Pimp My Rye

Posted by Jonathan Leach on Jun 7, 2011 | 2 comments

Today was our first day filming in Cyprus.  We visited a baker in a small town about forty minutes from Nicosia who makes bread in the traditional Cypriot fashion.  Her product plays a pivotal role in the meze, and I was excited to see the process of making it.  When we arrived in the neighborhood I was unsure if we were at the right place.  It appeared to be a residential area in the middle of nowhere.  Upon arrival she was already hard at work, kneading seasoned dough and unloading mounds of baked bread from the brick ovens.  The heat radiated from the kindled fires, creating a almost unbearable climate where workers still somehow flourished.

She has been baking bread for many years and sells it to locals by delivery, pickup and sales at the fresh market.  She explained that in order to work a trade for many years, you must have love for the art.  She spoke few words in english, but words didn’t hinder me from understanding her loving personality.  She was very hospitable and always had a smile on her face, making her an enjoyable person to follow.

The bakery consists of only a few small rooms, which is ample space for a small staff of only a few workers.  However, when we tried to crowd our group of thirteen students inside with camera equipment it appeared to be far less than sufficient room.  Because of this, the writing half of the group spent much of the shoot outdoors.  I spent this time talking to Yohannan the bus driver, grazing on food and roaming the parameter to learn about the process.

Yohannan, a variation of the name John as I was told, was a Greek driver that has lived in multiple countries throughout the world.  He brought the group halloumi cheese, fresh baked bread and coffee.  Yohannan said the baker insisted we have these, and motioned for us all to eat up.  This was my first experience with Cypriot coffee, which is made with hot water and a finely ground coffee powder and served in a small cup.  What was interesting about the coffee is you only drink the watery top layer because the grounds settle at the bottom.  Because of this high concentration of coffee, the drink is only a few ounces in size while still packing a powerful amount of caffeine. The bread  was freshly made that morning by the bakery making it very delicious.  It is typically dipped in sauces or oils and eaten with meals, such as the meze.

Next,  some of us picked oranges from the orange tree in the yard.  It is common for a variety of fruit trees to grow around Cyprus.  One Cypriot told me that he had a lemon tree in his yard, but even though it was in his yard it wasn’t his tree; he proclaimed that the tree belonged to Cyprus.  The fruit was one of the juiciest I have ever tasted and made a great addition to my meal.

I then watched a worker load the brick ovens with old timber from their land and pallets that appeared to have been dropped off.  The ovens were connected to a long chimney that towered over the small building.  In the other room the dough was being prepared.  Upon entering the room you could smell the strong aroma of herbs and spices.  These were mixed in to the dough to create a variety of bread styles.  When the fire in the ovens settled down, the dough was placed inside.  As one oven was loaded the other was being unloaded.  Mounds of fresh bread were piled on the table for final inspection and to be packed and shipped out.

Though I wasn’t able to see the whole process of bread-making, I learned a lot from the trip.  I had great food, saw a history of tradition and met people I will never forget.  It was a great beginning to our journey behind the scenes of the meze.