Avola Almond, the reigning Queen of flavour
Avola Almonds have centuries-old origin and their cultivation, along with vineyards and lemon gardens, characterize the whole area. In early February, almond trees in bloom are an unmissable, stunning sight! Fioritura del Mandorlo - [...]
Autumn flavours in Sicily
After a walk in the fresh air, through mountain paths, in the countryside or in one of the charming Sicilian villages, amidst the most beautiful in Italy, let's have some little tastings to discover the [...]
Eggplant parmigiana
Every self-respecting Sicilian man or woman can recognize the unmistakable smell of a freshly baked Pamigiana, even before looking at it. And how to describe the taste sensation, after biting the crispy parmesan crust and [...]
Fried battered cardoons (I carduna ca pastetta)
The ancient saying "a tempu di carduni, lu cuteddu servi a lu patruni" (when thistles grow, the master needs his knife for the harvest) means "don't give away what you might need"... Let's speak about [...]
Easter cakes to taste in Sicily
Cover image: Pupi cu l'ovu - ph. lacucinadiziapeppa The well nown Sicilian bakery art, during special occasions, gives of its best and, at Easter, coinciding with Springtime, every banquet table or bar window, becomes a triumph [...]
Sicilian prickly pears
The origins of the opuntia ficus indica, the botanical name of the prickly pears, are to dated around the fifteenth century, when they were imported from South Central America in Sicily. Over the centuries this plant [...]
Sicilian blood oranges
Sicily is the country of oranges, whose fragrance fills the air in springtime... (Guy de Maupassant) Sicilian blood oranges, cultivated exclusively in the Piana di Catania and in some villages in the area of Enna and [...]
The Frutta Martorana
These exquisite marzipan sweets, perfectly reproducing vegetables and fruit, are a true expression of a great gastronomical creativity . Gracefully placed in wicker baskets or in wooden boxes, they feature in almost every Sicilian pastry-shops [...]
The tomato extract (astrattu)
An intense summer sun that lasts for at least a week and a little watery, very sweet and perfectely ripe tomato. These are the two indispensable elements for a good tomato extract, or as it is [...]
Sicilian pignolata
Pignolata or pignoccata is an ancient Sicilian dessert, typical of Sicily, but it is easy to find it throughout southern Italy during Christmas time or Carnival. Similar to the struffoli of Naples, it differs from [...]
Pane con la milza
The pane con la milza, or 'u pani c’a meusa, (literally bread with spleen) is one of the most popular Sicilian street food. You can have it for lunch or for dinner and it is [...]
The Mediterranean diet
The true essence of a place also involves its smells and flavors. Few places on earth can embrace so many fragrances and flavors as Sicily. For this reason the Mediterranean diet captures the essence and the [...]
Zeppole di riso (rice pancakes)
Sicilian Zeppole di riso are rice pancakes invented by the nuns of the Benedictines Monastery of Catania, in the sixteenth century. In Catania, in fact, they are also known as "rice crepes in Benedictine style" or [...]
Pesce stocco ‘a ghiotta o alla Messinese
Pesce stocco 'a ghiotta or alla Messinese is an extraordinary and ancient Sicilian recipe. With its a clear Norman influence (it is a typical fish of the Scandinavian countries) it has quickly become the protagonist, [...]
Palermo Street Food
A recent ranking, compiled by the American network Virtual Tourist, placed Palermo in 5th place among the best producers of "street food" in the world. Il Capo - ph Marta Mannarano Today [...]
Sfinci di ricotta
The recipe of "Sfinci" is one of the oldest, typical Sicilian recipes. Sicilian people, as all southerner people, go crazy for frying and during Carnival they prepare thousands of yummy recipes. These Sicilian cookies are small [...]
Ancient grains in Sicily
Sicily has always been a wheat-rich region since ancient times. It's even supposed since 3° millennium a.c. as testified by the finds of ancient daily life tools, like grindstones and pestles, found in Stentinello, a [...]
Pasta with “vruoccoli arriminati”
A dish with intense and definite flavour. The pasta with vruoccoli arriminati is a typical dish of Palermo area, simple yet very rich in flavour. The word “arriminato” means mixed as broccoli are mixed with with onion, raisin, pine nuts, [...]
