denced by archaeological excavations that have brought to life two golden coins with representations of bees, dated to the Cypro-Archaic and CyproClassical periods. In fact, it is highly likely that an Association of Apiculturists was in operation in Cyprus in 1879. It should be pointed out that traditional honey production in Cyprus was made in “tzivertia”, cylindrical containersmade of tree barks or clay or clay and straw. Gastronomy: Honey is part and parcel of the Cypriot gastronomical tradition. It may be consumed paired with other desserts such as yoghurt, fresh Anari, roasted Halloumi etc. It can also be used as a sweetener in beverages or as a spread on bread. Honey is also used in cooking and pastry, for instance in a variety of traditional syrup sweets such as anari-pie, tsippopitta, dahtyla and pites-tis-satzis but also to impart a sweet taste to various food products. Spoon sweets (Glyka tou koutaliou) Spoon sweets are made from almost every fresh fruit and vegetable, preserved in thick syrup. The sweets maintain the flavour and fragrance of the product from which they are made. Their name derives from the way in which they are served: in earlier times, on occasion, spoon sweets were served in a dish surroundedby teaspoons. Each guest would use a teaspoon to collect the dessert, wishing the hostess "geia sta cheria sou" (''bless your hands'') and drinking cool water. On other occasions, spoon sweets were offered separately to each guest in a small dish with the teaspoon placed upon a glass of cold water. 14 Gastronomy in Cyprus History: Spoon sweets were traditionally the main dessert that visitors and guests were treated to. Every housewife in Cyprus would make spoon sweets depending on the fruit and vegetable that throve in the region where she lived. Spoon-sweet making appears to have become part of the lives of the Cypriots when sugarcane cultivation and sugar production were introduced to the island during Frankish Rule (N. Patapiou, The nutrition of the Cypriots during French and Venetian Rule). In earlier years, molasses, carob honey and honey were used as sweeteners, therefore the “retzelia”, baked fruit or vegetables preserved in grape, are considered precursors to spoon sweets.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUzMzM1NQ==