Cyprus style Meze
 

I'm planning to cook a meze (Cyprus style) for some friends next week. Anyone who has experienced the tavernas might like to let me know what their favourite meze dish is? Not strictly aviation, I know, but there are a lot of military air and ground crew out there who will remember the Randevous and Peppes.

Stuffed vine leaves, hummus, olives and lamb kleftiko do it for me!!

Finn

Kokinelli and lots of it - food doesn't really matter after that!

Never was terribly keen on a Meze after some horribly crunchy bits of unknown beast were included in one mezze course in Limasol. Even the bondhu cats wouldn't eat whatever it was; perhaps they were related to it?

A proper Akrotiri kebab, though.....:ok:

For those unfamiliar, I offer this old thread http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ens-stool.html .

. . . oh, and I nearly forgot . . . have some Kokinelli :D

Grilled haloumi cheese and lamb chops was always my favorite at Chris's. And kokinelli of course.

Y_G

Taramosalata, kalamari, keftedes, loukanika and sheftalia. Watch out for the Kokinelli!

Not forgetting 'Nose-warmers' that can be filled with the shredded lettuce and Tsatsiki or Hummus and then be thrown up into the ceiling fan (if you have one in your house) to allow every diner to enjoy a bit!!! :}

Sheftalia kebabs! From the little shack next to the Naafi. Those never ending Kebabs at Chris'
What the hell was Kokinelli? Apart from plentiful and cheap. Would any of us drink it by choice anywhere else?

If you want the total Chris experience, don't forget to have the toilets back up before the yoghurt throwing. Forget Kokinelli, Pandemonium gave the greatest hangover!

oh the memories...............:ok:

talking about Chris Kebebs anyone remember the "Lightning Strike on Radar" incident?

Ensure you cover the walls of your abode with tacky tea towels from around the UK for that Chris' Kebab authenticity.

Lamb-based meat products, nosewarmers, beer in bottles (Carlsberg of course) and lots of hummus etc.

Don't forget...
 

...the piece of god-knows-what liver fried until it's a good substitute for a flip-flop. (I may, inadvertantly, have eaten a flip-flop at Chris Kebab thinking it was a piece of liver that had fallen off the table). Kokinelli is just "village wine" although there was that dreadful invention "kok-in-a-box" in an attempt to bring it into the 20th century; but it just wasn't the same as getting red screech out of a Liebfraumilch bottle - be honest. Is it still around? It didn't deserve to be.

The Ancient Mariner

Funny - tried to re-create a brandy sour back home. Didn't taste the same without local Cyrus ingredients!

Didn't taste the same without local Cyrus ingredients!
 

Was that Miley or Billy Ray?? :} Mind you after a kebab and eleventeen pints of Kokinelli i couldn't speak never mind spell!! ;)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...andy-sour.html


As mentioned many times, the key ingredient is the local lemon juice (squash? cordial?) It is different to stuff in UK, has more natural ingredients and will go orf quicker than the stuff we're used to. So if you go to the trouble of importing the proper stuff, use it before it goes manky. My recommendation would be Kean, but I have seen Lex & Lanitis mentioned. Ascoteers, of course, can request it from Flt Catering on the way home and nick it.

Secondly, Cyprus Bitters is a local version of Angostura Bitters, and is added as a squirt rather than a few drops.

Soda water is the correct mixer, if you use lemonade, it is a 'Brandy Sweet'

Therefore:-

50/50 Keo Brandy and Kean Lemon Juice
then 50/50 again with Soda water
Squirt of Cyprus Bitters

Add ice, bendy straw, stir well, drink, and reminice....

...which is exactly what I am doing now, as I am kebab critical to the tune of 2 years, hoping to regain my currency in a couple of months

(Sylvana's by a mile)

I suspect a few of the older hands will remember Niazis in Limassol which was a favourite RAF haunt. After the 1974 war he disappeared and I suspected he'd ended up in one of his own kebabs, but Ive just Googled him and find out after all these years that he simply re-located to Kyrenia, in Northern Cyprus, where the business is still going strong :ok:

Have a look at his website Niazi's Restaurants - North Cyprus. Look at the photo gallery - there's lots of pics of RAF types eating there in the pre '74 period. Didnt we look smart in our long sleeved shirts and ties!

Never heard of Chris's btw, but I suspect I'm far too old!

My first trip to Akrotiri was in the mighty Tin Triangle and, as one does, we went out for a kebab. That was in 1977, just 3 years after the Turkish invasion...

We went to Mahmoud's in Limassol which was highly recommended and was rather good. But one of the waiters took rather a shine to the AEO (lord knows why...). "You been here before", he queried. "Yes", said the AEO. "I no remember you?" was the reply.

"Quite probably. Because when I was last here, this place was run by a Turkish chap and was known as Niazi's...."

At which the waiter flounced off in a huff....:ooh:

Not sure whether it's true - was Mahmoud's originally Niazi's? Older readers may know the answer.

If memory serves, Chris's was set up well after the pull out - was that Op Ablaut or something? I did some auxiliary crew stuff just before starting the Herc OCU at Thorney. We sat down the back with all the holiday-makers who got pulled out in short order - some still in their beachware.

. . . er did I mention Kokinelli?

Brandy Sours were big trouble, apparently I told the British Ambassador's daughter she had a better moustache than our Navigator after one or three Brandy Sours.

Self control is, of course, soluble in alcohol.

