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Omodos (Greek: 'Ομοδος) is a village in the Troödos Mountains of Cyprus. It is also located in the Limassol District of Cyprus

and is 80 kilometers from the city of Nicosia. The village produces much wine and holds a wine festival every August. You
can visit a 17th-century stone-built monastery via a cobblestone path and sample local wine for free at many outlets. There

are restaurants, traditional tavernas, and modern bars housed in traditional buildings.

Arkatena Bread

Arkatena is a type of “koulouri” (circular bread) made with leaven using the foam produced from chickpea fermentation

(called “Arkatis”). They are produced mainly in Omodos and Koilani villages of Limassol district.

History: “At a specific location in the mountains, “paximadia of the worker” were baked from a mixture of cereals, beans

and chickpea flour” (Richter, 1913). The name “Arkateno” is most probably derived from the Greek word ‘ergatis’ (meaning
‘worker’), due to the long-hour production method of “Arkatis”. In the past, Arkatena were offered at baptisms and

weddings.

Production method: Milled chickpeas and ginger are immersed in hot water in the morning and by late evening, ‘foam’

starts rising at the surface. This foam (“Arkatis”) is gradually collected overnight and covered with flour. The foam is left to

‘swell’ and then kneaded with flour and various herbs, such as mastic, nutmeg, etc. The resulting dough is shaped into

“koulouria” , that are baked in a pre-heated oven. After baking, soft “koulouria” can be re-baked (after first cooling) for 5-6
hours to harden (“paximadia”).

Gastronomy: Consumed either in their soft form or as bread (“pannisides”), or in the form of paximadia.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment 78