Currants

Currants – κορινθιακή σταφίδα

In August, sometimes even into September, we see the currants spread all over the island infront of the houses. In former times they were put on square wooden frames. Today they use great awnings or meshed networks.

They originally come from the region of Achaia on the Peloponnese, but mid-16 Jh they were also brought on the island of Zakynthos. The Venetian rulers did not like this at all, as since then the back of the cereal production (then still the main crop) was dramatic. However, the currants brought the farmers at that time a lot more profit than the grain.

Currants are produced from small, seedless, black, blue and very sweet grapes. When these are ripe, the harvest takes place in August. Then they are put about 20 days in the hot summer sun, exposed to dry. Even a small rain shower that can occur this time of year, fortunately very rare, can damage the fruit laid out and push its price considerably. If the currants have largely lost their moisture, they will be cleaned with the help of special machines and free of stems and leaves. In former days this was done with a kind of broom, with which they were stirring it for hours. When they are clean, they are packed in bags and taken to the cooperative. A local farmer receives about 80 cents per kilogram currants from the cooperative. Today they are mainly exported to other EU countries.
However, currants from Zakynthos are well known in the UK since the 16th century.
Even in those days they were exported to the UK and sometimes even a special wine was produced out of these sweet grapes.