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He points to something on the menu described as‘ bianco’; a Corfiot blend of garlic, pepper, olive oil, potatoes and lemon, with fish. Or, he suggests I go for bourdeto, a paprika-laced fish stew originally hailing from the Adriatic coast of Italy and Croatia—! an import of the Venetians.“ Scorpion fish is ideal for these traditional recipes, which reflect freshness and simplicity”, explains Costas. Yet as this melting-pot meal reveals, Corfu has hidden depths.
on the silver screen
The Durrells in Corfu— the story of naturalist Gerald Durrell’ s childhood on the isle— is, to me, the ultimate comfort watch. The villa where the series was filmed is a short distance north of Corfu Town, but the real Durrells’ house can be found in the pine-sprinkled village of Kalami on the island’ s northeast corner.
Overlooking a topaz bay, The White House was the home of author Lawrence Durrell( the eldest brother) and his wife Nancy in the 1930s. Now, it’ s an upscale restaurant, with a marble plaque in the shape of a book by the door detailing the building’ s connection to the Durrells. Before crossing the threshold, I rent a kayak to paddle around some secluded nearby coves— that blue water is just too hard to resist.
Spearheaded by Michelin-awarded chef Lefteris Lazarou, The White House is one of a few eateries on Corfu that has its own fishing boat for sourcing the day’ s specials. The a la carte options have a touch of modernity: flank steak tacos sit comfortably beside quinoa salad with shrimp, as well as Corfiot classics.
Sous chef Kyriakos Zapris sits down with me as I sip a dewy glass of robola— a floral white wine produced on Corfu’ s Theotoky Estate.“ Corfiot cuisine is unique due to its blend of influences from Venetian, French, British and Greek culinary traditions”, he explains. Glancing over a menu where yuzu gel accompanies crab and ouzo jelly is paired with squid, I ask Zapris for his favorite traditional Corfiot dish.
“ Pastitsada— it’ s a tender beef stew in a fragrant tomato sauce, with plenty of warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, served over pasta. We cook it low and slow, allowing the flavors to infuse.”
I’ m tempted, but I’ m in the mood for fish. Kyriakos smiles and says both are a good choice:“ When you sit down to either meal, you’ re not just eating— you’ re experiencing something deeply rooted in tradition, with! a twist of something extraordinary.”
Later that day, I look out over the mainland, Kyriakos’ s words resonating in my head. With bountiful seas and soil, a distinctive landscape and a cuisine that has maintained a fierce identity of its own, it seems Corfu has always been doing something extraordinary.
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