Colossal Meze

Posted by Lance Goodman on Jul 4, 2011 | 0 comments

Last week, the whole group went to eat what’s known as a meze. A meze is a traditional Cypriot feast. It consists of a large assortment of different dishes. Early in the day, a few of us went to film the preparation of several of these dishes. The most memorable sight was the bowl of snails about to be boiled. It was a huge stainless steel container with what looked like hundreds of them attempting to crawl out. This wasn’t a pleasant sight considering the fact that we were planning on eating snails in a couple of hours. The process of making sheftalia was also memorable, as she used the intestinal membrane from a pig as the sausage casing.

We also got a chance to chat with the owner of the restaurant. Thankfully, his English was very good so we had no trouble communicating. He told us that he grew up in Cyprus, but briefly relocated to England after the Turkish invasion. However, the combination of the bad weather and bad food convinced him to return shortly after his move. His wife, who works at the restaurant, is Russian. They are both exceedingly friendly and willing to engage in conversation. He talked a lot about his 9-year-old triplet boys, who are currently staying with their grandmother in Russia.

That evening, all 14 of us went to have the meze. First, he brought out some wonderfully fresh bread and salad. On the side, there were an assortment of sauces and vegetables, including some marinated beets and carrots. Next up was some grilled halloumi followed by even more bread. At this point we all began to realize that we should start to slow down. Even though we were well aware that much food awaited us, we hadn’t quite grasped the full extent of the feast.

The server then started bringing out the meats. This included sheftalia, grilled pork and kleftiko. The sheftalia had a wonderful flavor, with the exception of the pieces that had thicker pig membrane, which doesn’t have a very appealing taste. It’s not quite like anything I’ve had before. The kleftiko was tender and delicious. I had been wanting to try it ever since we visited the butcher shop on the previous shoot.

After we were filled to the brim with meats, he brought out heaping plates of halloumi-stuffed ravioli. This just about pushed everyone over the edge of being too full, so he gave us a few minutes to let our food settle before he brought out substantial servings of lamb liver and snails. The snails were cooked in some type of marinara sauce, while the liver seemed to be cooked up with some onions. Surprisingly, the snails weren’t too bad, albeit a bit slimy. We used toothpicks to get them out of their shells. However, the liver was another matter. Aaron described taking a bite of it as the worst experience of his life. He was literally crying as he attempted to chew it, and I was crying with laughter at the sight of his face.

The desert was an interesting mix of cheese, cinnamon, and sugar inside a pastry. Most of us were expecting baklava, so it was a bit of a let down. I was just happy to get the taste of lamb liver out of my mouth. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. After the meal, I understood why so many Cypriots make a big deal about the social aspect of the meze. It’s almost like you’re going on a journey with a select group of friends. However, instead of a 1000 mile trip, it’s what seems like a 1000 course meal.