The Giant Artichoke
We know that in Australia there are a lot of ‘big things’ around the country in all sorts of unexpected places – the big lobster, the big banana, the…
Easter Celebrations in Sicily and in Palermo (“La Santa Pasqua”)
Pasqua or Easter is one of the most solemn celebrations in the Christian Liturgy, commemorating the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the passage – Pesach or Pasqua-…
Ancient Sicilian Fisherman’s Soup: Zuppetta di Gamberi
Our grandparents knew best – you should always listen to your Nonni. My maternal grandfather was a fisherman and from him, I came to appreciate the wealth of seafood available…
The Sicilian Lemon
There’s a saying in Sicily that lemons are not real lemons unless they’re Sicilian. There’s also another saying: ‘When fate hands us a lemon, let’s make lemonade’. In…
The Not So Little Town of Sant’Ambrogio
I arrived in Sant’Ambrogio yesterday after spending the day in Cefalù, researching hotels for our upcoming tour. Carmelina picked me up and we made the four-mile drive together. It…
‘Nzino’s Fresh Ricotta Cheese
I had read about the almost ritualistic making of the fresh ricotta cheese and wondered if there was a place I could go to witness the transformation of goats milk to…
Sicilian Blood Oranges Against Obesity
We have always known that there is something very special about the blood oranges produced in Sicily. In a study conducted by the University of Catania we learned a…
Hands Off My Montalbano
(A Response to an Issue Presented by European Union Commissioner Maria Damanaki) Most Kind Commissioner Maria Damanaki, I am writing this letter in reaction to comments made by…
Picking Olives near Aci Castello
I awoke and donned the same clothes I wore yesterday. Wet sneakers, because it had rained and the calf deep clover was dripping as we trudged through; muddy and lifeless…
A Love Affair Begins
I’ll be honest and admit that I can’t think what to write about today but it occurs to me that you might like to know how my relationship with Sicily,…