Date: Oct 7th-9th/2020
Place: Agios Stefanos
By: Lili Naveh
The "Joy" of Cooking in Corfu
Marianna, a 50 years old, most cheerful native runs a small Cafe in Agios Stefanos town’s center, where she serves her own daily baked fresh goods, with a cup of coffee to mainly the “golden age” local men, left behind in town.
They frequent her establishment, religiously, each morning and now, when the tourists are gone, their consumption of her coffee and friendliness disperse their lonely aging, and assures her main source of income.
Marianna Cafe
Realizing that her cakes and pastries, a treat which the majority of the Greeks don't excel at, are definitely worth the morning pilgrimage walk to her modest abode above the beach, I dared asking her after getting quite desperate, if she would kindly agree, also to cook for us.
I suspected that in her freer time, with the town being emptied out from the tourists, she would agree for some extra money, to privately prepare for us her Greek home cooking delights like Dolmades, Moussaka or Leg of Lamb, if we would bring over all the necessary ingredients.
Our one experiment at preparing stakes on our own, at the tiny meagerly equipped rental's kitchen, had released out of the oven, a cloud of burnt meat odor, .. engulfing the entire apartments' complex, if not beyond...
Furthermore, the lengthy chewing of the meat during its consumption, curbed our enthusiasm to repeat the cooking experiment.
This first trial at preparing a substantial meal, and the close by dwindling open restaurants, convinced me to approach Marianna for help in feeding the family.
Marianna gladly agreed to put her time and that of the cafe's baking oven, into extra usage, and thus had saved us from starving, as well as the entire village from needles stench.
Marianna - from Agios Stefanos Village
cell +30 693416257 At the Cafe: +30 2663051095
It seemed to us that all the villagers whom we have met, and who provide services, know each other, are intertwined in close family connections, and have all their multi-generational family members run their businesses. The named variety of the Greek women was more distinguishable. However almost all the men were called: Kostas, Spiro or Yannis..
Helen, another native who sells at the small local "Supermarket Express" in the village, and whose son was christened by Mariana (his God-Mother), came also to our assistance, by becoming our consultant on all the necessary ingredients to be purchased for the specialty Greek home cooked dishes.
So with the kind help of these 2 blessed women, our dependence on the unreliable and dwindling opened restaurants had diminished, while the daily take-out delicious home cooking was reliably supplied.
Marianna's home cooking exceeded our own expectations. Her Moussaka and Leg of Lamb were so much tastier than any of the local few restaurants we sampled in the village, before they closed down, due to the off season.
Mariaan's Leg of Lamb
During this past entire week the parents (Inbal and Amit) were busy with their work zoom calls, and we the grandparents were fully "employed" as babysitters, entertaining the angelic energetic kids at the pool, beach, or walks through the village.
Our main reading material was popular children's legends. The music repertoire we endlessly listened to, was familiar children's rhymes. And the major game we played was "hide and seek '' .
We finally materialized, at this advanced age... our latent potential...
Babysitting Alex
The weather on the island, though still quite warm, has changed into a blowing
windy tempest, creating a stormy choppy waved sea water. The mighty blow of wind, and the rubbing sanding treatment had chased anyone who dared approaching the beach.
Thus staying in and viewing the storm scenery and few nutty wind surfers flying more in the air than surfing the waves, was enough action for us.
Stormy Beach
3 other recommended accommodations we liked at Agios Stefanos
"Pictures Suites " (On the Beach)
Our "Paralia" Rental is situated left of Delfino Blu , while the "Pictures Suites" is to the left of Delfino and above it all three are in a row on the same beach strip
(+30) 26630 52145 info@picturesuites.gr
"Terezas Hotel" (not on the Beach)
A more upscale hotel on one of the many hillsides of San Stefanos beach and in walking distance from the Delfino Blu,
Mobile: +30 6974074518 – Email: info@terezas-hotel.com
"Romanza Hotel" (not on the beach
A modest romantic hotel on a high hill with fantastic views
+30-26630-51762 info@romanzahotel.com
To be Continued...