Skip to content
63 Shares

Corsica

I finally got to Corsica. I’d heard so much about it. But somehow, I’d never made it there. Corsica is a large island off the Mediterranean coast of France, which has had a rather back-and-forth relationship with France. But the short story is that it was back under French rule in 1796, where it’s firmly (although to some, precariously) remained.

Corsica

Its most famous resident was – and still is – Napoléon Bonaparte. And the airport in Ajaccio, where we flew into from Paris is named after him. since he was born there.

Corsica

Our friend who we were rendez-vous-ing with was arriving in the early evening, so we had some time to stroll around the city. We started at the excellent Musée Fesch, named for the uncle of Napoléon, who was a collector of Italian art. The current exhibition featured classic paintings, paired with recent work by Andres Serrano, an artist most famous for submerging a crucifix in pipi.

Corsica

The photograph of that was the only work in the museum that was protected by Plexiglas and there was an interesting few paragraphs that accompanied it, offering a little explanation, ending with “typical American culture….politically correct.”

When I arrived in France, my second French teacher asked me, “Why are Americans so politically correct?” It’s been over a decade and I’m still not sure I have an answer. (Or, being from San Francisco, know why that is even a question.) But a reader noted that there was an attack on the photo in France as well. So even if it’s not typique, I guess I should be glad to know we share the title, at times, for being PC. Or whatever you want to call it when it comes to religious icons. However perhaps in this case, it’s best to leave the “P” out of it.

Corsica

In addition to the photograph, I’d heard mixed reports of the food in Corsica. Walking around town, we bypassed all the places with square plates and food served on slate, which were most of them. Until we finally found a place where groups of locals were dining. On round plates.

The menu of fried zucchini blossoms and Italian-accented fare appealed, made with the local brocciu, a Corsican cheese that’s similar to ricotta, sounded promising. But what they did to those delicate zucchini blossoms (below, left), heavy on the batter, rendered the flowers inconsequential.

Corsica lunch

The cannolini rolled up with brocciu cheese (above, right), came smothered in thin tomato sauce, topped with carefully chopped chives. Another customer who was dining next to us, and had just (somehow) polished off a slice, said to us on his way out, “Bon appétit! – but I don’t have to worry about that, because you’re eating that delicious tart.” We left three-quarters of it, but finished off our carafe of Corsican white wine, bien sûr.

Corsica

In spite of the less-than-spectacular dining options we stumbled upon, Corsica does have spectacular products. Namely cheese…

Corsica

Charcuterie…

Corsica

Canistrelli cookies, made with fire-roasted chestnut flour…

Corsica

And chestnut honey…

Corsica

Since we were staying in our friend’s lovely home, in a modest village in the mountains, we asked where we could find locally grown vegetables and fruits. He laughed heartily, and said, “Mais non, Daveed,, this isn’t the Luberon!”

Corsica

Although we cooked up some very good meals with our hosts, we stuffed ourselves with the goat and sheeps’ milk cheeses, and the incredible charcuterie, and washed it all down with local (yay!) viognier and merlot wines.

Corsica

For those who are surprised, and/or upset, to hear that people in the south of France put ice in their rosé, you might want to scroll past this quickly. Not only do they put a few cubes in rosé and white wine, but also red as well. And not just ice. They put sparkling water into their wine, which is a habit I adapted since it was efficace (efficient) – I mean, you got to drink you water with your wine. Who says the French aren’t efficient?

Corsica

Because Corsica is an island, it’s surrounded by beaches. (Duh.)

Corsica

And what beaches! We stayed there every day, enjoying every minute, until the sun went down.

Corsica

Our favorite was in Sagone, which was a winding road drive, down the mountain from we were staying. I had asked about visiting other parts of the island since friends had given me a few places I might like to go while in Corsica. But since distances are far – due to those pesky winding roads (which made me a little queasy) – and places get jam-packed in the summer months, due to the southern migration of French (and other) tourists, we stuck with our lovely little beach, which was reliably an excellent place to while away the afternoons. (And who wants to spend their vacation trapped in a rental car, with an uneasy tummy, when you could be sitting on the beach?)

