Cyprus

Halloumi

Brined cheese that holds its shape on the grill, folded with mint before curing.

Souvla

Large chunks of pork or lamb turned slowly on a long skewer over charcoal.

Sheftalia

Minced pork and parsley wrapped in caul fat and grilled until it crisps.

Meze

Twenty or thirty small dishes arriving in waves until you ask them to stop.

Kleftiko

Lamb sealed in a clay oven with garlic and bay and left for hours.

Koupepia

Vine leaves rolled around pork, rice and tomato, cooked with lemon.

Afelia

Pork braised in red wine and crushed coriander seed until the sauce thickens.

Louvi

Black-eyed beans boiled with chard and dressed with lemon and olive oil.

Tavas

Lamb, onion and cumin baked slowly in a covered earthenware pot.

Trahanas

Cracked wheat fermented with sour milk, dried, and cooked into a winter soup.

Flaounes

Cheese and mint pastries with raisins, baked for Easter in every household.

Bourekia

Fried pastries filled with anari cheese and cinnamon, dusted with sugar.

Loukoumades

Honey-soaked dough balls fried to order and eaten hot.

Glyko tou koutaliou

Whole fruit preserved in syrup and offered by the spoonful with cold water.

Zivania

Clear grape pomace spirit, strong and traditionally offered on arrival.

Commandaria

Sun-dried grape dessert wine, claimed as the world's oldest named wine.