Had a few good Sqdn bashes there. Also there was Big Ariffs and Little Ariffs
Little Ariffs was in the the forecourt of a Shell garage in the Turkish quarter.The garage closed at 6pm and out came the tables and chairs. Food was cooked across the road. Very nimble waiters.
Kokinelli was free and served cold. I've seen it fell hard drinking Paras.

Were you absolutely certain it was her moustache...:ooh:

Sadly it WAS, she badly needed plucking.

Worse still, on the same evening, in a case of mistaken identity, I told her dad to fox oscar (from his own do, in Addis).

Got back off the det to learn I'd been awarded accelerated promotion (the Wingco met the aircraft . . . oh dear). He phrased it 'unless you can think of any reason to the contrary you can stick your Master up on January 1st'.

I've not drunk Brandy Sours (in any quantity) since.

I think my favourite (because we still do it) is haloumi fried in olive oil or on the Weber (on a flat plate).

Don't forget the kokinelli. I had some a couple of years ago in Paphos and it tasted far too good to be the 'real' thing :D

Come to think of it, this was all witnessed by Davy Whiting the 47SF loadie, if he's still around.

I seem to remember his forte was GEE. I shall stop now as it's quite a thread drift.

Souvla.
I've got a pork one on the go and will be eating it shortly....If you can get hold of a Souvla BBQ, It will knock the socks of anything else you cook.
2 x 3 years in AKT have spoilt me

I always enjoyed the liver, as long as it wasn't overcooked. However, either it or the Kokinelli always gave me the squits. Therefore, don't forget the immodium.

Of course, you must have a "Cyprus Racing Chicken" in your courses...

...here is the last one to have bred in captivity:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/...030af7.jpg?v=0

The "only" place to eat in Limassol was PAMBOS. Not one stick of matching furniture or cutlery, coupled with his coke bottle bottom glasses and ex army hobnailed boots gave the place that "special "something.

Went back 18 months ago to try and find it, all to no avail. But, the portions were of legendary size, and he took it as a personal slight if the merest morsel were left.

BEags - No, Mahmoud's and Niazzi's were separate. I suspect the reason the waiter flounced off was probably because you reminded him that the restaurant did not actually, originally, belong to him......

Was in Niazzi's in Kyrenia (Girne) last year - still a good kebab. As I remember, all the best kebabs pre-invasion were Turkish.

Always remember, if drinking kokinelli or pandemonium, make sure you have the "evening" wine. That's the one that has had the whole day to mature.

A good dessert is the brandy sour icecream. Make sure the icecream is really cold and pour a shot of brandy sour over it. Enjoy. ;)

Ah, Pambos, with Jimmy Hendrix painted on the wall. No choices, just what you were given. Bloody marvolous.

Was the food fight obligatory?

The food fight was mandatory.

At sometime during my stay in Akrotiri 1965-67 we were all horrified when the price of a kebab in Big and Little Ariffs went up from 350 mils to 500 mils. (7/- to 10/- or 35p to 50p)

Dengue Dude

What was that wine called again? ;)

Anyone remember the Limassol Wine Festival in the park? You bought an empty carafe at the gate - 50 mils (one shilling, or 5p) as I recall - and you just had it refilled gratis from the various stands. They used to drain the ornamental pool and fill it with that wine that DD mentioned, an open invitation to have squaddies swimming in it by the end of the evening.

Held sometime in October I believe TTN. And yes the squaddies certainly did leap into the pool.


You could pay a C£1.00 in some of the posher restaurants.

Memory is not what it was . . .

. . . but I'm sure I did mention it - perhaps even more than once :E

rang a distant little bell

rang a girt big one, was it on the old bypass?


I notice the thread originator mentions Cyprus Meze, which is very different to (Akrotiri) Kebab.

In my day (80's onwards) yer Meze was at Mahmout's or Arivana's

Fish, Meat or Mixed

Step daughter was confronted with a frog peering up out of the toilet bowl in Mahmout's

Niazsi
 

1968.

We arrived late to Akrotiri and were bussed to the Curious (Curium) palace.

Next morning when I went for my exploratory walk, I noticed what I thought was an elephant over the fence. This proved to be true. I was outside the zoo.

I have since been informed that the elephant has passed away.

That evening we went to Niazi's to eat and deliver a gift from a squadron member who had been previously served at Akrotiri.

Our reception there was less than friendly (very busy).

We took umbridge and went to Little Araf's.

What a place!

The food was only a side show!

What a great night we had. I think the cats ate more of the 'chicken' than we did.

"Kokonelli is free!" was the cry of Arif (or whoever). Anyway, we took him at his word.

After we had been fed and watered to the gunnels, he ferried us back to the Curious Palace and charged us 10 bob each.

I am sure there are many ex RAF members who have similar stories.

Tch, bloody Transall Loadies.:hmm:

That's all part of the dining experience!

Same Step-Daughter asked for Fish & Chips at Chris Kebab

(Young) Chris replied

'It's a f*cking kebab house!'

Old Sophocles (RIP) down at Ladies Mile Taverna was a convicted terrorist (or Samsonite perhaps, har har, geddit?) but he would brush it all off with 'But we're all friends now'

My Mezette
 

Thanks guys and gals for all your suggestions. I cant do the whole 27 ft, hence Mezette. If you like I could post the menu when I decide what to cook. (BTW 9 yds or 27 ft was the length of the ammunition belts feeding the guns in the WW1 string bags - see; this connects to military aviation!)