Thank you to Mike Fiorito and Ovunque Siamo for hosting me on the Meatball and Spaghetti Artist Podcast. We spend just over 30 minutes waxing poetic about cannoli–I really geek-out on this one, so be prepared! Look for it on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oUqU8Wj62lMiL54gKU35d?fbclid=IwAR1NkH4-sS_-LZzN3iTnm14dCFhhFkbo5Ueo0e3mpl1EX6yILWnjPmf_KLE
Category: Observations about Culture
Morning Light In Porticello, Sicily
Last night I had a dream that I was staying here in Porticello, my grandfather’s fishing village. Last year when I was staying here in an apartment, I delighted in waking up early and walking through the port to see the light on Monte Catalfano and Capo Zafferano and the fisherman and boat repairmen doing…
The Vendemmia In Sicily
Currently throughout Sicily grape growers are measuring the sugar, acid, and tannin levels of their grapes in preparation for the annual vendemmia, or grape harvest. Up to now, wine-making has been about caring for the vines, pruning the growth, and ensuring that the fruit has received enough air, sunlight, and water for an abundant and…
From Cybele To The Black Madonna Of Tindari
These later days of summer during the harvest time are when Sicilians celebrate the Madonna, or “our lady,” the mother, with great reverence — in other words, our planet, Mother Earth. The dark, fertile earth provides for us and gives us sustenance, and since ancient times, throughout the Mediterranean, the spirit of the giving goddess…
Released: Ameri-Sicula: Sicilian Culture In America
It’s here! Ameri-Sicula: Sicilian Culture in America, edited by Mark Hehl and published by Legas. See my chapter on page 100. “Cannoli: The Gateway to Discovering My Sicilian Heritage,” discusses how my father’s sweet tooth opened a sublime world to me. To order your copy, you may use the form below, which best supports this…
An Altar For Santa Rosalia
Normally on September 4, devotees of Santa Rosalia, Palermo’s patroness, recognize their protectress with a solemn pilgrimage to her sanctuary at the top of Mount Pellegrino. They pay homage to the maiden who died on this day in 1166, with prayers, solitude, and a trek up the mountain barefoot or on their knees. This year…
Persephone, The Goddess Of The Underworld, And Sicily
Persephone is the daughter of the great goddess Demeter and the Goddess of the Underworld. Here she is as interpreted during the 2019 Arches of Easter in San Biagio Platani (Agrigento). (Yes, this art is made with beans and other natural elements!) During these last weeks of summer, she is preparing for her annual return…
Borgo Parrini, A Slice Of Barcelona In Sicily
This summer Sicilians have been discovering Sicily in their effort to stay safe and close to home. With that in mind, many are enjoying the eclectic creativity of Borgo Parrini, a tiny neighborhood of the town of Partinico, which you’ll find a few miles west of Palermo. Originally developed in the 16th century by the…
Ameri-Sicula: Sicilian Culture in America
I’m thrilled to have contributed a chapter to this book that has just been released! Ameri-Sicula: Sicilian Culture in America, edited by Mark Hehl and published by Legas. “Cannoli: The Gateway to Discovering My Sicilian Heritage,” discusses how my father’s sweet tooth opened a sublime world to me. “Because like the cow’s-milk ricotta-based cannoli sold…
Symbols Are Everywhere In Sicily
Pomegranates and grapes are carved into the detail work of the Duomo of Cefalù. Both are coming into season now. Both represent fertility and abundance.