Magnificent Marzipan Fruit

Yesterday I spent the day in Catania with the magnificent Alessandro Marchese. Alessandro is an artist who specializes in making Frutta Martorana, or the marzipan (almond paste) sweets, shaped and designed to resemble fruit and vegetables. He sculpts each and every one by hand, and then he decorates them with the craftsmanship and skill of…

Sicily’s Easter Lambs

Making lambs of marzipan (sweet almond paste) is an Easter tradition in Sicily that is passed from mothers to sons and daughters. Like decorating Easter eggs or gingerbread houses at Christmas, the creators take pride in how the outfit their lambs. This beautiful one–and extremely delicious, I might add!–was made by Annalisa Pompeo, the owner…