GREEK ISLAND CUISINE
Salads Salad with Tomatoes and Bread Rusks, “Skordalia”from the Ionian Islands, Fava Dip from Sporades, Cretan Village Salad, Mixed Green Salad from Lesvos, Greek Salad with Artichokes, Peas and “Tahini”, Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad, Island“Tsatsiki”
Main Hot Dishes Chicken with Olive Oil and Oregano, “Ntomatokeftedes”from Santorini, Fish with “Kentane”Leeks, Pork “Sofrito” from Corfu, Cretan “Psarokolyva”, Roast Potatoes from Naxos, “Moussaka”, Spinach Rice Pilaf
Desserts “Ravani”, “Mastic” Cream from Chios, Fresh Fruit/ Fruit Salad
Bread Traditional Bread from Chios
Price 8 euros
The Higher Hotel Institute, Cyprus is proud to announce the re-opening of its Student Training Restaurant as from the 07/02/2017. The Restaurant will be open to the public for lunch from 13:30 until 15:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and charges are set at cost price. Places are limited and you are advised to reserve a table in advance.
The Restaurant is operated by students under the supervision of their Instructors. It will continue to offer a superb variety of culinary delights for you to experience. During the Spring Semester, the restaurant will feature Cypriot Cuisine and other cuisines that have influenced it through the centuries.
For reservations TEL.: 22404847 and 22404800 FAX: 22314672
Introducing Greek Island Cuisine
As we have completed the cycle of Cypriot Cuisine, this week we set out to explore all the neighbouring cuisines that have influenced it. In some cases, the influence has been reciprocal as Cyprus, due to its strategic position, has historically acted as a cultural bridge between the orient and the occident.
At the Higher Hotel Institute, Cyprus, we aim to enable our students to understand the history and evolution of dishes that comprise today’s Cypriot Cuisine and develop the necessary knowledge, skills and values to stay true to our gastronomic heritage whilst at the same time contributing to its future course.
Naturally, due to the proximity of Cyprus to Greece and their common language and heritage, its cuisine was greatly influenced by that of Greece.
We begin our tribute to the Greek Gastronomy with the Greek Island Cuisine. We have included in our menu a variety of dishes from different island groups of Greece.
Moussaka: Surely this dish originated in the Middle East and its meaning in Arabic is “something that is heated”. However, it is the Greeks that made this dish famous world-wide. There is a very interesting tale behind the Greek version. In 1920, the famous Greek chef, Nikolaos Tselementes born on the Cycladic island of Sifnos, innovated the original recipe. He thought that Greek cuisine had become too easternised under Ottoman rule, and he was determined to correct this. Having been influenced immensely by French cuisine, he decided to add a layer of Béchamel Sauce on top of the traditional dish, thus changing the dish signature for ever.
Santorini Tomato Balls: The reason we included this recipe in our menu is to highlight the special tomatoes that grow on the volcanic island of Santorini. Apparently, because the soil is volcanic there is no need to water the plants, since they water themselves with the night dew which intensifies the taste of the tomatoes. We are sorry we do not have the local tomatoes but we have tried to reproduce the dish as authentically as we can.
Pork “sofrito” from Corfu: Sofrito is one of the unique dishes from the island of Corfu. It is made with meat cooked in white wine sauce with lots of garlic and herbs. ‘Sofrito’ means slow frying (sautéing) in Italian, and this dish was introduced to the island by the Venetians that occupied the island from 1401 till 1797.
Cretan “psarokolyva”: This ancient dish comprises a mixture of pulses, seeds and cereals. Originally, it was prepared as an offering at the temples associated with the goddess of fertility, Ceres (Demetra). Today, this dish survives and is consumed during fasting periods, especially before Epiphany.
Kentane are leeks from Crete.
Mastic is the resin of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), and is a unique product that is produced exclusively in southern Chios. The island’s micro-climate, its topology and landscape are the secret behind its cultivation on this tiny piece of land in the Aegean Sea. It is known as the first natural chewing gum but is used extensively in pastry and baking.
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