A Scented Island

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Photography by Nicola Edmonds

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Bread making in a traditional outdoor oven, often shared by a village.

Obqpmfpo!Cpobqbsuf!podf!tbje he would know Corsica, the island of his birth, with his eyes closed. Take just a few steps onto Corsican soil and within a few breaths you’ll understand this boast.

With just a thin layer of topsoil clinging to volcanic rock, there is very little pasture here. Instead, most of the island is carpeted in low-growing, aromatic shrubbery known collectively as le macquis, or la maccia, which holds an almost mystical importance for the people (and animals) of the island.

Not only does it provide feed for the wandering livestock and the basis for four of the six varieties of Corsican honey, but it infuses the very air with a wonderful waft redolent of cedar – spicy, sweet and clean.

Nestled in the Mediterranean, south of France and between Italy and Spain, the island of Corsica has been invaded and occupied from many different quarters.

The ancient Greeks, the Etruscans and Romans all held it in their sway at one time or another. Lately, it has been the French and the island is now regarded as French territory by all but the Italians and, of course, by the Corsicans themselves.

The island’s rugged interior – craggy mountains and vertiginous valleys – roll down to a sparkling hem of beautiful and often dramatic coastline. Beyond the cosmopolitan cities and larger towns of Bastia and Ajaccio, most Corsicans live very simply and eat with the seasons. In every region, small-scale artisan producers 219!!¦! E J TI

sell from their doors and sheds. Most have no interest in upsizing their production for export and so are able to focus on the quality of their produce, generally grown without chemicals and pesticides.

to a round strawberry, that can be eaten or are used for jams.

Around any bend in the road between villages, the ‘tonkling’ of iron bells floats on the air. The livestock —cattle, sheep, pigs and goats – are often left to wander at will, mingling with their wild cousins, browsing wild herbs on the hillsides or ambling between chestnut trees.

Neppita – a cross between mint and oregano. Despite its strong flavour, it’s also used for cooking here and even sometimes to coat goat’s cheeses.

Corsicans take as much pride in the distinctiveness of their food and in the quality of their produce as they do in their own identity. The cuisine is generally rustic and hearty and a clear reflection of the island’s assortment of occupying influences.

“Here, every conversation begins with food,” I was told, and indeed, the food is a conversation in itself.

Lentisque – smells a little like sandalwood.

Branches are often burned in the open-air ovens to infuse meats and bread.

Immortelle – looks and smells a little like curry plant. Used as an anti-coagulant and in cosmetics, its cultivation and collection is now a major industry in Corsica.

Packets of dried herbs from the macquis are available all over the island – from open markets to artisan stores and even the airport. (The MAF officials had no problems with mine when I came home.) Also try the national drink, ‘Cap Corse’, a clear liqueur infused with myrtle berries.

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Stray anywhere off the beaten track (although there is even straggling neppita growing out of nooks and crevices on well-trodden footpaths) and inhale the wonderfully scented air. See how many different herbs you can collect, including:

Corsica was often referred to as Ile de Berger (island of shepherds) and word has it almost all Corsicans have a father or grandfather who was a shepherd in their day. All cheeses in Corsica are made from sheep or goat’s milk – milk of such quality that until around 40 years ago most of the sheep’s milk was bought by producers of Roquefort cheese.

Myrtle – the seeds are used widely in Corsican cuisine to flavour and infuse meats and liqueurs.

Arbouse – (strawberry trees) tall bushes with round red and orange berries, similar

Because shepherds no longer follow their animals on their summer sojourn to higher ground, cheese-making grinds to a halt

Goat’s cheese-maker Tizziana Terrazzani on the island of Corsica.

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varieties determined by altitude and season. Even within varieties, flavours vary depending on the flowers and blossom of the particular wild herbs growing in that area during that time of the year.

Charles Morati is the olive oil and honey magnate of the Il Nebbio region and, some say, all of Corsica. He sells both from his beautiful home; try the strong, rich heather honey or the clementine variety, which is delicate with a faint citrus tang and excellent for cooking. If you happen to visit Charles during autumn and you’re lucky, he may treat you to a sampling of the delectable figs from his trees. Or ask to visit his 500-year-old olive grove filled with gorgeously gnarled and knotted trees and studded with ruins commemorating the original olive farmers on this estate, the Romans.

Clockwise from above: Hives at Charles Morati’s property; Corsican honey; a 17th century text on bee-keeping.

in October. (It would pay cheese lovers to bear this in mind when planning what time of year to visit.) Most famous of all Corsican cheeses is Brocciu, which is similar to ricotta and made from goat’s milk. Made between November and July and eaten within a few days of production, this cheese is regarded as a national treasure and guarded accordingly; it’s been awarded a special Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée and Corsicans will fiercely warn you of impostors. I did spot some fresh Brocciu in the market, even though I was there out of season. It was made in Sardinia (the locals sniffingly told me), using a quite different process and most definitely inferior.

Visit: Christine D’Amore – sheep’s milk cheese-maker in Oletta (Il Nebbio region) Phone +33 6 9963 2201.

Lionel Pinzutti – goat’s cheese maker in Bocognano. Phone +33 6 8007 1771 Corsica National Cheese Fair in Venaco (May) Contact Jean Michel Sorba for details on jmsorba@voila.fr

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The Corsican people were known as ‘honey-eaters’ by the Romans, who levied an annual tax of 90 tonnes of honey and beeswax from the islanders. Since 1998, Corsican honey has held the coveted A.O.C., the only honey in the world to enjoy such an honour. There are six distinct 221!!¦! E J TI

Visit: Charles Morati, Santo Pietro di tenda.

