Agrigento is host to a rare breed of goat called capra girgentana. Distinguished by their spiral, tall horns and long hair, this domesticated animal is valuable for its milk that possesses an equal amount of fat to protein. The name girgentana recalls the old Sicilian name of the city of Agrigento, Girgenti. During the mid-twentieth century, girgentana goats numbered more than 30,000 throughout southwestern Sicily. Today, there are fewer than 600, and there is a concerted effort to replenish the population that depleted once the introduction of UHT and pasteurized milk made breeding the goats uneconomical.

We’ll see these guys when we visit Agrigento this September. Join us! Ask me about the “insider” rate for Savoring Sicily.