Known for its beautiful sandy beaches, food, theatre and scenery; Palermo lies further up the island- 3 hrs drive from Catania. Sicily doesn’t escape its association with the Mafia but as you may or may not know there are remarkable people who chose to stand against it and one of those was Giovanni Falcone. He was a judge and prosecuting magistrate who took it upon himself to try and root out corruption within the system. On the A29 motorway near Capaci where he and his wife along with other brave men lost their lives stands a monument in homage to their unforgotten sacrifice.
Before you go further: This post doesn’t deeply delve into places to visit and eat as we were only there a short time. I am working on updating this on our next visit.
However there are unpleasantries everywhere you go. Sicily will beacon you to it’s beaches, food but what’s not spoken off enough is how warm and welcoming they are. And when you’re not busy socialising with the locals while having your pick of fresh fish, or why the arancini should be shaped one way over the other. You should be licking your way to the bottom of a gelato cone.
Wow me…
A scoop of ice cream in Sicily will absolutely change how you look at this work of art again. Sicily has its history merged with that of the Arabic. In fact, It’s said that ice cream was copied from the Arabs. And I’m so glad it was because they took it to a level like no other. Apart from almonds, Pistachio is Sicily’s beloved nut. And you will find it in appetisers, mains and of course in dessert. Dare I say, your cannolo and ice cream would be lonely without it.
“Prendi un caffè con me” (have coffee with me)
When you hear coffee and Italy you think espresso, cappuccino and the list goes on; but you wouldn’t associate it to ginseng. And THAT my friend is what has taken the coffee lovers world by storm for quite sometime now! It’s served in a shot glass and is almost the serving of two espressos. However, it’s sweet and not with a hint of coffee but chocolate. It still escapes me how this has gone unnoticed to us tourists for so long.
Mediterranean diet? Eh ehm …
Gone are the days when all we knew about Italian cuisine was margarita pizza and spaghetti. But did you know they also make fried appetisers with chickpea flour? Which was so delicious my little one kept reaching her little hand across the table for more. Little balls of fried mozzarella also make the cut should you order some ‘antipasto caldo’ (warm appetizers). And don’t get me started on the arancini because that just needs a whole post of its own!
Sicilian hospitality
A few of the restaurants we wanted to go to didn’t have a baby chair. So one of the owners at a restaurant we had previously dined at offered us their baby chair. And she did this knowing we would be going to eat at another restaurant and not theirs. Now THAT in my opinion is hospitality, plus it doesn’t hurt that they make a mean pizza with aubergine as pictured below. Should you be interested it’s Ristorante Sariddu.
As we walk down the streets, it’s hard not to pay compliments to the beautiful homes with little pots filled with flowers and herbs hanging off balconies. A gust of wind blows fine grains of sand over our feet as we leisurely make stride toward the beach. Young lovers relishing the sunset view; probably oblivious to passersby or music from restaurants filling the streets.
The pier is filled with families, lovers and clusters of friends. It’s hard to miss the elderly couples. Some I must admit; filled me with hope and admiration from how invested in each other they seemed to be. I’m a sucker for romance, what can I say. They walked hand in hand stealing glances at each other, a seemingly spontaneous peck here and there. The only thing that gave off their age was their hair and posture. And what a sight to behold!
Something that stuck with me was how people seemed engaged in each other and not entranced by phones which was refreshing. We made our way into a gelateria- that came highly recommended by a family friend. Standing there watching the server scoop gelato from the ice tins, carefully piling the different flavours. I could almost feel my hands twitch from excitement and impatience! And no, this was the second time we had been there that day.!
It’s cold, it’s sweet, it’s …
Soft and creamy, with just enough sweetness to deceive you that a few more scoops wouldn’t be that bad for you. There’s no mistaking what flavour is what as I carefully think up another excuse to walk back into the store for more later.
“I felt like a child lost in my ‘simple pleasures’. Lick and scoop with no care in the world of who was watching or the melted gelato streaming down my chin.”
