Tag: Bagheria
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The Sea, The Cape, And I
Looking forward to sitting here at Le Piscine, gazing at Capo Zafferano in a couple of weeks. I’ll probably take a swim too. One week until another adventure in Sicily begins!
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Ricotta is Right
This beautiful plate of “pasta alla Norma” was my dinner back at the beginning of June in Bagheria, Sicily my grandmother’s hometown. It is the classic Sicilian pasta dish, made with maccheroni (in this case rigatoni) with a light tomato sauce, sautéed (or fried) eggplant, grated salted ricotta, and if available, fresh basil. Please take…
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Pesto Control
Local trattorias, like one of my all-time favorites, Don Ciccio in Bagheria, usually offer seasonal specials that we covet because they only appear on menus annually, when the produce is fresh from the garden. For example, this bucatini pasta appears to be dressed with a familiar basil pesto; however, basil is not the base here,…
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Saint Joseph, The Protector and Father
San Giuseppe, or Saint Joseph, pictured in this altar from Sicily, is one of the most venerated saints south of Rome. The spouse of the Virgin Mary and the guardian-father of Jesus, he is regarded as the patron saint of fathers. In fact, in Italy, Saint Joseph’s Day, March 19, is also Father’s Day. Saint…
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Sfincione for Christmas Eve in Sicily
Very different from our Italian-American tradition for Christmas Eve, which is to have a large, family meal often featuring fish, the tradition my cousins in Bagheria, Sicily follow for “La Vigilia,” is to have sfincione Bagherese along with pan-fried cardoon (artichoke thistle) and maybe a small serving of pasta. Pictured is my cousin Evelina’s favorite…
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Feel Inspired
You bring light to the world when you support artists and small business owners. And you’ll feel inspired when you get upclose to an artist like Mirella Pipia, pictured, in Sicily in her ceramic workshop and boutique. Shop small this weekend, when we are offering a special pricing incentive on our 2018 small-group, multi-sensory tours,…
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Simple, Seasonal, and So Good
For dinner on Tuesday night, my cousins went straight to my heart by treating me to a meal at Trattoria Don Ciccio in Bagheria, one of my top favorites on the island. I enjoyed bucatini pasta with a simple sauce of Romanesco broccoli with pine nuts, olive oil, onions, and breadcrumbs.
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Viva San Giuseppe in August too!
My cousin Francesca shared this photo with me from earlier tonight, when she was “out on the town,” in Bagheria. This week, the citizens of Bagheria are celebrating the summertime Festa di San Giuseppe. Yes, of course, we celebrate St. Joseph on March 19, but in addition, many towns hold large celebrations in August too,…
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Secret Swimming Spots
On our last full day in Sicily earlier this month, I took my intrepid fellow travelers Fred and Nola to another one of my favorite swimming spots. This one though, is mostly for locals, and definitely for experienced swimmers. Down a long staircase maintained by the Comune of Bagheria, the rocky cliffs are dotted with…