Corsica

Fortunately there was a restaurant nestled right up against the sands, so we didn’t have to drive anywhere to have lunch. Or even get dressed. So we became good customers, eating there four times during the week, each time having the same thing.

Corsica - salade Niçoise

Another guest, from another European country, saw the salade Niçoise that they were serving, with a heap of white rice, some somewhat artistically presented tomatoes, a generous helping of canned corn, and asked me, “Ees ziss the 60s?” (Note that isn’t a square plate, though. The corners are mercifully rounded. Perhaps they knew we were coming and rounded them down, so we’d eat there?)

Corsica

While I assured him it wasn’t the 60’s, or even the 80’s, I did advise him to stick with the same thing we ate daily: les moules-frites. Simmered in cream and shallots, and served with the crispest French fries I’ve had in ages, it was great diving into a big, steaming bowl of mussels, scarfing down fries as if you weren’t wearing a skimpy euro bathing suit (most of the other men nearby, large and small, didn’t seem to care either), and washing it down with rosé with ice, diluted with sparkling water. (For efficiency, of course.) If you’ve ever come to Paris and wondered where all the ice cubes are, they’re here, in Corsica.

Corsica

Fortunately we were also near a pretty good glacier, Pierre Geronimi, whose caramel ice cream was one of the best I’ve had. Other flavors we tried were yuzu, rum-raisin, chocolate, café, stracciatella, and beet-passion fruit, which wasn’t as popular as the other flavors…for some reason.

Corsica

Another thing not entirely popular in Corsica is, um, France, and there are signs and graffiti around the island, expressing the need (or desire) for independence. I get it. I value “alone time” as well.

Corsica

I wasn’t sure why they wanted to leave France, but a local told me not to bring it up unless I wanted an earful. So I assume it’s because the Corsicans didn’t want to share their cheeses or charcuterie. And I can’t say I blame them.

Corsica

In addition to making one’s stomach do some roly-poly things, a few other things to know about driving in the Corsican mountains: One is that the roads wind sharply and people like to drive in the middle of the road, especially around the sharp – and blind – corners. Our friends who live there told me there are terrible accidents. I guess that’s why they feel the need to have all the help they can get along the roads.

Corsica

Another is that if you have any propensity for getting car-sick (gulp…), reserve the front seat of the car for your entire week.

Corsica

FYI: If you come across a couple of neighbors having a mid-route tête-a-tête in Corsica, you can wait anywhere from 30 seconds, to 10 minutes, for them to finish. And unlike Paris, you never, ever honk if someone is holding you up by blocking the road. Just sit there and wait.

Corsica

And do watch out for free-ranging cows and calves that roam the streets. Our hosts kept reminding us to secure the gate when we entered and exited, because the cows and calves nudge it open, and free-range around their house.

Corsica

(The veal in Corsica is famous, although one night I was – somehow – put in charge of making osso bucco, which I’d never done. I figured, like any cut of meat like that, a long-braise with aromatics would render the muscular meat tender. But after five-and-a-half hours, checking it every 4 minutes to see if it was tenderizing, it was still nearly impossible to hack through with a steak knife. But I did appreciate that the animals were allowed to roam and graze freely.)

Corsica

The last few days, Romain assured me that I had a belle tête; a roundabout way of saying that I looked happy, which meant our week in Corsica was a success. It was nice to participate in the great summer escape from Paris share some time in a countryside, and hit a marvelous beach every day. But since my maillot de bain (swimsuit, although when it’s thong-like, it’s le string – and I’m not ready to go there…although some of the dudes on the beach had no problem going there…) was getting a little tight from a steady diet of cheese, meat, chestnut cookies, and les frites, it was time to pack up the Speedos and head home.

Corsica

So now I’m back, nose to the grindstone. I brought back a hefty wedge of Coriscan cheese, which is perfuming everything else in my refrigerator, some lonzo (charcuterie), along with a pot of that rich, dark chestnut honey. If only I had brought back some of that stone-ground chestnut flour, I’d be rolling in clover. Or rolling Canistrelli cookies.

