Yesterday, I spent a heartwarming morning with Michelangelo Balistreri at the Museo dell’Acciuga di Aspra in Aspra (Palermo Province). It was a journey into my family history. Anyone with fisherman roots from Sicily’s north coast will appreciate a visit to this outstanding labor of love. Michelangelo and artist Francesco Maglio have created a beautiful tribute to professional fisherman and those who salted, preserved, and packed anchovies and sardines for their livelihoods (like my family and so many others throughout the coastal towns of Sicily). It’s a font of anthropological history. Truly off the beaten path, and with the excellent translation app that Michele has, even non-Italian speakers will be delighted by this glimpse into Sicily… And Michele’s heart.
