Tsiknopempti or Smoking Thursday is the Thursday of the week of Kreatini.

On this day, it is customary in all the houses of Cyprus and Greece to grill meat and eat meat, grilled or in a pan, from where the strong smell of gum emerges in the air.From ancient times the Christians used to make meat tables. In order to have meat, in ancient times they had to slaughter an animal.

The only day that was opportune was Thursday, since Wednesday and Friday of this week there is a strict fast.

Tsiknopempti is also a popular day for going out to eat and enjoying as many different meats as possible.

Be sure to reserve a table ahead of time as restaurants and traditional taverns are typically fully booked!

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Snails

Vinegar

2-3 lemon leaves

Ouzo

Method

• Before cooking, wash the snails with water.
• Rub the snails lightly between them and change the water 6-8 times until they are clear.
• Boil the snails in a saucepan with water and a little vinegar over low heat, and when foam begins to form, remove it with a perforated dipper and throw it away.
• Then add the lemon leaves and a pinch of ouzo and a tablespoon of salt.
• Before the snails are cooked, remove them from the heat and put them in a bowl and remove their shell with a knife (the back of the shell).

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By Anna Cortesi

The problem of obesity and unnecessary pounds in humans is timeless and always timely.

Too many scientists, physicians and nutritionists have been called upon to analyze the factors that help us consume larger quantities of food than the body needs to function properly. To combat the problem, several diets have been developed, some effective and others less so.

In this direction, chemical diets such as those of Dr. Herman Tarnower, known as the Scarsdale Diet. According to this diet, you are fed 43% protein, 22.5% fat and 34.5% carbohydrates. Examples of this type of diet are many, as are other exhaustive ways of eating. According to deprivation diets, a number of foods are banned from the diet. However, in all these diets there is a major problem and it has to do with the fact that the human body needs all kinds of nutrients and vitamins that it can accept from foods. You just need them in certain quantities and not excessive or not at all.

The saying ‘Metron Ariston’ belonging to Cleoboulos (6th century BC) is perfectly applicable in this case, since man is required to find a balance between the foods he receives and the way he receives them on a daily basis. In this way, he will nourish his body and live well, minimizing the given health problems that he will face in the opposite case.

So, it is not enough to say to ourselves that sugar, bread, fried foods, etc. We have to study our bodybuilding and build a diet plan based on our daily activities and tasks. This program should not exhaust our body. Instead, it must give us all the nutrients we need, give us energy and health, and, in conjunction with the right amount of water, make us not dehydrate and think we are hungry while doing everything else.

A proper diet consists of at least 5 appetizers a day, which start from the time we get up to work and finish about 3 hours before falling asleep. This means that we have to put something in our mouths every 3 hours. If we do this systematically and correctly we will see that we can consume everything in small quantities without disturbing, straining or oppressing our bodies. In addition, in a short time we will feel other people having activated the burning mechanisms within us.

Of course, all this without exercise or walking will not have the perfect effect. Therefore, we need to understand the enormous importance of our body exercise and incorporate it into our daily program.

For these reasons, therefore, proper and systematic nutrition combined with anticipated water consumption and daily exercise is the real solution to the problem of obesity. In no case exhaustive or deprived diets are needed to achieve the desired result, only to follow the aforementioned!

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However, Lebanese sparingly consume animal fats while poultry and lamp are usually preferred. Garlic, chickpeas and parsley and olive oil are considered the “foundation” of Lebanese food as they are included in the food in copious amounts.

This particular cuisine has fans all around the world and is not a coincidence that Cypriots have a special love for Lebanese food. Fallafel may be the most famous dish, however, there are many remarkable dishes for Lebanese to brag about.

Some of the most famous dishes include:

• Baba Ghanouj, char-grilled eggplant dip;
• Shawarma, a sandwich with marinated meat skewered and cooked on large rods.
• Hummus, a dip made of chickpeas, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, usually accompanied by pita bread.
• Kafta, in which minced lamb is rolled into sausage shapes and cooked on the barbecue or in the oven.
• Baklava, a well-known dessert made of layered filo pastry filled with nuts and steeped in date syrup or honey.
• Meghli, a dessert served on special occasions, for example to celebrate a newborn baby
• Ashta, creamy sweets filled with clotted cream and melting shortbread usually filled with nuts or date paste

Lebanese restaurants are found all over Cyprus and offer an original experience of the Lebanese cuisine and its true flavors and aromas!

The post Lebanon: a unique cuisine of aromas, taste and interesting dishes! appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

With influences from Turkish, Middle Eastern, French, Italian and Mediterranean cuisines, the Cypriot dishes cannot but amaze you!

The recipes consist of fresh ingredients such as carrots, cucumbers, grape leaves, lettuce, artichokes, lentils, beans, oranges, walnuts, lemons, avocados, apples, pears etc, usually produced and picked from local producers. Additionally, commonly used spices such as parsley, celery, coriander, oregano, pepper etc are also used for the dishes’ recipes execution. Mint is also a big part of the local cuisine as it is very important part of the local food culture.

