Of the cured meats commonly prepared in Cyprus, lountza is one of the best-known and loved. Lountza is made from fresh loin of pork. Traditionally, the pork is first brined in salt for two days and then marinated in dry red village wine for about two weeks. The brine removes liquid, thereby retarding the decomposition of micro-organisms and preserving the meat for consumption, while the wine sweetens the taste and tenderises the meat. Lountza is primarily seasoned with crushed coriander seeds, the lemon-flavoured fruit of the annual herb native to the Eastern Mediterranean region. Cumin and black pepper are regular additions. After its marinating and seasoning are complete, the pork is usually smoked with local hardwood for weeks or even months. The Cypriot Greek word ‘lountza’ derives from ‘lonza stagionata’, the Italian term for cured pork, and points to the introduction of pork specialities on the island when the Venetians ruled it during the sixteenth century. Now lountza is available from Cypriot artisanal producers. Lountza is usually sliced and served uncooked as part of a light meze course, and it is often accompanied with zivania, the clear, potent distillation made from the pomace of local wines. It is also enjoyed grilled or fried. Lountza is frequently combined with grilled halloumi cheese and served in a pita—the Cypriot version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. At Anassa, you can find lountza daily at Amphora’s breakfast service and as one of the local delicacies included in the Akamas picnic basket.

As part of the celebration of its twentieth anniversary, Anassa recently recognised a special group of employees—those who have served continuously since the hotel’s opening in July 1998. The directors of Thanos Hotels invited the group of nineteen to a cocktail reception on the Sunset Terrace followed by a gala dinner in fine-dining restaurant Helios. The group includes seven housekeepers, five members of the food and beverage team, four cooks, two maintenance workers, a tailor, the chief porter, and the personal assistant to the general manager. Some offer a familiar face and a comforting presence to regular guests, like Dora Pieridou, hostess for Amphora restaurant: she recalls when some of our teenaged guests were still in their prams! Dora has a deep memory of guest preferences that helps her create seating plans—and she is always eager to welcome new guests, too. Others play an important role behind the scenes. For example, Chef-de-Partie Savvas Mouskou is a guiding presence in the hotel’s extensive kitchen complex. Along with over 300 dedicated colleagues, these long-serving employees are essential to meeting the consistently high standard of service at Anassa year after year.

Though the property is closed for the winter, Anassa team members recently adorned the doorway of our Ayia Athanasia Chapel with a wreath to recognise the Christmas holiday. The chapel sits on our Village Square and is used regularly for religious celebrations: in 2018 alone, ten weddings or christenings were held there. Its simple architectural style, with a central dome and a bell tower, draws on Byzantine influences; the interior seats 45 congregants and features an altar and icons in the Orthodox style. Every spring, the chapel hosts services in the Orthodox and Catholic traditions for Easter, with the Village Square setting the stage for the sombre procession of the Epitafios on Good Friday and the traditional Holy Saturday bonfire. While the festive season is a quiet time at Anassa, our maintenance workers and gardeners are steadily preparing the property for the new season as the entire team eagerly awaits the return of guests. Anassa opens its twenty-first season on 1 April 2019.