Corsica

63 Shares

73 comments

    • Sammy

    I’ve always loved the idea of Corsica and it looks absolutely beautiful! I may have to stick to making my own meals, though…

    S xo.

    • Jeanne Horak-Druiff

    Great post – and as always, so funny! You did realise that those moules were served in a square-ish bowl, right?! ;) The roads and drivers sound a lot like Tenerife (Spanish for “terrifying”).

    • Chloe {i heart boxes}

    What a beautiful post to entice people down to Corsica, although the review of the food surprised me somewhat :) I’ve been in France for 6 years and haven’t ever made it down there myself, though I’ve heard often that it is beautiful and well worth the visit!

    • Enjoy! The Good Life

    Fabulous pictures! Corsica is on my TO Go list for sure. Moules are delicious……

    • Emma

    As a Corsican I am sorry tot tell you that in summer there is no real brocciu, never.

    As the “real” corsican brebies (female sheep) do not produce milk in summer. So maybe you had frozen real brocciu or brousse, which is good but incomparable from brocciu.

    To be short : in summer it is very difficult to find real Corsican products, specially the charcuterie, as you have less than 10 000 Corsican porks, and they are killed between december and february.

    But ou can find brocciu in Paris for example at Pasta Luna.
    Avoid Terra Corsa épiceries, they know nothing and, have expensive charcuteries (and not the best) and wines.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      It would not surprise me that they were serving frozen or pre-packaged products. We did not eat any fresh brocciu while I was in Corsica, just the goat and sheeps’ milk cheese.

    • Philip B.

    Enjoy so much the wonderful balance of your photo-journalism. Is food photography a natural for you or have you had training/coaching?

    • Barbara

    David why you are depicting an FN poster is beyond me – you do know better! This is the far right, xenophobe (to put it mildly) and not a Corsican party.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      The poster was there. So while certainly no one is saying that all Corsicans (or French) like, follow, or vote, for that party (just like all Americans aren’t Democrats, or Republicans, or Liberarians, even though there are political ads for them), since his daughter got 25% of the votes in the last election, the party does appeal to a certain number of people.

    • ParisBreakfast

    The beach looks perfect. So relaxing.
    A pastry friend swears by the cheesecake in Corsica.
    They have a version on rue des St.Martyr at Terra Corsa but then these things are never the same.

    • Steve Martin

    Americans are PC because we have lost what our Founders had…spine.

    • Anna

    I’ve just returned to the UK from a week in Corsica (also in a village in the mountains) and the best meals we had were the ones we cooked for ourselves using some beautiful, locally caught fish. The place is stunning though, and we were lucky enough to have a fabulous vineyard a 5 minute drive away. I also really appreciated the fact that supermarkets stocked plenty of Corsican cheeses and wines alongside the usual supermarket array. The roads nearly destroyed one of my travelling companions – so we didn’t stray too far from ‘home’ either!

    Did you try some of the boars liver sausage?

    • Yelena

    I have been a reader for many many years, but I think this is the first time I’ve commented and that’s because I feel so strongly about this topic. Please, I beg of you, take down this post, or preface it with the following: “Corsica is a terrible terrible place and no one should go there ever,” because I’ve been going there for 15 years whenever I can and don’t want it getting any more popular. Why not tell people to go to Sardinia?!? I hear Sardinia is beautiful and there are no separatists! I also hear there are guard rails on the roads in Sardinia. Everyone: go to Sardinia!

    On the other hand, thanks for the photos which are making me wistful.

    • Clayshapes Pottery

    I’m always drawn into your blog by the photographs of food – but this time, it is the pottery that I’m drooling over! I love every piece in this post. (love the food, and the writing, and the destination too, of course!)

    • Caroline

    I loved this post. You were spot on about everything about Corsica and so droll too. Your humour made my day.
    I am surprised you did not have any wild boar.

    • elizabeth

    This was just lovely (your Corsica blog). I live in the northwoods of Wisconsin and so far I have not experienced a fish fry (or deep fried cheese curds for that matter) served on a square plate:). I will run fast in the opposite direction if such a thing does occur:).

