Foukou and Tsiknopempti
A traditional Greek Cypriot BBQ also known as a Foukou is a rotisserie style barbecue that cooks food over hot charcoal by rotating the meat on skewers or spits. The BBQ skewers and spits are rotated by a motor which can either be battery powered or mains powered. The barbecue tray box can be filled with charcoal, briquettes or hardwood.
In Cyprus, almost every household owns a traditional style barbecue grill and it is not uncommon for families to cook their food on these grills several times a week.
The foukou is an essential and historic accessory for Cypriots.
They are usually rectangular and vary in size, in the form of a shallow tray to take the charcoal.
Cypriots learn early how to get the charcoal burning and take pride in doing it with ease and the least amount of fuss. Some eschew the use of firelighters, claiming they taint the food, others say these are essential. Then there is the metal sleeve that is filled with the charcoal to get it alight before releasing it into the base of the foukou.
Whipping the charcoal up to the right temperature (when it is a whitish grey it is ready). On the charcoal a vast range of foods will be cooked, from small pieces of meat – chicken or pork known as souvlakia – to large chunks or pork and lamb (souvla) cooked on dangerous-looking and sharp skewers. These are marinated in herbs beforehand to lend them a particular taste.
This foukou is also an essential part of the annual Tsiknopempti street BBQ.
Tsiknopempti is part of the traditional celebrations of Apókries, the Greek Carnival season. Tsiknopempti occurs on the second to last Thursday before Lent and can be translated as Charred Thursday or Smoky Thursday. The festivities on Tsiknopempti revolve around large outdoor parties where massive amounts of meat are grilled or roasted. Everyone can then buy or receive a freshly grilled souvlaki with a pita and a drink, usually the local Zivana, for free or for a small fee.
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