The Cypriot cuisine is world renowned for the quality, taste and purity of its ingredients. The warm Mediterranean sun, the fertile sea, and the warm winds of the area, all contribute to the production of the best products the earth can bare. The olive oil, the olives, the milk and cheese, the legumes, the vegetables, the meat and fish as well as the Cypriot sun bathed fruits, are characterized by their exquisite taste. All Cypriots love good quality food and this is the reason why their tables are filled with it on a daily basis. Among the most popular delicacies of Cyprus are the "haloumi" cheese, the "sheftalies" (Cypriot meatballs), and various "mezedes".