Think you know Greek cuisine? Think again. Lorna Riley gets a masterclass in Mediterranean cooking during a unique visit to Corfu
“I would dare to call it the authentic, the genuine, the original Greek salad - not that one that uses lettuce or cabbage!” Our host’s nose wrinkles in disgust at this culinary crime while chef Maria prepares our lunch under the welcome shade of citrus trees, overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea.
We’re on Corfu (Kerkyra), the only Greek stop on our two-week Viking Mediterranean Odyssey cruise and it’s a whirlwind one. To make the most of our day, we’ve opted for an organised excursion called Traditional Flavours and Modern Cuisine of Corfu - a chance to wine, dine, and take a walk back in time.
I’ve already noted as we docked early that morning that Corfu bears little resemblance to the whitewashed Greece I’ve come to expect on previous visits to Mykonos and Crete, with morning light bouncing off pastel buildings; the first of several surprises that this sickle-shaped island, around six times the size of our own Waiheke, holds.
The Old Town of Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site influenced by Venetians, French and British. Photo / Lorna Riley
Corfu’s Unesco-listed Old Town is shaped by Venetian, French, and British influences, as the island has been colonised several times during its documented 3000-year history. It’s a network of cobbled streets and historic landmarks that reflect this diverse past.
We begin our tour walking along Liston Promenade, built during French rule, where arched walkways lined with cafés offer a prime spot to soak up the local atmosphere. Just beyond, Spianada Square, one of Europe’s largest, remains a hub of activity. Here, a Roman-style rotunda; there, an ornate music pavilion; and in another surprise, a pristine cricket pitch: the only one of its kind in Greece and a legacy to one-time British rule. A short walk leads to the Old Fortress, a 15th-century Venetian stronghold with panoramic views of both town and sea. The fortress stands as a testament to the island’s strategic importance and its history of resisting invasion, Corfu being one of the few parts of Greece never conquered by the Ottomans.
Near the entrance to the fortress, we stumble across a link to my childhood, when Gerald “My Family and Other Animals” Durrell was one of my favourite authors; gorgeously landscaped Bosketo Garden has been renamed Durrell Garden, with a plaque and busts dedicated to brothers Lawrence and Gerald, who lived here for several years in the 1930s and whose writings of their beloved island have helped popularise this particular slice of paradise. It’s thanks to them that I know Corfu is home to many beautiful animals and birds, including (perhaps surprisingly) pelicans and flamingoes.
The Old Town of Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site influenced by Venetians, French and British. Photo / Lorna Riley
Just north of here is the Roman-style Palace of Saints Michael and George (Palaia Anaktora), featuring a large statue of a former British Governor outside; in another surprise, the building houses a Museum of Asian Art, unique across Southern Europe in its scope and in the richness of its Chinese and Asian exhibits. Unfortunately the collection is so large (15 rooms, taking in over 12,000 artefacts) that time does not allow a visit today, but a mental note is made to return when we pass this way again.
A small window of free time is spent in our favourite way: browsing the shops for mementoes (colourful fridge magnets, yes; dubiously-shaped bottle openers, no), before a trio of musicians in traditional Corfiot clothing entertain as we sip dark, thick “ellinikos kafes” and watch the world go by. Corfu is not as busy as other ports we’ve visited (it is, after all, shoulder season) but the warm sun is shining in the azure sky and to me, it’s a perfect day to visit.
It’s about to get better.
On Corfu, history meets flavour in a day of traditional food, local stories and sea views. Photo / Lorna Riley
Our small group is then transported north by coach, just past the town of Limmi to Kommeno Bay, where we are welcomed to the Villa of the Roses, a boutique hotel, for a hands-on introduction to Corfiot cuisine. The villa itself is extraordinary, perched on a hill looking out to the Ionian Sea and the shores of Albania beyond, and as the weather is so delightful our cooking lesson takes place in the citrus grove beside the pool.
Over glasses of local aniseed-flavoured aperitif ouzo we meet chef Maria, and learn that horotiaki, Greek salad, should never contain lettuce. Instead cucumbers are semi-peeled to stripe the skin and add visual interest, then tossed with chunks of large Roma tomatoes, kalamata olives, green capsicum (never red or orange), a little salt and oregano, and plenty of creamy feta. A simple drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (locally made in this case) and red wine vinegar, and our salad is complete.
But no Corfiot lunch would be complete without tzatziki. “It can be sauce, it can be a dip, it can be a spread - normally we serve it alongside meats: barbecue, roasted, grilled - any meats, tzatziki will do” announces our host, Maria’s hands a blur as she whips up a large bowl, decorated with olives, that we hungrily tuck into using large chunks of bread as Maria moves on to making our main dish of moussaka, the beef, potato and eggplant dish synonymous with Greek cuisine.
The Museum of Asian Art in Corfu is the only one of its kind in Southern Europe. Photo / Lorna Riley
With a raise of our glasses, now filled with Italian wine, we make a toast - “Kali sas oreks!”- and tuck into our feast, which concludes with a citrus polenta cake served with sides of jam and yoghurt. We can’t leave though, without sampling kumquat liqueur. Kumquat literally translates as “golden orange”, and the bright syrup is a specialty of the island, its bittersweet citrus flavour reflecting Corfu’s unique agricultural heritage, and more than one of us is converted to this new flavour as we sip and chat, gazing out across the sparkling sea.
Maria may not speak a word of English, but today we have shared the universal language of food appreciation and smiles along with genuine gratitude pass between us as we make our farewells.
A couple of hours later, sitting on our Viking Sky balcony, we watch Corfu’s terracotta rooftops fading into the distance. The island’s blend of history, architecture, and cuisine has offered a truly memorable glimpse into Corfiot heritage. Whether through its well-preserved Old Town, its culinary traditions, or its British influences, Corfu stands apart as a destination as rich in character and history as it is in food. A whirlwind day, yes, but a perfect one.
Tzatziki can be a dip, sauce or spread—and no Corfiot meal is complete without it. Photo / Lorna Riley
MARIA’S TZATZIKI
1 long telegraph cucumber or 2 smaller cucumbers
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups Greek yogurt (full fat, avoid “Greek-style” yogurt, get the real thing)
1-2 cloves pressed garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
Wash the cucumber and cut off the end, then grate. Place the grated cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with salt, mixing so all the cucumber pieces are coated. Place the colander over a bowl so the salt can draw the moisture out of the cucumber. Allow the cucumber to drain for 15-30 minutes, then squeeze all of the moisture out using your hands. Combine the other ingredients in a medium mixing bowl before stirring in the drained, squeezed cucumber. Taste and add more salt, pepper, vinegar, garlic or herbs if you like. Chill for an hour in the fridge, or if you can’t wait - tuck in. Kali sas oreks!
Details
Viking Cruises’ 13-day Mediterranean Odyssey cruise travels from Barcelona to Venice with stops in France, Monaco, Italy, Greece and Croatia.
