Greek and Corfiot Cuisine

A LITTLE ABOUT GREEK AND CORFIOT CUISINE…

     Mediterranean cuisine is deservedly recognized as a favorite of world gastronomy. Corfu stands out among the Greek islands due to its geographical location (on the border of the Ionian and Adriatic Seas), as well as the fact that the island was under the control of Venice for a long time, Greek and Venetian traditions are closely intertwined in the island's cuisine. Italian notes can still be heard in the names of many dishes, the recipes are famous for their sophistication and rich use of herbs, but at the same time, Corfiot dishes are easy to prepare.

     Traditional fish dishes from Corfu are bianco , bourdeto and kakavia . 

Bianco  (Italian: white) is prepared from the best varieties of sea fish (with white meat). The fish is stewed in its own juice with garlic-lemon sauce and potatoes. 

   For a spicy  bourdeto  , they use scorpion fish, boiling it in a light tomato sauce with lots of onions, hot peppers and other spices.

Kakavia is a thick stew, sometimes more like a sauce, made from different types of fish, seafood and local vegetables.

    The island's classic meat dishes are  sofrito  and  pastitzada .

Sofrito  is thin slices of beef stewed in a wine-vinegar sauce with lots of parsley, garlic and white allspice. Usually served with mashed potatoes or rice.

   Homemade village  pastitsada  is made from rooster or beef, the meat is slowly simmered in tomato sauce with many local spices. Served with thick tubular pasta. This is one of the favorite recipes of locals, the dish is often prepared for holidays and celebrations.

    An interesting local dish  is tsigareli , a mixture of spinach with wild herbs and aromatic greens, stewed in olive oil, with the addition of garlic, herbs, tomatoes and hot red pepper.

    Since ancient times, the island has preserved the traditions of producing dry-cured sausages and dried meats; there is a huge selection of homemade sausages and wieners.

Nubulo     cured meat   is a fantastic appetizer for wine and ouzo, the local equivalent of prosciutto and jamon. Only the highest quality pork tenderloin is used for its preparation.

    In village taverns,  pitas  (pies) with all sorts of fillings are very popular. Meat, chicken, mushroom, vegetable and cheese, in puff pastry, rolled out into the thinnest layers.

A little about Greek cheeses .

Greece and the island of Corfu have ancient traditions of producing white and yellow cheeses.

Feta cheese is made from sheep, goat, and cow's milk. You can find a wide variety of feta cheeses, from soft to hard and spicy varieties. A similar cheese to cottage cheese is the soft white mezithra cheese , which can be either neutral or salty. Anthotiro is a cheese similar to Adyghe. Kaseri is a well-known Greek soft yellow cheese made from goat or sheep's milk. Talagani (similar to halloumi) is a hard cheese that is grilled. Graviera and kefalograviera are hard cheeses.

And be sure to try saganaki - deep-fried hard yellow cheese, or feta baked in the oven - it's an unforgettable culinary experience!

And of course, the famous Greek appetizers-pastas! Tzatziki , a paste made from thick Greek yogurt, garlic, cucumber. Tarama , a paste made from fish roe, bread, onion, garlic, lemon. Skordalia , a paste made from mashed potatoes with garlic. Tirokafteri , a paste made from spicy feta cheese.

     The island's calling card is the citrus fruit  kum kuat . Liqueurs, jam, marmalade, candied fruit, and sauces are made from this dwarf orange. The local cuisine includes pork or game dishes with kum kuat sauce.

     Another famous traditional product of Corfu is the non-alcoholic drink ginger beer ( ginjibira ). This is a non-alcoholic ginger beer made from natural ingredients such as lemon juice, grated ginger, sugar and water. The drink has a refreshing taste and is in great demand, especially in the summer heat.

     You can also find a wide range of traditional island sweets in Corfu. For example,   sycomaida  is a sweet snack made from dried ground figs, with the addition of ouzo, spices and hot pepper. It goes perfectly with cold meats and as a snack for alcoholic drinks. Nougat is a sticky sweet with nuts. Mandolato is various nuts in a sweet caramel coating.

