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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Deniz and Gunay

Nicosia, Cyprus

USD
$66-$84 per person

Cheese making experience in Nicosia

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Deniz and Gunay

Deniz learned cooking from her grandmother and mother, Gunay. And Gunay learned to cook from her grandmother and mother! Both of them are very passionate about cooking using old school, traditional methods. They have also been making traditional jams, marmalade and a special cheese called Hellim, which is made from sheep and goat milk. Through this experience you will get to visit a small village and learn first-hand about Turkish Cypriot foods and way of life. Also, learn about growing fruits and vegetables and how to make cheese from scratch.

“I want to share my culture and keep our traditions alive, while providing guests with a memorable experience admist nature”

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Food tour: (2-6 guests) This Hellim cheese making experience takes place on Deniz and Gunay’s seven-acre property. They live in a traditional Cypriot house with a beautiful garden full of naturally grown fruits and vegetables, including figs, oranges, pomegranates and apricots. They also have an animal farm, home to sheep, chickens, rabbits and dogs, who are free to roam the gardens and love spending time with guests!

You will be welcomed with some homemade lemonade before you get a tour of the property. Walk through the garden and learn about the fruits and vegetables and how they are grown. You will also get to taste a few fruits depending on the season. Then proceed to learn about how they take care of the animals on the farm. Next learn from Deniz and Gunay the traditional way of making Hellim cheese from scratch. It is a semi-hard, unripe, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat and sheep's milk.

After you learn the art of cheese making, learn to make a traditional cheese pastry, pirohu, dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water, or pan-frying. Later sit down at the dining table to share your creations with your hosts. Your light menu might include dishes such as homemade cheese, jams, kleftiko (sheep kebaps cooked in an oven) and seasonal vegetables.

Notes: Deniz and Gunay can offer vegetarian, vegan and halal meals on request.

Languages spoken: English, Turkish

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Deniz and Gunay

$66-$84 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Food Tour
 Not offered $84 $66
Alcohol
 $8 per person
Transportation
 $50 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Food Tour
 Not offered $84 $66
Alcohol
 $8 per person
Transportation
 $50 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Food Tour
 9:00am-12:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Deniz and Gunay

Deniz learned cooking from her grandmother and mother, Gunay. And Gunay learned to cook from her grandmother and mother! Both of them are very passionate about cooking using old school, traditional methods. They have also been making traditional jams, marmalade and a special cheese called Hellim, which is made from sheep and goat milk. Through this experience you will get to visit a small village and learn first-hand about Turkish Cypriot foods and way of life. Also, learn about growing fruits and vegetables and how to make cheese from scratch.

“I want to share my culture and keep our traditions alive, while providing guests with a memorable experience admist nature”

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Food tour: (2-6 guests) This Hellim cheese making experience takes place on Deniz and Gunay’s seven-acre property. They live in a traditional Cypriot house with a beautiful garden full of naturally grown fruits and vegetables, including figs, oranges, pomegranates and apricots. They also have an animal farm, home to sheep, chickens, rabbits and dogs, who are free to roam the gardens and love spending time with guests!

You will be welcomed with some homemade lemonade before you get a tour of the property. Walk through the garden and learn about the fruits and vegetables and how they are grown. You will also get to taste a few fruits depending on the season. Then proceed to learn about how they take care of the animals on the farm. Next learn from Deniz and Gunay the traditional way of making Hellim cheese from scratch. It is a semi-hard, unripe, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat and sheep's milk.

After you learn the art of cheese making, learn to make a traditional cheese pastry, pirohu, dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water, or pan-frying. Later sit down at the dining table to share your creations with your hosts. Your light menu might include dishes such as homemade cheese, jams, kleftiko (sheep kebaps cooked in an oven) and seasonal vegetables.

Notes: Deniz and Gunay can offer vegetarian, vegan and halal meals on request.

Languages spoken: English, Turkish

Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Food Tour
 Not offered $84 $66
Alcohol
 $8 per person
Transportation
 $50 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Food Tour
 Not offered $84 $66
Alcohol
 $8 per person
Transportation
 $50 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Food Tour
 9:00am-12:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

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    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

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    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

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