Phone +33 495 377 198

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Chestnut trees are ubiquitous in Corsica and have been a vital, staple food source.

Historically known as ‘the bread tree’ and used for flour and a porridge or polentatype meal, chestnuts provided a cheap but nutritious and filling alternative to cereal crops. During August, the ground beneath the trees is cleared and in October the gathering of nuts begins around the villages, using a special rake. After the nuts have been shelled and dried, the last of the tannin-bearing membrane (which can make the nuts bitter) is removed by hand with a tiny knife, for the best flavour.

Corsican dessert courses often include lovely chestnut-flour flans and light, sweet gâteaux. Seize the chance to try the delicious Pulenda (a chestnut flour polenta), which is served with slow-cooked figatellu sausage (see below). Also be sure to sample Pietra, a very popular beer brewed in Corsica from chestnut flour.

Visit: The chestnut harvest is celebrated every year with some villages even holding a special ceremony for the ‘Readiness of the Chestnut Flour’. The two largest chestnut fairs are: The Chestnut Blossom Festival in Evisa (November) and Fiera di a Castagna in Bocognano (December) For details visiti fieradicastagna.com

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Fresh local meat is mostly reserved for feast days in Corsica, when lamb or goat is usually served. (New Zealand beef and lamb are legendary, even here!) Cattle are farmed only for production of veal, known as manzu. Calves roam free range until they reach 10-14 months, so the resulting meat is darker than New Zealanders are used to and rich with flavour.

Cured meats are a Corsican specialty.

Along with farmed pigs, wild boar hunting is hugely popular; men and women in camouflage gear are a common sight, as is a home cellar with rafters groaning under the weight of home-cured hocks and sausages.

Cuts you are likely to see include: Figatellu – a U-shaped liver sausage, peculiar to Corsica. Depending on the length of curing, figatellu can be eaten raw, but it’s classically served with Pulenda and is also wonderful cooked with lentils.

Vuletta – another uniquely Coriscan cut made from the cheek and neck of salted pork left to cure for six months.

Lonza and Coppa – from the loin and fillet.

Prizutta – the leg (ham).

Panzetta – made from fattier cuts, such as the breast and neck.

Visit: Arguably the best charcuterie on the entire island, Pascal Fiori’s is regularly visited by journalists and food specialists from all over the world. Ask to see his cellar, where an open fire on the dirt floor burns huge branches beneath the hanging meats.

Charcuterie Pascal Fiori, Murato. Phone +33 495 376 230.

Charcuterie Manney (owner Stephane Manney raises his own pigs for his cured meats), Bocognano. Phone +33 495 274 148.

Charcuterie Fermiere and Charcuterie Stephane e Gaeton – both are at Ajaccio market, see below.

NBSLFUT The best way to sample the finest and freshest that Corsica has to offer is to visit one of the various farmers’ markets operating around the island. Of these, Ajaccio is probably the best and largest and worth planning your travel around. Though this market is open on weekdays, Saturday morning is the best time to go, with more

stallholders, fresher produce and a better chance to people-watch.

The Ajaccio market devotes whole avenues to cheese and charcuterie producers who spread their array under jauntily striped awnings. Wander among varieties of fruits and vegetables that are unique to Corsica and usually grown organically, and then cut across to the fish market in a large building beside the main square, which groans with fish in every imaginable colour and shape, literally sparkling with freshness. Fish prices reflect the depletion of Mediterranean fish stocks, but much of the fish is caught locally and from boats that you can see (and smell) setting forth from the harbour adjacent to the markets.

The Bastia market is smaller, though in a particularly lovely setting – a square surrounded by artisan stores, restaurants and small, chic cafés where you can sit and sip your coffee in the sun while fashionable Bastia locals saunter by. Fill your bags if you’re travelling into the hinterland, as fresh fruit and greens are much harder to come by outside the main towns and cities.

Visit: Ajaccio – Place Cesar-Caminchi.

(Tuesday – Sunday 8am to 12pm) Bastia – Place de l’Hotel de Ville.

(Tuesday – Sunday 8am to 12pm) Bonifacio – La Halle de l’Arsenal.

(Wednesday 7am – 1pm) L’ile Rousse – Place du March.

(Daily 8am – 1pm)

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Always a souvenir of French occupancy, artisan breads and patisserie are taken for granted in Corsica. Outdoor ovens (known as u fornu), once communal cooking and meeting places, are still maintained in some villages for special occasions and to taste bread baked this way is a once in a lifetime experience. Trays of canistrelli, the national biscuit, are also sometimes cooked in these ovens. They are similar in taste to our vanilla wine biscuits and in texture to biscotti, but made with yeast.

Visit: Chez Mireille (Depot de Pan) 5 Rue des Terrasses – Bastia. Phone +33 495 324 105 A tiny but very authentic patisserie.

Very popular with the locals so join the queue early.

VTFGVM!JOGPSNBUJPO; The native language in Corsica is a blend of French and Italian, complete with differing dialects (and road signs) depending on the region. However, almost everyone can also speak French or Italian, or both. A good grip of Italian and/or French language basics is essential in Corsica.

Guided food tours are available from Rolli Lucarotti, a British food writer and former restaurateur who has lived in Corsica for the last 30 years. Author of Recipes from Corsica, Rolli lives in Ajaccio and offers tailored tours visiting her favourite foodie haunts and producers. Email her on rollicorse@aol.com For more information visit online at: corsica-isula.com terracorsa.info visit-corsica.fr

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