PRESERVED MEATS MILK 23 



little seen. At this village, however, they are largely 

 bred. 



Pigeons also are fairly abundant, and as they mostly 

 feed on a neighbour's corn, they are considered profitable 

 birds to keep. 



Preserved Meats, etc. 



A good deal of meat and fat is pickled, dried and smoked 

 for consumption by the native population. 



Hams and sausages are much eaten, the latter especi- 

 ally in the Karpas. Among the various kinds of preserved 

 meats may be specially mentioned that known as " apokti." 

 This is the salted and dried flesh of the he-goat, which, 

 when cooked, is much appreciated by the villagers. The 

 meat is sometimes minced, and after the addition of 

 ground origanum leaves and spearmint, is placed in jars 

 and slowly cooked. It is said that from 3,000 to 5,000 

 he-goats are annually slaughtered for making " apokti." 



IV. DAIRY PRODUCE 



Milk 



Sheep and goats' milk is principally used for cheese 

 and butter making. Fresh milk of any kind is not much 

 consumed by the native population, although within the 

 last few years the more well-to-do townspeople have taken 

 to drinking cows' milk, when obtainable, and it is in 

 growing demand in some country parts for invalids when 

 prescribed by the local doctor. 



The flavour of sheep and goats' milk is a good deal 

 affected by the herbage or shrubs on which they feed, and 

 thus varies according to locality. A characteristic odour 

 is imparted, for instance, by the alnifolia oak (Quercus 

 alnifolia) and the cist us, which are common in many parts 

 of the Island, and the cheese and butter produced from 

 such milk are in better demand in the local markets. The 

 places in which this quality of milk is chiefly produced 

 are the Paphos District, the neighbourhood of Kykko and 

 Trooditissa in the Troodos mountains, and Akanthou to 

 the north-east of the Island. 



