Lountza is a meat delicacy of Cyprus

Cypriot cuisine

Cypriot cuisine is the cuisine of Cyprus and can be described as a blend of Greek cuisines. Greek Cypriot cuisine is another regional Greek cuisine along with Cretan, Ionian, or Attic....

 of dried, smoked pork tenderloin. The name may come from the Italian lonza stagionata

Lomo

Lomo is the Spanish word for tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is known as lomo de cerdo, whereas beef tenderloin is just called lomo.A specific type of lomo is lomo embuchado, which is a dry-cured meat made from a pork tenderloin. It is similar to cecina, but with pork instead of beef. An Italian...

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Production

To produce lountza, pork tenderloin is first soaked in brine and then marinated in red wine. The marinated tenderloin is then dried and smoked. After smoking, lountza can be packaged or left to age. As it ages, it becomes harder and more strongly flavored.

Consumption

Lountza can be served cooked or uncooked as an accompaniment for alcoholic drinks like zivania

Zivania

Zivania or zivana is a Cypriot alcoholic beverage. Zivania is a distillate produced from the pomace of grapes that were pressed during the wine-making process mixed with local dry wines produced from local grape varieties of Cyprus such as Xynisteri and Mavro...

 or wine. Grilled lountza served with other Cypriot delicacies such as halloumi

Halloumi

Halloumi is a traditional Cypriot cheese that is also popular in Sweden and the rest of the Middle East and Greece, and is now produced in many countries and regions around the world...

 and kefalotyri cheese often appear in meze

Meze

Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....

platters. Sandwiches made out of grilled lountza and halloumi are favorite fast food snacks for Cypriots.