pictures of the owner when he was young. The Cypriots that were born here will immediately get what I ‘m saying, the tourists might be a bit surprised. What will make them feel better however, is that the food certainly compensates for the super simple and old school vibe.
What I was particularly happy to know is that the wife of Mr Yiannakis, the proud Cypriot owner of the restaurant, is a keen cook who also likes to make more “alternative” dishes than the standard “meze”, depending on the season, like cooked vegetables with tomato and spices. If you would like to try her special dishes you should call the day before asking what she can make for you, or go on weekends as on weekdays the food selection is pretty standard and prepared there and then.
You should expect to eat freshly prepared and tasty salads, the type that I wouldn’t mind eating day and night, local “tahini” and “taramas” (a dip which doesn’t really go with the whole meal but it is served anyway). The highlight for me was the tasty, tender and perfectly savoury pork kebab, the soft yet crunchy lamb chops, any kind of greens with eggs as they always have a twist to them and their super fresh salad.
Dessert? None available unless you are a fan of local Cyprus sweets ( candied fruit in sugar syrup).
Price? From 12-15€ each for a home-made, local, freshly prepared and tasty full “meze” meal!

Mayiopoula

proud cypriot — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:55:52 +0000

Panteli Katellari 16A, 22665577, LEFKOSIA (NICOSIA)
Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00
Food: 3.5 out of 5 stars 3.5/5
Service: 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.5/5
Ambiance: 3 out of 5 stars 3/5
Upon moving back to Cyprus last year it only took me a few months to confirm what I had always known: despite being on a small island surrounded by water it is not as easy to get tasty and fresh seafood as one would think. Firstly the variety is not that big, but the main problem is the quality and then the price. This is probably what the owner of the new seafood restaurant, Mayiopoula, thought before coming up with the idea to open a high quality and up market place in the capital: he saw the gap in the market.
Following my lunch at Mayiopoula I found the perfect description for it: a high-class business restaurant for businessmen and politicians. This is where I would imagine the business tycoons of our country enjoying their dinner, followed by brandy and cigars.
When it first opened I was a bit baffled in terms of its ambiance and décor. Although I did get the all-white ambiance and the elegant vibe it wanted to create, I didn’t quite get the electric blue sign and the random blue décor features in the inside space. Nevertheless attention to detail in terms of smartness and elegance exists, i.e. the neat and tidy tables, the expensive plates and cutlery, the comfortable chairs and the friendly and formal staff.
Regarding the food, even though I was expecting over priced international and gourmet seafood selection I found a less overpriced-than-expected local restaurant. Some, might thing that serving “tahini” in such an up-market place would not be appropriate but I thought that why not let people enjoy our heritage in a different environment?
Apart from a selection of dips and starters including an excellent “tahini” and homemade “taramas”, there is a choice of salads. The “choriatiki” (traditional salad), that we ordered was made of fresh tomatoes and tasty vegetables, (though quantitywise I should note that we needed two for four people). The selection of main courses included the standard “calamari”, octopus and cuttlefish for 15-17€ per portion, small fried fish as well as two meat options for the meat lovers. Our octopus, although slightly different in texture and taste than what we usually have at a tavern, was very tender and soft with a more neutral to sour taste. I liked it. The rest of the table wasn’t sure what to think. The fried “marida” (whitebait) was fresh, crispy and flavoursome. The cuttlefish ink seafood risotto from the international main dish selection, despite having a weird colour and being blue/grey rather than having the deep blue/black colour that I expected, fairly tasty even though I preferred the grilled fish and the simpler dishes (not an opinion shared by the proud Cypriot brother who cleaned the risotto plate).
The steamed vegetables were the perfect side dish, to our grilled red porgy (“fagri”), that was served with the standard lemon and olive oil sauce. The fish was surprisingly fresh and tender.
Finally the baklava and yoghurt with Cyprus sweets that were offered to us at the end were a nice gesture. I would expect a bigger selection of desserts and sorbets for such a restaurant, but I heard that the desserts change regularly, which is positive.
I actually heard mixed comments regarding the food at Mayiopoulla, but I liked the fact that the food was fresh, tasty and had a simple and traditional touch. I would like to see, however, more pasta and cooked food dishes as I think we lack creative seafood dishes in Cyprus. If it did indeed offer a more creative seafood selection I would be happier to go there more often, despite the classic business-like environment look that the restaurant has. One thing is certain, the 35€ per person that we paid, in a group of four people with a bottle of wine was in my opinion fair, given that almost a year ago we paid 45€ per person to eat less food at “Kalamies” in Protaras without wine.

Facebook blast to promote Cyprus on one day only with Cyprus Connect

proud cypriot — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:02:08 +0000

Cyprus Connect, is a non-profit organisation that was recently launched to promote our country. Their goal is to make sure every single person on this island knows that Cyprus has not collapsed, that our beautiful beaches and countryside are still alive and prettier than ever, and that, despite recent events, it remains a top destination for anyone who wants to visit it!

Cyprus Connect has taken the initiative to create an event, whereby every single person can become a Cyprus “ambassador” for one day only, the 19th of May 2013. What each of us has to do is blast Facebook with pictures and videos from our lovely country. Feel free to Post, Like and Share any kind of pictures and videos on Cyprus beauty, because we will not let the media mislead the world into presenting an image for Cyprus that is simply not true.

You can find details on Cyprus connect on their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/cyprus.connect).