Kythnos Local products

Discover the local products of Kythnos!
Although the products of Kythnos have not received as much publicity as other islands', such as Crete and Naxos, the island's soil combined with the love of the locals for the land, animals and of course cooking is behind a variety of local products and many delicious dishes.

The most famous category of products is dairy and especially cheese. Trimma or zymoto cheese is an acidic, slightly salty cheese with a buttery taste. It has been produced for centuries and is the perfect accompaniment to tsipouro and other similar drinks. Trimma is the basis of another popular cheese, kopanisti, found in the Cyclades with variations from island to island. The kopanisti of Kythnos has a peppery taste and a characteristic aroma that becomes more intense with the passage of time. Tyrovoli is the Kythnian version of kefalotyri and is produced mainly in the northern part of the island, while some locals also produce a white cheese made from sheep's and goat's milk which some people call feta of Kythnos, although it is not reminiscent of the classic feta at all.

Like many Aegean islands, Kythnos also produces wine and honey. The island has many vineyards that produce excellent wine. Among the grape varieties grown are Savatiano (white), Psarosirikos (red) and Sideritis (reddish). Concerning honey, the most popular type produced is thyme honey.

Legumes are protagonists in many dishes of the island and this is because the land of Kythnos produces them. Beans (black-eyed, broad and white) and chickpeas accompanied by cowpeas or greens are often cooked in local households. The island also produces fruit and vegetables, such as onions, garlic, lemons, pomegranates, pears and capers.

Finally, we could not skip mentioning the pies made in Kythnos. The most classic one must be sfouggato, a kind of cheese pie with local cheeses, usually trimma. A more traditional approach to local cheeses is pitaro, a cheese pie filled with many local cheeses.
Kolopi is another Kythnian pie, stuffed with wild greens, fennel, onion and rice in its traditional version while spinach and dill in its more modern version.