Cyprus Carobs (1)
Carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua) have been grown in Cyprus and countries bordering the Mediterranean since biblical times. It is said that they were the main source of food for St. John the Baptist during his forty days in the wilderness, and to this day they are sometimes called
St. John’s Bread. It was under a carob tree near Salamis in Cyprus, that the body of St. Barnabas, Patron Saint of the Church in Cyprus was found in AD 477.
This has always been very important to the people of Cyprus, and many Cypriots who were sick would visit the site to drink the holy water from the nearby well. Sadly, this is no longer possible, as Salamis is in the part of the island which has been illegally occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.
In early times the carob was a popular food both for man and beast. The small even-sized seeds found inside the dark brown pods are identical in weight and were used by merchants in olden times to weigh gold. The word “carat” is actually derived from the Greek word (Kεράτιον), which was used to refer to the carob pod.
There are several million carob trees in Cyprus owned by locals in different areas of Cyprus. The carob grows at altitudes of up to 800 metres and is commonly found growing . alongside ancient olive trees. The carob tree has a thick, dark coloured trunk and large fleshy leaves. The tree blossoms in early summer with its leaves developing into carob pods later on. The pods can vary in length from 10 to 25 cm and are initially bright green but gradually darken to a rich brown colour. Inside the pod there are usually between six and twelve hard seeds.
Until the early 1940s, the carob, known as “the black gold of Cyprus” was the most important crop on the island, but the development of the citrus plantations marked the decline in its importance. The main region for carob cultivation stretched from Kouklia, in the Palea Paphos area in the west, to Larnaca in the east, and across to Famagusta, also now in the area occupied illegally by Turkish troops.
Carobs also grow wild in most parts of the island. The trees thrive on rocky soil where not much else can grow, and provide valuable shade for animals, but not for humans according to a well known local saying which warns those who sleep under a carob tree will have bad dreams.
For rural families in particular, the revenue from the carob crop was especially important.
On the first day of the carob harvest (usually at the end of August /beginning of September) everyone would head to their trees to gather the crop. The sacks of carobs would then be sold to the village representative of the Cooperative or a private dealer, who would take them to the carob warehouses. Carobs are usually measured in sacks known as Kandari, each weighing about 180 kg. The principal use of the carob pod has always been for animal fodder, which is particularly good for cattle. The pods are usually ground into a coarse flour at the carob mill before export, but some is kept by local farmers to add extra nutrition to their animal feed for the winter months. The best of the carob pods were taken to be eaten raw, and would be sucked like a chocolate flavoured lollipop for a while and then gently bitten to release the sweet syrup inside. Local housewives traditionally made Teratsomelo (carob honey) and Koulourakia which is a sweet and sticky dish made by cooking macaroni slowly in the thick carob honey. It had a delicious taste and was a real treat especially for the children.
It is still eaten by villagers today, particularly during the Lenten Fast during the Holy Week.
The seeds inside the carob pod are very precious and are currently worth € 5125.00 EUR a ton. The seeds are used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, and for making gum. Carob has also become popular in the European health food industry as an excellent chocolate substitute, something local children in Cyprus have known for generations.