Tsiknopempti-Fat or Burnt Thursday

By
Tsiknopempti (Burnt Thursday)  is the Greek equivalent of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). It is  celebrated eleven days before the start of Lent. The "Burnt" part refers to the grilling of meats (barbrcue), a big part of the celebration of this day.
Tsiknopempti-01
Photo Credit
The weekend following "Burnt Thursday" will also have parties and other events such as  the Carnival. Technically, that Sunday is the last allowable day for eating meat and is sometimes called "Meat-eating Sunday" .  In Cyprus it's called "sikoses" from the greek verb "sikono" literally meaning "to rise" , but , as a metaphor it means to be up and dance and be merry and eat to your heart's content ! Right now, all the Greek restaurants and tavernas are literally packed and the Greeks party, eating grilled meats, drinking wine, ouzo or retsina and dancing. Many Greeks also paint their faces black ...to match them with the spirit of tsiknopempti (Burnt Thursday).whereas others prefer to make their own barbecue at home and invite their friends and family.
Tsiknopempti-02
Photo Credit
I'll sign off wishing you "Kales Sikoses" - a traditional wish we exchange in Cyprus on Tsiknopempti.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Virtual Tour of Larnaca

By
Image
Larnaca is a small town of about 75,000 inhabitants situated on the southern coast of the island of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. When I first came to live here in November 1984, it looked like the middle of no where! People would stare at me as if I were an alien just because I I was different from them. Back to the 80s it was unheard of for a Greek Cypriot lady in her late 20s to have lunch BY HERSELF at one of the few tavernas then on Finikoudes Seafront. Finikoudes (the Palm Tree Promenade) is  the symbol of our town and the town centre.. The palm trees date back to bygone years but now the area boasts one of the cleanest beaches in the eastern Med which has won a Blue Flag. There are also many cafes , restaurants and bars - my favourite being  Coffee Island - the fourth in our town - and Panos Steak House. At the corner of Faneromenis and Agiou Lazarou Street is the church of Agiou Lazarou (Holy Lazarus), built in the 9th century by Byzantine Emperor Leo,
Read more

February in Cyprus

By
Image
February arrived in Cyprus with a huge grin and gorgeous sunny days. I could almost smell Spring in the cool breeze coming from the sea, flirting with my veranda throughout the weekend and spoiling us with mild temperatures rising to 20 degrees celsius on the coast. But just about as I was starting to consider getting rid of coats, boots and umbrellas, today's stormy weather made me have second thoughts. February in Cyprus is  a moody month. It will drift along lazily with its moods...on a whim. Now it's sunny, now it isn't!  Larnaca Medieval Castle Regardless of its moody attitude, February is one of my most favourite months. Its birthstone is the amethyst which symbolises piety, humility, spiritual wisdom and sincerity. Its main zodiac sign is Aquarius like my husband whose birthday is on February 17.                                             Alkis' 60th birthday 8 yeras ago.
Read more

A Special Treat

By
Image
  Marzano is by far our most favourite Italian restaurant in Larnaca.. We love the cosy, relaxing atmosphere, the excellent food quality and the impeccable service. As we visited on peak hours, we really didn't mind the slight delay. After all, Marzano isn't a fast food restaurant. It's the kind of restaurant where you can sit back, relax and chat to your friends, family or significant other. We ordered Regina Pizza for starters, which was amazing! Thin crust,smoked ham hock, buffalo mozzarella and,black olives with a touch of garlic oil .Delicious! Never mind the calories, just for once!!! I had bistecca di manzo for main course and kindly asked to replace potato puree with chips which was no problem. My husband went for fiillet steak mignon. He is diabetic so he asked if he could have wholemeal pasta instead of rice or puree. And he got it! Our friends went for lasagne pasticciate and rib eye steak.They both loved it. We shared the dessert: a sinful ch
Read more