One of my favorite things to eat in Sicily is panelle and cazzilli stuffed in a seasame seed bun (pictured). Panelle are flat chickpea-flour fritters made with fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. Cazzilli, which is a vulgar way of saying “little penises,” are potato croquettes made with mashed potatoes, fresh parsley (or…
Tag: street food
Pastella: Another Dream from Palermo’s Menu
A snippet from the article I wrote for Dream of Italy‘s April issue about Palermo and its street food… Pastelle, pictured, are deep-fried, hand-held dreams. Vegetables such as broccoli, carduna, artichoke hearts, eggplant, and squash are coated with a thick flour-and-water batter, while sardines are lightly battered. One could compare them with Japanese tempura, yet with…
Palermo is Hot
As I mentioned over the past weeks, after years of working to change the city, the citizens of Palermo are embracing a Renaissance. In the April issue of Dream of Italy newsletter and blog, there are two articles I composed about the ancient port city: one about street food and why it’s a fantastic time…
Catania’s Crispelle
These savory delights are called crispelle, a street food from Catania. They are made by pairing ricotta and anchovies then rolling them in semolina flour and deep frying them in lard. Sweet crispelle are made with rice that has been soaked in sweetened milk, then rolled in flour. Once fried, it is coated in honey….
Stirring Sicily, Day 5: Are you ready to eat?
And we’re off on our Palermo street food tour! Who’s adventurous enough? If you think you are… Then come with us next year!
Celebrate Palermo Food Fest with Arancine
From September 3-11, the Palermo Food Fest fills the city’s streets with typical foods from throughout Sicily and Italy. The town comes to life with chefs and musicians and artisans and more. Without a doubt, our favorite arancine, like this one pictured, will be enjoyed with glee. The fried rice balls stuffed with beef ragu,…
Trapani’s Sea Wall
After you enjoy the selections at the 8th annual Stragusto International Street Food Festival for the next 4 days in Trapani, you’ll need a long walk along the old city’s lungomare, pictured here.
Fall in Love with Palermo
Markets are a thrilling way to understand a culture and rub elbows with the locals. On many of our small-group tours, an expert local guide leads us through the markets of Palermo. She introduces us to the ways of the Palermitani, from what to purchase that day, to where to find the best arancina in…
My Moment with Stigghiola
We descended from the orange and yellow trolley that had taken us up to the scenic overlook above Castellammare del Golfo, and there she was–the food truck, with her gleaming photos illustrating the glorious menu items. “This was the day!” I thought. “Finally, the moment I’d been hoping to meet–time to taste real stigghiola!” I…
Pane cà meusa and Me… and You
A photo of yours truly in Palermo’s Vucciria street market reveling in the glory of assembling my pane cà meusa (veal spleen sandwich) with Unti e Bisunti’s Chef Rubio. Don’t forget to splash it with lemon juice for an extra tang! As you can see, I delight in experiencing Sicily. I also delight in sharing…