Inscribed on the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cyprus – “It is different from other commercial pickled figs because it differs in the way it is prepared – They use an ancient method
In the Lysos village of Pafos, preparations for the drying and production of the region's pickled figs, called “maxilles” or “majiles”, with the housewives of the village following an ancient method for the preparation of the traditional product.
Recently the Lysos maxilles were registered in the list of UNESCO for the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cyprus.
In her statements to KYPE, Anna Tselepou, scholar of tradition, said that the preparations are progressing in the last days of August with the now few housewives of the village drying the figs.
Lysos was known for its large production of pickled figs, which it supplied to commercial shops of of major cities in Cyprus, said Ms. Tselepou.
This special type of sun-dried salted fig “is different from other salted figs< /strong> of the trade because it differs in the way it is prepared, but also in its taste»he added. In particular, he explained, the inhabitants of Lysos use an ancient method for ripening, by oiling the lower part of the fig with olive oil.
On a piece of wood, usually a cane, they tie cotton and they water it with olive oil and with this tool, which they call “alippirin”, they smear the figs with the result that in 6-7 days they ripen at the same time, he added.
Then they pick them and they spread them on the ground for a day or two until they wither, he said. Then they cut them in half without separating them and leave them thus exposed to the sun for another 3 to 4 days to dry. This is followed by placing them in hot water with fennel for 1 to 2 minutes, then draining them and leaving them to dry for days.
As Ms. Tselepou mentioned, the product is ready for the cold winter nights and it is considered the best meze of Zivania together with walnuts, while, as he said, it is an organic product for the preparation of which no preservatives are used.
