Saint Joseph’s Bread Loaves

This evening I made my Saint Joseph’s bread for the altar that I will construct for Thursday’s event that Experience Sicily is hosting with GoSicily Sicilian Cooking Experience  and Babylon Mercantile & Cookshop. It’s going to be an outstanding day and evening! I’ve been making bread loaves for San Giuseppe for many years now. And…

This Is Very Sicilian

There is a story here. Yes, it’s a beautiful balcony. But look more closely. There is something else very Sicilian about this. Hmmm… If you guessed the garbage can hanging from the rope dangling from the balcony, you are correct! You will see this phenomenon all over Sicily. Baskets. Buckets. Bags. Yup. It’s a practical…

The Staff, Wreath, And Palm: Ritual Bread For Saint Joseph’s Day

Join me to recognize St. Joseph’s Day on Thursday, March 18 at 8PM Eastern. Register at https://experiencesicily.com/st-josephs-day-online/ You’ll learn more about the feast. Such as, on traditional St. Joseph’s Day altars or le tavolate di San Giuseppe, you will see these three types of loaves pictured. On the left is the staff (vastuni), which represents…

Ritual Bread For Saint Joseph

Food historians believe grains were introduced to Sicily in approximately 1000 BCE by the Phoenicians. By 150 BCE, during the Roman era, grain became the base of island’s cuisine. By 1000 CE, during the Arab era, the majority of Sicily’s landscape was dedicated to grain agriculture, and that remains true today. Once you learn the…

Cheese, Glorious Cheese: Sheep’s Milk Cheese In Sicily

Cheese, glorious cheese! Sheep’s milk cheese that is. In 2018, I wrote a nine part series about cheese making. “Let’s Talk Cheese” can be viewed starting at https://experiencesicily.com/2018/07/08/lets-talk-cheese-part-1/ Once you read Part 1, scroll to the bottom of the ExperienceSicily.com page to “Next Post” to continue. I know you never took cheese for granted before…

Saint Joseph In Palermo

Viva San Giuseppe! Pictured is St. Joseph with a young Jesus in the Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Teatini in Palermo, where there is a series of art dedicated to this very important saint. Today is St. Joseph’s Day, March 19. Also, it is fittingly Father’s Day in Italy. Joseph was the surrogato father of…