5 of the best things to eat & drink in Corsica

CHEESE FRITTERS

Travel to the centre of the island and you’ll find these on nearly every menu. The recipe will vary as you go, but all rely on the freshest, tastiest goat’s or ewe’s cheese pieces, coated in a thin batter and deep-fried until golden.

CHARCUTERIE

No trip to Corsica would be complete without sampling charcuterie made from the beloved Corsican pig (porcu nustrale) using traditional production processes. Look out for prisuttu (ham), panzetta (bacon), lonzu (cured loin), figatellu (pork liver sausage) and coppa (pork cold cut).

WILD OYSTERS

The wild oysters from the 11-metre-deep Diana Pond – on Corsica’s eastern coast – are arguably the best. Prop yourself up at a bar where they’ll serve oysters fresh with lemon wedges and a glass of white wine.

WINE

Local wine is one of Corsica’s best-kept secrets – partly because so little of it leaves the island. There are three endemic varietals found: one white (the complex vermentinu) and two reds (the bold and intense nielluccio and the delicate sciaccarellu). Be sure to sample each.

CHESTNUT POLENTA

Chestnut is so loved in Corsica that it is celebrated in a festival held each December in the town of Bocognano. This rustic dish is often served on a plate with figatellu and brocciu (a ewe’s cheese, similar to ricotta).