    • esmee

    your posts are such a joy … i really enjoy your writing, especially having been a travel writer mysef (forgive me, it’s not all about me) … I’m on the hunt right now for chestnut flour and chestnut honey. in mid-coast Maine (at the moment)? wish me luck! Thanks, David

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Chestnut honey is wonderful stuff, although it’s got a very heavy, bitter taste that everyone might not appreciate. (I do.) But I think it’s great on toasted sourdough with salted butter. I loved those chestnut flour cookies and saw a number of recipes online for them (with regular, and chestnut flour) – so anyone can give them a go. Enjoy the lobster in Maine! :)

    • ItalianGirlCooks

    Really liked the post, too…wonderful pics. Would love to taste the chestnut honey and the cheese…not to mention baking w/chestnut flour.

    • Nicola Miller Editor of Mumsnet Suffolk & Norfolk

    Ha ha, driving in Corsica is the nearest I’ve ever come to meeting my maker and I say that as an ex resident of Mexico!

    • Cyndy

    Beautiful countryside. It kind of reminds me of Tuscan hill towns (I know, so ’90s…) Beautiful photography too. It’s so hard to take good beach pics with all that sun glinting off the water.

    I guess if you have a decent place to eat right at the beach, you can call a square plate with rounded edges “not square”! But what about the square bowl? I would put up with it too, especially with those mussels. Yum.

    • Bonnie Parsons

    It sounds to me like you missed the true ambiance of Corsica by just staying in one place: the grandeur of the mountains, the wonderfully thin and delicious truck pizzas, the music — oh the music! – the excellent local wines, the train through the mountains and much, much more.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      There are places to go, but I’ve learned traveling, that sometimes it’s better to stay in one place or region and see (and experience) that, rather than try to do too much. Plus in July and August, like Provence, there are a lot of other people visiting. So while we did miss going to the list of places that I had collected, we had a lovely time in our village having dinner outside, shopping at the local butcher, cheese shops, and glacier. (Although that pizza you mentioned sounds good!)

    • Ann

    I enjoy your blog and have referred other friends to it! I appreciate how you include the things you would recommend and the things you wouldn’t!

    I have one comment to add about the referenced work of ‘art’: I would say it is not a matter of political correctness, but of respect, plain & simple. I don’t share the same beliefs of everyone, but I would never treat their symbols with such disrespect.

    On a lighter note, what do you have against square plates? I’m a round plate person myself, but without thinking about it! Is there something I don’t know?

    I’m always happy to receive your blog notice and enjoy what I read and the photos! Keep them coming!

    • Lisa Margaret Moore

    Aaaah, Corsica! As we have discovered on several trips, the roads are indeed difficult to maneuver and the only form of public transport is either a little train called the “U Trinighellu” meaning ” the trembler” or rather slow infrequent busses; so, alas, one is forced to brave the impossibly narrow, tortuous country roads that wind up through the mountains (where you can catch the GR20 or the Gorges de Spelunca if you’re into hiking) and down to the sea and along the incredible coastline (I’m partial to the beach at Calvi) and perhaps even catch a boat trip to marvel at Corsica from the sea (absolutely worth it) and take a breather from the driving.
    In addition to cows ambling along the way, did you not see the wild pigs that come begging for a hand out up in the mountains?
    The food…well, yes, I’d have to agree that our experience left us the impression that it’s a motley mix of Italian (Genoa played an important part in the history of the island) and French, without really having come into its own, yet. That said, we have had good meals on the island. Corsican wines are interesting as is the amber beer – Pietra – made of chestnuts and malt. Their mineral water – Orezza and Zilia – is quite thirst quenching and ever so satisfying while lazing on the beach or hiking in the mountains, and Corsica Cola is not so bad, as colas go. Their aperitivo, Cap Corse, served with lots of ice and a twist, is a very Corsican way to begin a meal!
    Thank you for bringing back the memories!

