TIROSKAMNI

​

The tiroskamni (cheese stool) was a small-sized installation of the traditional Cypriot kitchen consisting of an oblong wooden plank with a pointy prominence at the one side and a shallow frame with an opening/spout at the pointy edge encompassing the plank. The installation rested on four wooden legs (hence stool) and lightly inclined forward. If legs were not available, the plank of the tiroskamni was placed on a bench, the table or any other form of support.

​

As the name reveals, the tiroskamni is associated with the production of cheese. Specifically, the talaria, small baskets containing pieces of curd cheese (halloumi or anari) freshly collected from the cauldron, were placed on top of the plank. Next, the cheese was strained by squeezing it to extract the whey, which was subsequently removed through the spout at the pointy edge of the plank.

​

The tiroskamni has survived up to the present time, and although the basic shape and function remain the same, it is now a metallic installation.