I looked on, puzzled- as they stuffed scoops of gelato between a fresh round of brioche. I have never seen this before, but apparently, that’s a thing here. Being the boring creature of habit that I am (yes, I know this doesn’t coincide with being a food blogger) I choose to stick to my ice cream cone oblivious to all else.
I felt like a child lost in my ‘simple pleasures’. Lick and scoop with no care in the world of who was watching or the melted gelato streaming down my chin. We giggled and cheekily ran around digging our little colourful plastic spoons at each other’s portions and I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard! It felt more than good, so good I can’t put it to words. I wish I could pack up those feelings and flavours and somehow ship them to you. But I guess there is no choice but for you to go there.
A few miles down the road, strategically parked by the seaside. With easy access from beachgoers and motorists was a small white van with big bold letters reading: ‘granite e gelati’. Ahh Sicily, the beautiful land that just keeps giving!!!
My almond milk is better than yours!
When did almond milk become an option for dessert? A long time ago that’s when. A very long time ago but I am glad I got to discover this later than never at all.
If you are an avid chef’s Table buff then you have probably come across the episode based on Caffe Sicilia in Noto. Pastry Maestro Corrado Assenza makes his debate on how crucial it was for him to play his part in saving what’s left of almond farming in Sicily. And, the importance of the fresh produce used in his delicate and elegant desserts that reek of passion and love for classic and progressive Italian desserts.
The almond; milk or paste made from it is like nothing you have probably had elsewhere. The right vocabulary to describe it escapes me, so I will leave it at this: “Go over and give it a try”.
Cannoli
A well-known Sicilian pastry is what Fran will not leave here without. A light golden crisp pastry with a sweet ricotta filling of different flavours (alternatively) dipped in chocolate or nuts. I bet if I would have had cravings for this stuff during expectancy I never would have heard complaints from Fran over trips made to fill up on these little addictions.
The food there is an expression of love and passion but most importantly a true homage to Italian traditional cuisine and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Take a few days, or better yet a few weeks- book a flight down to this unforgettable island and make sure to have your fill before you leave.
Sfincione
This was a surprise and a very good one!!!! I love bread but even I have my cautious moments. I know I know, what’s the point of travelling if you are always going to play it safe right? Well, pass me a simple bruschetta with mozzarella, tomato and basil and I will not hesitate. Do you want to be generous and top that with some fried eggplant? I will be more than happy to chow it down. But a slightly crisp foccacia-like bread with a tomato sauce spread and caciocavallo cheese cooked to perfection then sprinkled with oregano? You need not sell this too hard as I will rip it off your hands! I was blown away!!! And of course, I had to try my hand at making Sfincione so don’t forget to try this.
Panelle
I have a ‘thing’ for chickpeas, so much so that it has happened on many many occasions i patiently boil them only to snack on them before they could play their role in whichever recipe i was up to. Panelle is simply a fried fritter made with chickpea flour, salt and herbs (in the case of the restaurant where we were, it was fennel).
This was neatly stacked between a soft light bun and that was it. This is definitely something I would include at a barbecue and is a great alternative to snacking on french fries. But who am I fooling as they are all fried! Pack a few for road trips but I must say they are best eaten hot. I like to bite into the soft bun, run into the crispy fritter layer and break through to the soft and perfectly salted core.
I almost forgot the iced tea. Well, it was an iced tea with a scoop of lemon sorbet. I cannot stress enough how much you must try this when in Sicily. We had some in Catania too and it’s one thing that will not disappoint wherever you go.
Sight see
If after all that eating, you can manage to stand up; then take a walk through the city.
There’s the Ballaro market which has everything from food stands with delectable sfincione and panelle. To a seemingly endless option of fresh fish, vegetables and even clothes.
Vergogna in Italian means shame. Piazza della vergogna apparently earned the title due to the figures all being naked. However, some historians would argue that it is because of how much the Palermo senate had to pay for it.
There is more…
The rambling will continue as we intend to go back very soon to finish what we started so stay tuned!
No Comments