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When we told our Italian friends I was headed for Sicily they
had a lot of advice for me. All of it was about the food. “When
you go to Palermo eat the street food, right in the market.
Don’t miss the arancini (rice shaped into balls). Oh, and the
canoli are the best in the world. Really just try anything
offered to you. “
So we went to Sicily wondering how these Italians, who have made
some of the best food we have ever eaten, could go on so about
Sicilian food. On the first day we went to the Palermo market.
We stopped at so many stalls to try the panelle (fritters made
from chickpeas), the arancini (filled rice balls shaped into
shapes like little oranges), and cazzilli (tiny potato
croquettes). The market
is just as colorful, gritty, crowded and interesting as you
might imagine. The agriturismo where we spent that night was
such a contrast.. a cloistered courtyard with views of the
valley, tomatoes drying on screens, wine and olive oil stacked
in the stone cantina…a truly peaceful spot in the landscape. Oh,
and for breakfast, canolis brought to us from the village by our
friend Tito.
We found the best pastries in the hilltop village of
Erice. The cobble stoned streets and
castle with its windswept views of the sea were almost
overshadowed by the pastries at Pasticceria Grammatico. Maria is a pastry chef
famous for her delectable creations. She brought out a full
platter so we could try one of everything.
During that week we discovered that the wine from Sicily is
seriously underrated. From the famous
Donna Fugata on the southwest coast to the vineyards at
the foot of volcanic Mt. Etna the winemaking in Sicily is still
being discovered.
One of our favorite meals was when Viviana took us for breakfast
in a small village. She said it was the typical “beach
breakfast” in summertime. We had an icy cold granita (almond or
lemon) and with it the best calazone we’ve ever eaten. It wasn’t
the usual version of a pizza folded over in half and baked. It
was more like a giant soft fried pie filled with ham and cheese.
Hmmm! Now that’s breakfast!
To top off all of this culinary delight we were so lucky to have
dinner in the kitchen of Sicily’s answer to Julia Child,
Eleanora Consoli. She has written
the classic cookbook of Sicilian cooking and is a television
personality there. She was a charming woman with a passion for
Sicilian food. What a joy to have that great meal at her home.
While we were there she generously offered a cooking class for
our guests when we return.
The cooking in Italy is sublime but the food in Sicily is
special. The multi-cultural influences of the Moors, Greeks,
Normans, Spanish, and Africans have forged a flavorful, diverse
cuisine. When I returned to northern Italy I assured my Italian
friends that I did indeed indulge in all of the temptations of
Sicilian fare.
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Travel Update – July 26,
2007
We are in Barcelona in the El Born district, full of tiny stone
streets with laundry flapping overhead. We met with friends last
night to talk about their favorite places and discuss the merits
of each beloved restaurant. They offered to introduce us to the
family friends who do a great wine in a famous vineyard outside
Barcelona. They told us not to miss certain clubs for Jazz or
rooftop terraces for romantic evenings.
We’ll be publishing our 2008 calendar soon, so look for our new
tours in Spain and China. Yes…China! We just returned from two
weeks there. This was our special invitation only tour for
alumni. It was fun to travel with these friends and see all the
work being done in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. We learned
about Chinese cuisine, strolled through the Summer Palace
gardens , saw the majesty of the Forbidden City and the Great
Wall and so much more. We’ll be updating you in the future about
the adventures we had and the tours for next year.
In the meantime, we still have a few spots open in September in
the Cinque Terre along the Italian Riviera or Tuscany and also in two tours
in Sicily in October. Don’t miss the best weather of the year
without the tourist crowds.
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