and Fridays. The second fasting period is Lent—the 48 days before Easter—when fish can be consumed on March 25th and Palm Sunday only. Additionally, there are 15 days in August (“the Assumption”) when fasting is similar to Lent, except fish can only be consumed on August 6th (“Metamorphosis”). Outside of the fasting periods, there are no restrictions on the types of animal products that can be consumed (15).


New Year’s Day, known as St. Basil’s Day, represents optimism and hope for a prosperous year ahead.


For St. Basil’s Day, a special cake known as vasilopitta is prepared by each family, and a coin is hidden inside. A slice is cut for each family member, and whoever finds the coin in his or her slice is considered to have good luck for the next year. On January 6th, Cypriots celebrate Epiphany, when everyone attends mass and prays for a good year. Families celebrate together by eating sweets, particularly loukoumades (doughnuts with syrup) (14).


In the two weeks before Lent, Carnival is celebrated, especially in the town of Limassol. At this time,


families enjoy delicacies such as bourekia, a pastry filled with cinnamon-flavored anari cheese. Carnival begins on a Thursday, a time when Cypriots grill meat. Tyrini (“Cheese Week”) is the last week of Carnival and ends on the first day of Lent, known as “Green Monday.” On Green Monday, Cypriots go to the country for picnics with vegetables, olives, bread, salad, and local wine (14, 17).


During Lent, many Cypriots avoid meat, fish, and dairy. Pulses, vegetables, and fruit are, instead,


consumed. Greens are picked from the countryside and eaten along with pastries or pies (pittes), desserts made of red pumpkin, raisins, and cracked wheat (bulgur) (kolokotes/kolokopita), tahinopita made with sesame seed paste, and spanakopita (14,17).


Easter is the biggest religious holiday, a time when the entire family gets together. During the Holy


Week before Easter, Easter bread (tsoureki) is baked. Aveglomono soup, which is made from eggs, lemon, and chicken stock, is typically eaten (14). As part of this celebration, people crack eggs against one another while saying “Christos Anesti–Alithos Anesti,” which translates to “Christ is risen–truly He is risen.” At the main meal, when the fast of Lent is broken, chunks of skewered meat are grilled (souvla) and served with potatoes and salad. Easter lamb is also often roasted on a spit (17).


Additionally, families bake savory Easter tarts (flaounes) consisting of a special Easter cheese, eggs,


spices, and herbs, usually mint (14). Flaounes are often eaten in place of bread in the morning and offered to visitors and may be eaten for 2 to 3 weeks after Easter as well as frozen to be eaten throughout the year (15).


Before Christmas, many Cypriots continue to observe the Advent fast. In the past, the Christmas


season also involved every family slaughtering a pig and salting, curing, or smoking the meat to last the winter. Some families prepare the loukanika sausages for Christmas at this time. On Christmas, pork was historically consumed; however, in modern times, poultry is often served (17).


Cypriot Christmas cake is often baked, adapted from the British version using locally available


ingredients. Other Christmas desserts include iced shortbread cookies (kourambiedes), egg-shaped buns soaked in honey and sugar (melomakarona), and sesame bread (koulouria) (14,17).


The Turkish-Cypriots in North Cyprus are predominantly Muslim. In Islam, there are many food guidelines that exist for the purpose of preserving the health and well-being of the individual (see Muslim section for more on traditional Muslim food practices)


In North Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots celebrate their religious holidays with roasted meat, chicken,


and potatoes (patates kebabı), lamb with potatoes cooked in an outdoor sealed oven (hırsız kebabı), pasta baked with ground lamb (fırın makarnası), or shish kebabs and şeftali kebabi grilled over charcoal. Pilavuna (baked sesame pastries) are commonly served with the festival meal (31).


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