    • Bonnie

    I’m an American living in the south of France, this is the first post I’ve gotten since I just subscribed. I have eaten at Chez Panisse during David’s tenure there, and lived in Berkeley during part of the 60s and 70s. That’s a little bit of shared experience, I think! Corsica looks good for a visit, and its not so far from here. As to driving in the middle of the road, that is not only Corsican, it is perfectly normal here in the Languedoc. Today while driving on the winding road to my village, more than half of the other drivers were taking their half out of the middle. I used to be quite annoyed, now I just get out of the way and feel superior.

    • Juliet Padou

    Great post! Thank you for sharing your vacation with us!

    • Mary Anne Focazio

    So glad to find you from your “My Paris Kitchen” I have enjoyed it very much. You are a great story teller. I have been to France once and now…I must go back. Maybe when my husband retired….I’d move there in a second.

    • shelly matheis

    Okay, I’ll bite. Why no love for the poor square plates?

    • May

    David, you make me laugh. Love reading your posts. Somewhere along the way, I (a semi-wine snob of sorts) too have acquired a distaste for too-warm wine. I swirl an ice cube in my glass of red for about 10 seconds and take it out. It makes the flavors and nuances of the wine seem to pop. It mortifies my husband.

    • Amy P

    I’m a bit distrustful of those who serve food on square plates, but it’s really just an aesthetic thing and I suppose I should get over it. I guess it does help narrow down a long list of restaurants! ;)
    By the way, in Canada we call those rounded square plates ‘sqround’. I can’t tell if that’s better or worse than ‘squircle’, which seems to be more popular in the US. Poor shape needs a proper name.

    • Deirdre Davis

    Mmm, Canistrelli cookies. If you ever find a recipe or can recommend one with the chestnut flour, would love to try.
    And love reading your posts. Thank you for sharing your stories/ adventures.

    • Splendid Market

    I found the food there disappointing as well …. just lacking in quality and flavor… wish I had stumbled across some of that honey…

    • Peter H

    I’m with Shelly. Why the hate for the square plate, yo?

    • Bebe

    Ha! Love your hate for square plates. They are a signal to many of us that a restaurant is trying desperately to be trendy (and if so, are behind the curve). I am more interested in authenticity. The quality of the food and its preparation is far more important than cutesy dishes that are now available at Walmart.

    I like your travel philosophy for this getawy, too. Sometimes it is so good to go an live somewere. Stay pretty much put, get to know the place, relax, “live” there. All the touristy stuff is fine, but my best memories have to do with “living” somewhere, if only for a few days.

    Thanks for your very personal slant on things. I love your authenticity. Let others stress to impress.

    • Bebe

    PS. I really do know how to spell but my new Mac laptop’s keyboard is still a little stiff. Trusting you to decipher the words that are missing letters. :(

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Bebe, Peter H and Shelly: Square plates have their place – they work well with cheese, sushi, etc – but when everything is on a square plate, it implies that the place has aspirations that it is something that it’s not. Restaurants think it’s “fancy” or “swanky,” when a simple round plate is good enough. (When people focus too much on the plates and cutlery, in my experience, a number of them are compensating for shortfalls in the food.)

    This New York Times article from back in 2006, had some spot-on points. They’ve kind of become cliché, like slate and food served in tiny glasses. (And both of those have their uses, too. But if you’ve ever cut a steak with a serrated steak knife on a slab of slate, I think most people would be wishing for a regular plate.)

    • Bebe

    Exactly. All of these things have their place. But when they are self-consciously used to give a “swanky” (love that nice old word) aura, they become an affectation. And as you say the food they bear is often not up to the “swankiness” of the plate.

    Most of us have more than one set of dinnerware, china, other kinds of plates (my favorite summer ones are rustic-looking glass from Mexico that match nothing else) but those are used for particular occasions. In most square plate restaurants they are the standard dinner service. Everything comes on a square plate. They then become a cliche.

    • Bebe

    PS. I should have read the NY Times article David linked. Says it all. And it is dated 2006. Eight years ago. I rest my case.

    • Amy

    A lovely post! I have a request .. could you go back and buy that plate with the cows on it for me? Thank you!

