Corfu is famous for olive oil, kumquat and traditional dishes, but the island also has a fascinating world of old-fashioned fruits that many visitors never notice. Some still grow in village gardens, beside country roads or in small family orchards, while others have almost disappeared from local markets. As someone who grew up in Corfu, several of these fruits immediately remind me of older gardens, grandparents and the days when people simply picked whatever was ripe from the tree. Here are 12 Corfu fruits you may never have tried.
11Pavlosyka – Corfu’s Prickly Pears
Elsewhere in Greece you will usually hear them called frangosyka, but in Corfu many locals know prickly pears as pavlosyka.
The fruit grows on large cactus plants that can still be seen beside roads, abandoned fields and village properties around the island.
Inside the thorn-covered skin is sweet, juicy flesh filled with small edible seeds.
Older Corfiots traditionally ate them chilled, especially during the hottest part of summer. The difficult part is getting through the tiny, almost invisible spines covering the skin, so never pick one with bare hands unless you know exactly what you are doing.
Health benefits: Prickly pears provide fibre, vitamin C and various antioxidant compounds. Their high water content also makes them a refreshing fruit during hot summer weather.
When to look for them: Late summer and early autumn.
