The food of Italy—what more temptation do
we need to lure us to this enchanting destination? Even if Italy didn’t have such lovely
landscapes, rich history, and abundance of classical art, we’d probably still
go just for the food. But something that
often surprises first time visitors to Italy is that the term “Italian food” is
somewhat of a misnomer. When talking
about cooking traditions in Italy, it is much more accurate to discuss regional
dishes. Indeed, there are many so-called
Italian specialties found in the U.S. and U.K. that simply don’t exist in
Italy. For the traveler, this is
actually great news because you will get a chance to discover these authentic
cuisines for the very first time—and your idea of “Italian food” will never be
the same.
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So
what are the “best” regions for local specialties? Well, ask an Italian and they’ll say that the
best food in Italy comes from their own hometown—or more specifically, from
their own mother’s kitchen. Fair enough. But if you surveyed the entire country and
asked the honest question, “which region outside of your own has the
best cuisine?” then Sicily is most everyone’s answer. And for good reason. Over the centuries, Sicilian cuisine has
adopted the best food traditions from every other culture that invaded its
shores and conquered its people. Then
once the occupiers left or were driven out, the food stayed behind.
Growing up in America, I often heard of my
country referred to as “The Great Melting Pot.”
Indeed, my own DNA is a mixture of various European genes, including
Italian. However, the island of Sicily
had been blending things together long before America was even discovered by
European explorers. The people, the
language, the architecture, and yes, the food—Sicily is a Mediterranean stew
comprised of the highest quality ingredients.
So take a trip with me down to that sunny
island and let’s see what’s cooking. But
first we should start with a glass of wine…
Wine
“Bonu vinu fa bonu sangu.” – “Good
wine makes good blood.”
The Greek god Dionysus introduced both
ecstasy and madness to mankind—and wine to Sicily. When the Greeks began settling the island in
the 8th century B.C., they brought with them that mythical vine
which produced the precious fruit needed to create their favorite beverage, “oinos,”
or what Sicilians now call “vinu.”
The nectar of the gods.
The vines cultivated in Sicily today are
the ancestors of those original root stocks brought by the ancient Greeks. Take a drink of the famous Nero D’Avola wine
and you’re experiencing time travel in a glass.
Although modern techniques have greatly increased the quality and
longevity of these fine wines, the grapes themselves have remained unchanged
for over 2,700 years. Through the
alchemy of viticulture, you are sharing something very important and elemental
with the likes of Archimedes, Aeschylus, and Sappho—all of whom lived in Sicily
(called Magna Grecia or “Greater Greece” by the Romans) at some point in
their lives.
Couscous
When we think of Italy we think of pasta,
right? Well, if you’re in Sicily, don’t
be surprised to find couscous on your plate instead. Another invader of Sicily (or settler,
depending on your perspective) was the Arabs between 827 and 1073 A.D. Like other foreign powers, they brought with
them some of their favorite recipes from their homelands of Tunisia, Libya, and
Morocco. However, the Sicilian take on
this dish is usually made with fish instead of meat, and is not as spicy as the
North African version.
Couscous is a coarse grain product made
from semola of durum wheat—also used to make pasta. But pasta is made from the flour (farina),
which is produced by grinding the wheat into a fine powder. Couscous, instead, comes from the granular
pieces remaining after most of the grain has been milled, so it has a grittier
texture.
Every year, in the ancient Sicilian fishing
village of San Vito Lo Capo, there is a sagra, or festival, of
couscous. The festival takes place at
the end of September and it features the best couscous chefs from Morocco,
Egypt, Israel, Algeria, Tunisia, and of course Italy to determine the king
of the Mediterranean. I wouldn’t mind
being a judge at next year’s event.
Chocolate
This
may surprise some people because we don’t normally associate chocolate
specifically with Sicily. However, in
the charming Baroque town of Modica, there is a tradition of chocolate
production that has its roots with the Aztec Indians of Mexico. Huh?
Yes, this time it’s the Spanish whom we can
thank for their contribution. When the
conquistadors returned from the New World, they brought back with them many
strange ingredients from those exotic lands including xocolatl, obtained
from grinding cacao seeds.
Then as the Spanish began their dominion
over Sicily during the 15th and 16th centuries, they
imported the raw ingredients to the island, as well as the methods of producing
the final product. Even today, this
recipe remains the same in both Modica and Mexico. Traditionally, the raw cocoa powder was
combined with such ingredients as vanilla, cinnamon, or hot pepper. These days there are many different flavors
made by incorporating local ingredients such as orange zest and pistachios.Are you hungry yet?
Fortunately, you won’t have to endure
centuries of foreign occupations to enjoy the very best of Sicily’s culinary
traditions. If you are ready for an authentic Sicilian experience, consider taking a Flavours cooking holiday for a number
of reasons. First of all, they do all
the planning so that you can relax and focus on the food. And it’s not just cooking; you’ll also be
visiting the local markets as well as artisan food producers. All of this while
staying in a beautifully appointed villa with breath taking views of the
surrounding landscapes.
So what are you
waiting for? If you want to learn about
Sicily, there’s no better way to get acquainted than through the food
traditions. And there’s no better way to
experience these traditions than with a Flavours cooking holiday.
Buon appetito!
Rick Zullo is an American expat
living in Rome with his Sicilian wife. Born in Chicago and raised in Florida,
he came to the Caput Mundi in 2010 and forgot to go back. When he’s not
exploring the riches of his adoptive home or writing for his blog, he spends
his time teaching the world English, one Roman at a time. Visit him at: http://rickzullo.com/
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