Deputy Minister celebrates traditional Cypriot products at the Resi Festival (pics)

Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis recently represented President Nikos Christodoulides at the 1st Resi Festival, in Kivides.

Resi is a porridge-like dish made from coarsely wheat boiled in a meat broth and that is traditionally served at weddings in the villages of Paphos and Limassol.

Visiting the Limassol district village for the Festival on 1 May, Hadjimanolis congratulated the 'Ayios Georgios' Pano Kivides Cultural Club , for the excellent organisation of the event, and the Pano Kivides Community Council for their support, ”as well as to all the volunteers who worked hard to make this first festival happen.”

She also gave special thanks to the Presidents of the Cultural Club Alexia Michael and the Community Council Constantinos Papatheodorou.

“As a government, we will continue to strengthen and promote the value of Cypriot products, so that they highlight the uniqueness of Cypriot culture and our cultural heritage. I truly hope that today will be the beginning of an institution that will be repeated every year, bringing all of us together, to celebrate the tradition, products and values of our Cyprus,” Hadjimanolis said.

In the past, there was a specific ritual involved in preparing Resi. First, the wheat had to be washed and cleaned. It was then put in baskets covered with red cloths and taken to the village’s water source by young girls, accompanied to music by local musicians.

They washed the wheat it seven times and then carried it back home where wheat was spread out to dry. On the following day, boys and girls would gather to grind the wheat using stone hand mills, again accompanied by music and singing.

The wheat had to be peeled and slightly broken. In the afternoon, pieces of lamb meat were cooked in big pots. After boiling on a low heat, the bones were removed and the wheat was added. The mixture of wheat and lamb meat was then vigorously stirred until it became smooth and velvety Resi.