or: When A Sandwich Is More Than A Sandwich

One of the 974 things I like about traveling is the opportunity fo new experiences. Sometimes these are found in unexpected places. Like at a cafe in the hills on the western side of Cyprus.

You may be thinking the new experience is the food itself. It could be though it’s not in this case. I had eaten a couple of ham and haloumi sandwiches since arriving.

The “new” is the experience of ordering and what ordering that sandwich really meant.

We had been on a rather lengthy and hot walk and sat down at an outside table to order. There were two other women seated nearby who appeared to know the owner and left shortly after we sat. There was no menu and instead, the owner asked us what we felt like. I felt like a sandwich and a cold coffee. I needed it immediately since I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and, as anyone that knows me knows, I can’t go too long without food.

She rattled off the sandwiches that she was making today and the coffee choices. I made a decision and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I was in another country where things are not done in a hurry. I’m usually not fussed with this unless I’m starving. Thankfully she brought out the coffees and some tiny biscuits shaped like fish while our wait continued.

I’m not sure how long we waited before what was to be my ham and haloumi sandwich arrived. It also contained tomato and lettuce and was on a lightly toasted ciabatta wrapped in aluminum foil.

But that’s not all.

As we sat and ate our delicious sandwiches, our host brought out beetroot and some green vine-type vegetable which I didn’t recognize.

It didn’t stop there.

While we were still eating the sandwiches, she also brought us two bananas and two apples nicely presented on a little plate.

I figured this was dessert.

I was wrong.

Some time passed and she then brought out two slices of what she called “apple cake”. It tasted like curried apple. A first for me, curry apple cake. Interesting and I won’t be rushing to have it again yet it’s not horrendous either. Just unexpected.

For all of this, we paid the same as I’d paid for one sandwich and drink off a menu at another venue in Peyia.

Bargain!

* Thanks to 10cc for the title to this post.