Lunch at Aldo’s featuring agave bud salad, raw pistachios and almonds, sheep’s milk cheeses, marinated olives and artichoke hearts, emerald-colored caper and herb pesto smeared on crusty bread, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh orange and fennel or tomato salad, depending on the season… and all garnished with vibrant edible flowers that Aldo grew on his property.

Sweet, sour, crunchy, bitter, soft, tangy. So many textures. You go back for seconds. And thirds. He prepared everything steps away himself that morning. You’re joyfully full.

A visit at Aldo’s isn’t just this magnificent vegetarian lunch (although, that’s why I tell you you’re there). When you arrive on his farm, you step through a magic portal where time stops and the sorrounding ancient hills talk. Take a breath. Be present. Be silent. Listen. Allow your senses to become heightened.

Sheep bells clang softly in the distance. Lavender tickles your nose. Bees buzz overhead. Slowly sweep your fingertips along crystallized stone sculptures to feel each crevice–rough, sharp, and smooth. Notice your curiosity as you cross the wooden bridge to the tree house. Inhale the heaven-like panorama of the Sicani Mountains with your eyes. Walk through the flower-lined labyrinth–barefoot, if you wish.

Forget time.

Fill your lungs with fresh air as birds sing in the surrounding pistachio trees.

Do you hear the leaves rustling in the breeze?

Yes, your shoes are muddy, but who cares? The only dancing you’re doing is with the golden stalks of wheat undulating in Sicily’s fields.