The most difficult wine and food pairing are food with herbs and spices.
Where you can enjoy your holidays the most?
I believe I can enjoy my holidays in places with a more personal touch. I can be happy to try traditional food. I would be happy if I can eat bio or eco products. I would like to wine tasting “house wine” – wine from the winemaker not from plastic or carton box. I like meeting wine producers with funny stories and trying herbs dry meats and cheeses.
What do you remember always after the holidays?
Aromas, yes all areas have unique aromas which usually wake up memories. Miami has sea breeze aromas and afternoon summer rain. Valencia has aromas of bakeries homemade croissants and orange bread. Cozumel has aromas of tacos and tequilas. Napoli has aromas of pasta with tomatoes, oregano, olives and fresh herbs.
What about Polis Chrisouhous?
You will never forget the orange blossom aromas, barbeque meat and lavender flower.
What you have to try in Polis Chrisouhous?
Fresh herb tea from lemon verbena, thyme and peppermint leaves, because here in Cyprus and especially in this area the herbs are much more intense. We have unique Herb Garden at Polis Herb Garden & Restaurant.
Fresh fish – all seasonal and tasty served with fresh vegetables from local producers and with the sauce of “ladolemony “- fresh lemon juice and fresh olive oil. Which fish you can easily get here? Sea bass, grouper, red snapper, barracuda, bakaliarous (codfish), red mullet and sardine and not only fresh fish but served next to the sea with unique sunset (Porto Latchi Restaurant )
Traditional cuisine
You can enjoy tourlou- fresh vegetables fry with tomato sauce, Halloumi cheese, Lamp Kleftiko traditionally made in the oven for six hours. Moustakallis Tavern is using lamp and cheese from local farmers.
Modern restaurants in the area are N9 Lounge and Restaurant and Finikas /FinikasRestaurant/
Wine, Herbs and Spices in Polis Chrisouhous.
Thyme is a herb usually part of courgettes with eggs, mushrooms with wine and thyme, pork souvlaki and Kleftiko.
It is a herb with intense aromas which need traditional grape variety ready to pair well. I will pair mushrooms and thyme with Morokanella from Vasilikon winery. Morokanella has aromas of tropical fruits and cinnamon which can softer the aromas of fresh thyme and be balanced with its medium-plus acidity. Thyme can be the bridge between Morokanella and pork souvlaki. The wine can age well minimum of 5 years.
Lemon verbena has aromas of citrus fruits. We use lemon verbena with chicken dishes, part of sorbets and fresh tea. I will go to pair with traditional grape variety Xynistery from Tsangarides. The Wine has aromas of lemon, lemon verbena and green apple which make this combination as a top pairing.
Peppermint and mint are with intense aromas usually use in Mousaka and Staffed vegetables. The best grape variety is Spourtiko from Vouny Panayias winery or Iris, Spourtiko from Kolios winery. When we have intense aromatic herb as mint we need wine less aromatic and with medium acidity and lower or medium alcohol.
All the wineries in the article are no more than 20 km from Polis Chrisouhous. Local wineries are small and boutique.
“Wine tasting in your villa or house “-we use local and Cypriot boutique wines which you cannot find in the supermarkets. Food platters are only from Local producers.
Book on 00357/96393448 Gery Nikolova
