Sicily is a land of many cultures, civilisations that have come and gone. All have had an impact on the food of Sicily.
When I think of Sicily many images swirl through my mind. Greek temples, Roman ruins and Baroque Cathedrals. Scenes from the Godfather. Hiking Mount Etna. Delicious golden balls of arancini. The chocolate of Modica. Sunshine. Lashings and lashings of sunshine.
Last week I had a wonderful time exploring the late Baroque towns in Sicily and meeting the people of this sleepy corner in the far south-east of the island.
And what of the food in Sicily you ask?
Mmmm! The flavours of Sicily. Where do I begin?
Meet Giorgio from Agriblea in Ispica, rightly proud of his of tomatoes drying under that sizzling summer sun.
And Emanuele, the man behind Miele dei Monti Iblei, the honey of the mountains of Iblei. His carob honey is said to give you energy. Whether it does or not is almost immaterial. It tastes so good I can’t leave without buying a pot.
While at Artigiana Bicotti having all donned silly looking hairnets, we learned about making traditional almond biscuits.
We tasted olive oil and wine and baked pizzas at the Planeta winery in Vittoria. All superb.
Now is it my imagination or do arancini, those delicious golden balls, popular throughout Sicily, taste even better when having a picnic on a yacht? Rice encasing a stuffing of ragu, a few peas and chunks of boiled egg, covered in breadcrumbs and deep fried. Need I say more?
Back in Ispica, Denaro, suitably attired in a bright orange t-shirt, introduces me to a tasty assortment of products from Carotispica, all made from the humble carrot. Who knew?
Trust me, these carrot pastries are seriously good.
As is the chocolate for which Modica is so famous…
Here at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the oldest chocolate makers in Sicily, it really is some of the best I’ve tasted in a long, long time.. with chilli, vanilla or lemon… I could go on… and on… just one more bite… or three.
And their cannoli? Freshly made and perfectly chilled. Oh boy, do they hit the spot.
Now let me introduce you to Enrico. People said he was crazy when he told them he was going to set up a business near Scicli growing and selling local medicinal, aromatic and decorative herbs. But Gli Aromas thrived, much to the delight of many a restauranteur, gardener, tourist (and travel blogger) alike.
15 years later Enrico’s passion hasn’t waned. And it is seriously infectious. We touch, sniff and taste our way around some 200 herbs. The secret to his success he says is in his investment in marketing but I think the secret is Enrico himself, a magic ingredient, of that there is no doubt.
The warmth you feel here is as much from its people as it is from the sunshine. Together they make the flavours of Sicily.
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My thanks to Green Tours for hosting my trip to Sicily. And to Sicilian Places, the specialist UK tour operator, offering hand-picked hotel and villa holidays on this very special island.
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Great post! I grew up in Catania and the food is one of the things I miss most aside from family. There’s nothing like Sicilian pastries!
Thanks, Sonia. You must miss the food terribly! I do hope I get to go back again before too long. I miss it too!
The Sfincione in Palermo is amazing!
I’d love to visit Palermo one day for the architecture and the street food. It sounds fabulous! I’ll make sure I try some Sfincione!!
Sicily is a beautiful place and food is fresh and awesome. Always loved it but haven’t been there for a long time. You inspired me again to go visit. Thanks kat
I’m planning a road trip from Rome to Tuscany next year. I’ve always wanted to go to Sicily as well, oh…how hard it is to know which places to visit…guess I’ll just have to go back a few times! Thanks for the inspiration, such a great post.
Glad you enjoyed it and I know how you feel. There’s so many places I long to visit it Italy let alone the rest of the world.
Probably my favourite place in the world for food – the fresh fruit and the seafood are my faves!
Wow! This looks amazing! My grandparents are from just outside of Palermo. I have never been myself, but I can’t wait to go!
Looks delicious – I loved my taste of Sicilian food last year and this has brought it all back – arancini and those pastries were definitely a highlight.
Holy cannoli! The thing I found about Sicily was how amazing their pastries are – one almond biscuit I tasted was so good it actually brought tears to my eyes. Seriously!
Goodness! (I rather wish I’d kept for myself those almond biscuits I brought back for my Mum now)
What a fabulous post, I love your shots of the tomatoes and the herbs and it brings back great memories of my visit to Sicily and eating those sinful cannoli!
They are so very good aren’t they… so good they must be sinful!
Sicily has an amazing reputation for quality food and you have re-affirmed this. I now have a craving for arancini balls, and I could probably follow it up with cannoli.
The perfect lunch! Followed by an afternoon gelato and then perhaps a bit of chocolate…
Okay you had me with that first image of the Cannolis, those are huge and I want to try them now! Sicily has been on my visit list for a very long time!
You’d love it, Noel. Both the food and the architecture would be right up your street.
Your post reminds me it is far too long ago that I tasted the delights of Sicilian cuisine. My own favourites are the blood oranges grown in the volcanic soils of Mount Etna and those appetising cannoli you feature in one of your photographs. Granita (especially the coffee flavour, and the gelato from Sicily are beyond compare.
I think I am talking myself into a return trip to Sicily sometime soon.
You’re talking me into wanting to go straight back again. Wish I could!
Wonderful photos Kathryn. I will be popping over soon to try the honey.
I also have some chocolate and Mum has some bicuits. AND I have lots of recipes to try. We can have a Sicilian feast!