     Local pastries, fogatza, buns with raisins, and fried donuts are also popular.

     Getting to know any country in the world would not be complete without trying the dishes of the national cuisine. And in each such cuisine you can find the peculiarities of the people's culture, passed down from generation to generation. Of course, to appreciate all the subtleties of various dishes, you need to go to one country or another. And visit both chic restaurants and small family restaurants and taverns, where this or that dish is prepared according to original family recipes. We really hope that you will find something special for yourself.

GOURMET DICTIONARY

       · Arnie – lamb 

· Moshari – veal 

· Hirino – pork 

· Katziki - little goat 

· Kuneli – rabbit 

· Kotopoulo – chicken 

· Galopula - turkey 

· Souvlaki - kebab 

· Kalamarya – squid 

· Supya - cuttlefish 

· Htapodi – octopus 

· Astakos – lobster 

· Caravida is a type of sea crayfish 

· Psari - fish 

· Psarotavern – fish restaurant 

· Mussel achnista – mussels cooked in wine with herbs 

Tiri – cheese 

· Psita lahanika – grilled vegetables 

· Pita - pie 

· Glyco - sweets 

      FISH

Large fish are usually grilled, small fish are deep fried. In any fish tavern you will be offered to look at fresh fish or seafood, choose, weigh it in front of you and send it to the kitchen.

 Fagri, Sinagrida, Sargos are some of the best varieties of fish.

Bacalharos - Mediterranean cod - tender and very juicy fish, one of the most delicious fish.

The sphirid grupper is one of the most valuable fish, with tender white meat and black or grey skin.

 Barbunya - Mediterranean red mullet - is a small red fish.

 Kotsomura is a type of red mullet that has a more delicate taste. 

Gavros (anchovy), maridaki, aferini – small fried fish. 

Glossa - sea language 

Sardeles - sardines 

Xiphias - swordfish

Scorpios is a scorpion fish.  

DRINKS

  As you may have already guessed, we will talk about drinks that are definitely worth trying in Greece. 

Let's start with the easiest ones. A wonderful refreshing drink is "frappe" - cold coffee with ice and whipped air foam, prepared from our cafe. At your discretion, it can be sweet or not, with milk or ice cream. Sitting in a cafe on the embankment and sipping frappe through a straw, you can forget about the midday heat. Better and healthier to drink is "freddo" - cold natural espresso or cappuccino coffee, whipped in a glass with ice or milk. 

You can talk about wine for a long time, especially about such a wonderful one as in Corfu, but it is better to just try it. Red or white, to your taste - pay tribute to the gifts of the vineyards of Corfu! In every village and in many houses, Greeks make homemade wine themselves - white, red or pink. In any tavern you can ask to try homemade wine (krasi hima). In all taverns it differs in taste. You can also order a tour of the winery or a gastronomic tour from our agency.

     Famous varieties of bottled wines in Greece: Alpha, Vivlia Xora, Amethistos, Xadzimikhalis, Gerovasiliou, Moskhofilero Boutari, the exquisite Ovilos, and many others. Of the local wines, you can try Theotoki. 

The original tasting drink "retsina" is made from white wine, which is infused in a barrel coated with pine resin, which gives the drink such an unusual taste. Try it - you will not regret it. 

In Greece, beer is also brewed, and fans of this foamy drink should try brands such as "mythos", "fix" and "alpha". In Corfu, you can try local beer, which is made at a factory in the village of Acharavi - Corfu Beer - light beer or dark, unrefined. Corfiot beer is of high quality, without preservatives, with a short shelf life. 

      Moving on to stronger drinks, it is worth mentioning "Metaxa" - an excellent Greek cognac and of course "Ouzo" - aniseed vodka, quite strong, but unusually easy to drink. It can be diluted with water (it becomes milky white) or simply add ice. The strongest drink is  "Tsipouro",  a local grape vodka.