Just snuffle Cyprus and you could become intoxicated by, the relish of fresh lemons and the tantalizing citrus blossom, the hearty smell of freshly baked bread or the fermenting grapes from the wine harvest.

Slow down and let yourself slip into the Cypriot pace of life. Why not take a seat by the sea, under a vine marquee or mimosa tree and nip your first brandy sour, or an ouzo. Nibble on a nut or even better, pass the time with a handful of sunflower seeds or passatempo as the Cypriots call them.

Cypriots, as you will soon find out, are naturally hospitable, generous and sociable people and generous to the extreme, in a way that is so much part of the Mediterranean . They have also brought their recipes and many any of these have been introduced into Cypriot cooking, the main ones coming from Greece

Its turbulent past has made Cyprus self-sufficient and in rural areas Cypriot families still produce almost everything they need, from pourgouri (cracked wheat) to cheese, home baked bread and smoked cured pork. Not so long ago the grain, oil and wine were stored in Pitharia, those mammoth onion shaped terracotta pots that adorn the countryside. The island has always produced a huge assortment of foods due to its fine climate

The Cypriots cook with less oil than their Mediterranean neighbours and their diet is a healthy one, apart from their love of syrup drenched pastries! Everything is cooked fresh, daily, and the eminence of the produce is superb.