    • Stella B

    I’ve never been to Corsica for fear that it won’t live up to my fantasy. However, your pictures make me doubt my fear. Also, it would be nice not to be treated like a rube when I order rosé and pop a couple of ice cubes into it.

    • Fran

    David-

    Gorgeous photography as we have come to expect.

    Some time though, I would really love it if you could list places to get the lovely hand made pottery and other serving pieces that bring their own element to your pic’s. in and around Paris, and places beyond as well. The examples in this posting were particularly lovely.

    • Rebecca

    Wait…why can’t you honk if people are chit-chatting in the middle of the road?

    • J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats

    Sounds quite nice, that shot of the flower vines is particularly pretty.

    But what happens when you honk at the Corsicans??

    • shell

    ” But if you’ve ever cut a steak with a serrated steak knife on a slab of slate, ”
    ********
    Yikes! Fingernails on a blackboard!

    • Sarahb1313

    Yay for the pottery pics! And yum for the chestnut flour!! I bought some locally, not imported, but I have yet to find a great recipe. I have made crepes and popovers with it which are really really tasty but clearly cook up a bit imperfectly.

    And thank-you for making me feel authentic for putting ice in my rosé!!

    • Sophia

    Quick, we need a recipe for the canistrelli cookies. The ones in your photo look like biscotti but all I can find are shortbread cookies made with chestnut flour. Not the same thing!

    • Oonagh

    Thank you David, I love “Ees ziss the 60’s?”!
    I don’t see a problem with the photo of the Le Pen poster – while I violently disagree with his politics, it is interesting to see this poster appear in Corsica, and it is shown at the point where you are talking about local politics.
    I LOVE the pottery in these pics, especially the beakers!

    • Elisabeth

    As a Corsican now living in the US, your post made me laugh out loud — in a good way. I only wish you’d strayed away from the tourist restaurants, as it is very possible to find excellent cooking on the island. And not on square plates, either!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I’m sure there are good places tucked away. But surprised we didn’t find a good on in Ajaccio (although a local we met on the beach recommended Le 8 de Cœur), but we didn’t stay there. But the cheese and charcuterie (and wine!) are so good, it was fine eating at home, enjoying the natural, rugged beauty of Corsica with a nice glass of (Corsican) wine : )

        • Don

        Speaking of rugged beauty, David, did you have any thoughts for me on the large hillside picture? I posted to you about it several days ago. No one can seem to place it. The tower is unique for the area me thinks. Any idea of the name of the town?

          • David
          David Lebovitz

          I don’t know the name of the town – sorry. It was taken en route to Vico ~

    • tunie

    Regarding mid-road chat sessions, totally common on Maui as well. And you do not honk. It’s very subtle, the politics of this point, but it would just be inexcusably out of line – basically, it destroys the sanctuary like laid-back vibe and deeply marks you as an irrevocable outsider. Absolutely no one does it, ever. You do *not* want to piss off locals who’ve been living like this forever. In this case, go with the flow, man. Relax…Allow, etc…

      • Bonnie

      You also do not honk as next time it may be you chatting to one of your friends. Or one of the “chatters” may be someone you know. They can see you back there, they get it. I especially love it when they shake hands first!
      bonnie (living in the Languedoc)

    • BahrBahrRah

    I got a good laugh out of this one…..I too have been disappointed by the “cuisine” in Corsica (except for the brocciu, of course!) I find the food much more interesting along the southern coast – Bonifacio & PortoVecchio in particular. And the beaches there are spectacular! Although the Allies are credited for eradicating PortoVecchio of malaria & mosquitos during WW II, a good supply of your favorite repellent is also recommended.

    • Bettie

    Can your next book be based on dishes from local ingredients (minus the canned corn) found on your French travels…with scenic pictures included, of course.

    • Don

    David – I’m curious about the large vertical photo of the hillside village with the 4 story squarish bell tower in the center of the photo. Can you recall the name of the place? Looks remarkable, great shot.

    • shelly

    Tho, I gotta admit, that bar of savon looks distinctly uncomfortable in it’s square plate.