Despite the fact that the local cuisine offers some of the most delicious dishes you will ever taste, there are some favorites that are preferred.

Souvla is without question the most famous Cypriot dish and one of the trademarks of Cypriot cuisine. Skewered pieces of meat that are cooked on the foukou (similar to charcoal grill), constantly turning around so that the meat is grilled evenly.

If you were to make a list with the 3 most popular Cypriot dishes, Sheftalies would be among the top 2! This particular dish is world famous and an exclusive Cypriot Cuisine delicacy!

Kleftiko is a traditional Cypriot meal, with lots of aromas and of course, unbeatable taste!

Makaronia tou fournou or Pastitsio as it is called in Greece is a tasteful dish which contains pasta, minced meat, tomato sauce and lots of herbs.

Another Cypriot cuisine exclusivity is Kolokasi, a root vegetable only grown in substantial quantities in Cyprus and Ikaria in Greece. There are different varieties, but the Cypriot variety is known as Colocasia Esculanta. Kolokasi is a popular dish in the Cypriot cuisine and is cooked in tomato sauce, sometimes on its own or meat, pork or chicken.

Last but not least, the Cypriot meze, a compilation of the best Cypriot dishes, in smaller portions, just enough to give you a taste of what the Cyprus gastronomy is all about!

When you feel “hungry” for traditional food, try finding a traditional tavern, the place for the real Cyprus taste!

The post Cyprus: Experiencing the true taste of the local cuisine! appeared first on LoveCyprus | We Love Cyprus and you will Love it too..

By Anna Cortesi

Pregnancy can be daunting, especially when it comes to diet. In the past, there have been several misconceptions as to which foods are allowed during pregnancy and which are of limits. On the bright side, nowadays things have got a lot clearer and there are only few restrictions. But these restrictions can prove serious. We have gathered a list with these foods, for you to review and act accordingly.

However, besides staying off the restricted foods on the list, a pregnant woman should always aim at wholesome foods and healthy meals. Adequate hydration and a good night’s sleep complete a successful pregnancy, for sure!

• Alcohol: This is a no-brainer, obviously! Pregnant women ought to stay away from alcohol. Even though there is still debate as to whether or not a single glass of wine per week is OK, you had better not take any risks.
• Raw Fish: Sushi is delicious and many people have added Asian cuisine to their dietary habits. Still, raw fish can be dangerous to the fetus. Anything raw promotes listeria and other bacteria.
• Coffee: Another point of debate, here! Some doctors urge pregnant women to give up on coffee altogether. Others agree that a cup of coffee is fine. Luckily, decaf is a smart choice and therefore you should stick to that during pregnancy.
• Fish & Mercury: Fish is beneficial to your diet, as a whole. It offers you lean protein and omega-3 fat. Nevertheless, high-mercury fish may lead to problems with the fetus. Any metal may do that, actually. So no tuna, swordfish or mackerel.
• Unpasteurized Food: Well, anything unpasteurized might be filled with bacteria. So beware of some cheese varieties that come from raw milk. They might taste better to your palate, but they are risky to have. The same goes for milk that has not been pasteurized, apparently. Even juice is not immune to bacteria, when it is raw and when fruits or veggies have not been properly washed.
• Processed Meat: Last but not least, processed meat often come with carcinogenic elements. Keep away from cured meat, hot dogs and sausages. When possible, eat organic food.

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Ingredients

• 1 Turkey
• Liver’s Turkey
• 2 Onions
• 75g Butter
• 500g Frankfurt Sausages
• 3-4 Eggs
• 500ml Milk
• 4 Slice Bread
• 500g Bacon
• 200g Kefalotyri Cheese
• 500g Graviera Cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Orange
• 1 Lemon
• 100g Mustard
• 100g Olive Oil
• Potatoes

For the stuffing

1. Take a bowl and put the bread and milk
2. Finely chop the onions, the sausages, the liver and the bacon.
3. Place a pan over high heat and add 75g of butter
4. Add the chopped onions, the Frankfurt Sausages, the Turkey’s Liver, the bacon, the bread* and the graviera cheese.
5. Saute while stirring for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper.
7. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes.
8. Then add the eggs and the kefalotyri cheese and stir the stuffing until is the mixture is homogeneous.

Note**  We have to drain the bread before putting it in the pan. We do not add the milk!!

For the turkey

1. Preheat the oven to 220 Celsius (set to fan)
2. Cut the turkey and open along the back with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife and clean its inside.
3. Turn it breast side up and press down on the breasts with your hands to give a butterfly appearance.
4. Place the turkey in a large baking pan.
5. Fill the turkey with the stuffing. If the stuffing is too much, place it around the turkey.
6. Cut the potatoes and put them around the turkey
7. Mix up the orange and lemon juice, mustard and olive and drizzle the turkey and potatoes with it.
8. Cover the turkey with silver foil, put the pan in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
9. Remove the silver foil and bake for another 30 minutes until it turns golden.

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