Wheat. Hard durum wheat. To truly understand Sicily, one must understand that the act of cultivating grains on the island has probably been the main economic engine of the region for millenia. The Greeks started it, but the Romans made it their main business in Sicily. They had an empire to feed, after all. From…
Tag: Italy
January 1693 Leveled Everything
I can’t emphasis enough how significant the infamous earthquakes of 1693 were to eastern Sicily. First of all, it wasn’t just one day or one event. “The earthquake” was a series of tremors that started on January 9, 1693 with a hypothetical 6.2 magnitude (there was no Richter Scale at the time) followed by a…
Your Sicilian DNA Will Bubble Up
Lo Schiavo Genealogica, a company that researches Italian heritage and genealogy and helps Americans be recognized as Italian citizens, interviewed me last week on their program “For the Love of Italy.” It was a lot of fun to discuss Experience Sicily, why I love hosting people for tours in Sicily, and how amazing it feels…
La Befana In Sicily
The visit of the friendly witch La Befana is celebrated on Epiphany Eve (January 5) throughout Italy and Sicily. La Befana is recognized because of her broomstick, shawl, and sack filled with sweets and gifts for children. Legend is that she originally set out to meet the Baby Jesus, but never found her way to…
Hiking In Sicily Takes My Breath Away
Yesterday with naturalistic guide Nanni Di Falco and the Italian hiking organization Compagnia dei Cammini, I traversed more than 12 miles of stupendous landscape in Trapani province on foot (Yes, I’m on the move!). In the distance of this photo are Scopello and the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline leading to Lo Zingaro Nature Preserve. We hiked…
January 2, 2023 In Sicily
Today… Oh, today. I apologize to my friends in New York. Yes, this was the absolutely perfect day we had in Sicily today at my favorite place to swim (If you follow me, you’ve seen this view from Capo Zafferano looking at Palermo before.). In my opinion, the Tyrrhenian Sea this time of year is…
Family Lunch in Caccamo, Sicily
I was blessed to spend today, New Year’s Day, with my family in Caccamo. This is the view from the agriturismo where we had lunch (NB a three and a half hour lunch!). We ate local sausages and cheeses cultivated and created from these hills. We also celebrated my cousin Tanina’s 80th birthday, and of…
Santa Lucia In New York City 2022
Eyes on a plate: This is how one identifies Santa Lucia, the patroness of light, grain, wheat, and eyes. Legend is that her eyes were gouged out either to make herself unattractive to her pagan betrothed or upon her arrest when Roman soldiers could not move her from where she stood. She was a determined…
Sicily And The Cyclops
This is a cyclops. Well, sort of. It’s actually the skeleton of an elephant. A small elephant that at one time was indigenous to Sicily. Yup, that’s right. This animal, which is the size of a Vespa motor bike, once roamed the ancient landscape of Sicily. (Remember, part of Sicily is on the African tectonic…
Santa Lucia in New York City 2022
The shadows come early these days in the northern hemisphere. Santa Lucia, illustrated in this 1526 Gagini statue from the Duomo of Siracusa, reminds us to follow the light. Join Experience Sicily in New York City on Sunday, December 11 to celebrate the Feast of Santa Lucia at Pasta Eater. Featuring guest Sicilian chef Giuseppe…