    • Angel Reyes

    What a beautiful place (even if you had mixed experiences with the food). A good proportion of Puerto Ricans (sometimes even whole towns) can trace their ancestor to Corsica. You can tell because of their Italian Surnames, since we don’t have much of an Italian heritage.

    • Susan C.

    When I think of Corsica, I picture my high school French teacher, Mr. Bruneau, making us memorize facts about Napoleon. He would suddenly switch gears in the middle of class, pinging students with questions like “What is Napoleon’s birthday?” and “Where was Napoleon born?” It worked, because 29 years later I can tell you “Il est ne en Corse le deux Decembre.” Happy to have my conditioned response to the word Corsica supplemented by all the imagery and info in your post.

    Awesome photos…thank you so much for sharing with everyone. Whenever I need a little mental break at work, your blog is always one of the first things I check. Appreciate your style in so many ways! This time, I’m in love with the green and yellow striped cup & saucer in the last photo, and the purple bougainvillea (?) against the stone building is totally stunning.

    • Liza in Ann Arbor

    Lol Daveed! Once again the squares and slates-I feel your pain!

    • Donna Adams

    Great article on Corsica, Thanks!
    David could you recommend a Restaurant at Charles De Gaulle, we are returning from Paris, Rome, Paris and need a place to eat before heading back to San Francisco. We will be in Terminal 2E and Terminal I, and would really like some place decent for a meal. Your the world traveled person with the Palate and just trust your taste!

    Thanks,
    Donna

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      There is nothing at the airport to recommend, or nearby. At least that I know of, unfortunately. I hope that changes in the future and it’d be great to have some wonderful French restaurants in, and near, the airport, for hungry travelers. There is talk of improving the food options.

    • Heidemarie Vukvic

    Have been following your blog for many years, it is always interesting to read.
    I also have been making brownies from your book “The Great Book of Chocolate” both recipes are great, however, the recipe from Dave and Kate’s remarkable brownies are the best. I have been giving them away and everyone wants the recipe. I started with brownies because of a recipe I had recently came across from the American Test Kitchen for the best brownie’s. I always like a challenge so off I went with several recipes to compare. Dave and Kate’s are by far the best. American Test Kitchen’s recipe was too sweet for me and not as tender as the other recipe.
    thanks
    heide

    • Elizabeth

    Hi David,

    Corsica became part of France in 1769. The year of Napoleon’s birth, in fact.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I’m not a historian but it seems like the Treaty of Versailles in 1768, ceded Corsica to France. It went through a few changes, as mentioned, but was firmly back in French rule by 1796.

    • Donna Adams

    Sorry about the Charles De Gaulle Airport, we need a Restaurant at the Hyatt Hotel there, can you help? To much wine tonight!
    Best! Donna

    • Cyndy

    CDG has to work on its organizational skills first! Forget about a restaurant. Two hours to stand in line for check-in. With 85-lb dog and crate.

    • Alvaro M

    Hi! Reading your post about Corsica was really interesting. I live in Paris but I grew up in Genoa (hometown of pesto!), Liguria, just north of Corsica. I recommend you to visit Liguria one day, you might find some similarities in the food. And there they do eat local vegetables and fruits!

      • Cyndy

      @Alvaro M, the food in Liguria is fantastic! We had wonderful meals there and a great hike of the Cinque Terre back in 2000. Plus a scary drive over the high road! I’ve always wanted to go back. So many places, so little time…

    • Lisa

    On your next trip to Corsica be sure to get over to a gorgeous place across from the top of Vescovato out of Bastia, perched along the hillside and overlooking the valley. It’s called U Frangu.

    It was easily and undoubtedly one of the best meals, if not the most exceptional dining experiences, I have ever had.

    • sandra j.

    Thank you, merci for sharing your adventures……I live vicariously and hang on every yummy photo. My little break from my tame and not very stimulating city of Victoria, BC.

    • Michael Weinberger

    Hi
    Please explain your issue with square or rectangular plates. I can do without the graphics you show on plates, but corners are OK by me, but my stacks of plates are round.

A

Get David's newsletter sent right to your Inbox!

15987

Sign up for my newsletter and get my FREE guidebook to the best bakeries and pastry shops in Paris...