The Wild Maquis of Corsica
(Page 3 of 5)
April/May 2004
By Sibylle Hechtel
Valentini and his son collect rosemary from their land, which
extends up the hillsides to a tiny hut far above.
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“I grew up here herding goats and making cheese,” he said. “I
prefer goat cheese made in the mountains. You can taste the
difference in goat cheese, depending on the herbs and plants that
the goats eat.” Due to customs laws, Corsica does not export most
of the cheese.
While we watched, Valentini filled an enormous iron vat embedded
in concrete with rosemary. He then screwed on an iron lid like a
submarine hatch with huge bolts at three sides.
“It’s very old,” said Valentini. “Over 60 years.”
The heated water in the tank produced high-pressure steam that
blew through the rosemary and picked up essential oils. It then
entered a condensing tank with coils cooled by running water. The
steam condensed into a mixture of essential oils and water. Like
oil and vinegar, the oils in a collecting funnel float on top of
the denser water. Valentini drained the water and ran the oils
through several filters to remove any remaining plant bits.
After completing the distillation, Valentini guided us on a tour
of his land, where rosemary, inula, nepeta, everlasting
(Helichrysum) and germander (Teucrium) grow in wild profusion. Once
I learned to recognize the plants, I noticed them frequently
alongside the trails that head from Corte up into the surrounding
mountains.
Costal Corsica
From Corte (or Corti) we crawled toward the coast along more
hairpin turns and past more donkeys before reaching open roads. As
we descended the mountains, we encountered our first traffic signal
in days. Once we reached Ajaccio, the provincial capital, a traffic
jam halted our progress. From downtown Ajaccio, we headed north
toward our hotel, Dolce Vita, which sits directly on the beach.
My first course at the hotel restaurant, chicken brochettes,
consisted of rosemary sprigs impaling small, moist chicken nuggets
about the size of a quarter. The rosemary complemented the
chicken’s sweetness, giving it a greater complexity of flavor. Our
white wine, a 2001 Orenga de Gaffory from the Patrimonio A.O.C. in
Corsica, had a medium body, fine acidity and lovely fruit,
providing a delightful balance to the chicken.
The next course, monkfish in citrus, tantalized my taste buds
with its mélange of flavors. The tender white flakes of this local
fish fell apart on the fork. The fish’s mild flavor allowed the
herb’s aroma to permeate the dish. The chef cooked the delicate
fish in thyme, then coated it with whole coriander kernels.
Jerusalem artichokes and little sweet onions provided a delicious
side course. The delicate-flavored white wine accompanied this fish
perfectly.
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