Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I Stalked a Lady While in Ortigia



This evening, I stalked a lady for 4 hours here in Ortigia, Sicily. 
She took my breath away.

I went from one street to the next...


 ....passing through staggering crowds of Sicilians, 
in hopes to get another glimpse of this beauty I could hardly take my eyes off. 

  
I saw this lady in Ortigia a year and a half ago and 
she let me photograph her in a private session.
 
 This time I spotted her on her way out of the Piazza del Duomo.
  
She was surrounded by men who were also in awe of her.


The crowd of onlookers began to fill every open space along the 
narrow streets and passages just beyond the Piazza.

The men who surrounded this beautiful lady banned together and
picked her up with all of their might.


I couldn't help myself...

I pulled out my camera and 
captured her just as they carried her off 
with a dagger in her throat.




The sound of bells and horses' hooves filled the air. 
I can't get her out of my head.

Saint Lucia of Syracuse

On this day, 13 Dicembre ~ Ortigia, Sicilia




Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Day of the Dead ~ Sicilian Style

The first couple of days of November are treasured by the Italians. Celebrations are anxiously awaited and are full of Italian tradition. The 1st of November, All Saints’ Day, is a religious and national holiday known as “Tutti i Santi”, which is dedicated to honoring all of the saints. All Saints' Day is followed by “Il Giorno dei Morti”, or The Day of the Dead, on the 2nd of November, a day devoted to celebrating the loved ones who have passed away. This is not a sad day in any way. It is a day where 'two worlds' meet to celebrate life.

 
Parents tell their children that if in fact, during the year were good and recited prayers for the souls of the dead, the souls of the "dead" will bring them presents. Children go to bed with the hopes to wake up to find presents left for them from “i muorti”. One of the traditional sayings for the children to ask for presents is this:

"Armi santi, armi santi,

Io sugnu unu e vuatri siti tanti
,
Mentri sugnu 'ntra stu munnu di guai,

Cosi di morti mittitiminni assai."

"Holy souls, holy souls,

I am one, and you are many,

While I am in this world of troubles,

Bring me lots of presents from dead people."

As usual with Sicilians, food is a big component of this festivity and traditions vary from town to town. One of the most renowned treats that is made for this occasion is Frutta di Martorana, which are marzipan sweets made of almond paste that are expertly crafted to look like fruits and vegetables.


On occasion you will find some crafted into unexpected shapes, like fried eggs and brioche stuffed with what looks to be gelato, but is actually crafted out of almond paste.


Sweets called Bones of the Dead or "ossa ri muortu" are cookies that are either biscotti shaped into bones or a very dry meringue resembling white bones.


Although Halloween is not traditionally celebrated in Sicily, it is creeping into the scene here and there.


I was lucky to be in Taormina on October 31st, and was delighted to see children trick-or-treating. Seeing little ghouls and witches popping into the boutique shops to collect candy from the shop owners made for a fun stroll along the Corso Umberto.


Even some grown-up "kids" got into the action with their brightly colored pumpkin costumes.



 


Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Taken In By Taormina

THE BEAUTY OF TAORMINA IS CAPTIVATING!

It is my belief that no trip to Sicily should be without a stop in what is one of the prettiest towns I have ever seen! Taormina is one of Sicily’s top travel destinations and now it is also mine! This small wonder curves around the side of a mountain 1000 feet above the Ionian Sea, in the Province of Messina. It is charming as all-get-out and is filled with so many rare and wonderful things to see that you will want to plan at least two days to truly enjoy it. Thankfully, we only live about forty-five minutes away, which has given me the opportunity to see the town a few times each season. It’s magical any time of year, but I have to say that fall and spring have been the best times to travel there, as winter can be surprisingly cold and summer brings far too many tourists for me to take in all the beauty Taormina has to offer.


View of Giardini Naxos, where the Greeks first landed in Sicily

It’s no wonder so many writers, artists, photographers and poets have been smitten by Taormina, and it is no wonder that the Greeks chose to build the most spectacular theater I have seen right into the peak of the mountain. The breathtaking views of the tip-end of Calabria, mainland Italy’s “boot”, and Mount Etna will leave you wondering if there is way you can sell off your assets, leave your life behind, and find a small apartment somewhere along the terrace above the sparkling Ionian Sea!

Isola Bella and The Ionian Sea

A double rainbow looking towards Messina and Calabria...THIS WAS MAGICAL!
  
The Greek Theater built in the 3rd century BC

Before I arrived in Sicily, my mom gave me Daphne Phelps’ book “A House in Sicily”. I wouldn’t put this on my favorite list of books, but it did describe the fascinating life Daphne led in Taormina after she inherited Casa Cuseni, a grand villa that was left to her by her uncle when he passed away. In 1948, Daphne arrived from England with the sole purpose of selling the house, but ended up staying for fifty years...not surprisingly! She, too, was taken in by Taormina and did everything she could to maintain the villa and stay until her death in 2005. Today, Casa Cuseni, which is a place I have yet to discover, is now planned to be opened as a museum. This will certainly make for another excuse for me to go to Taormina!

I will leave you will these photos to gaze upon in hopes that you discover something about Taormina that tugs on your spirit.



 The Fountain in the Botanical Garden


Shopping along Taormina's Corso Umberto


 A rare photo of me walking along the back streets of Taormina


One of the many beautiful balconies


The Pastrecceria shops just off the Corso Umberto...so sweet!


The Church of San Guiseppe below the town of Castelmola


 The Cafe Wunderbar, which was one of Tennessee Williams favorite spots to hangout.

 
ONE OF THOSE RARE MOMENTS IN LIFE...   

Mount Etna with a spark of lava...TRULY MAGNIFICENT! 
~
 MORE TO COME ON TAORMINA...

Favorite Restaurant: Trattoria Da Nino
Favorite Place to Stay: Hotel Villa Paradiso


Sunday, July 3, 2011

A Little Gem on The Corner

RISTORANTE ALL'ANGOLO

The setting for this little gem rests on a corner of a winding road in Trecastagni, a small town that sits at the foot of Mount Etna. Once an old ruined farmhouse, the restaurant is now fully restored so that Giovanni Perni, the owner of All'Angolo (The Corner), could fulfill his life long dream of passing on his knowledge and passion for preparing exquisite, slow-food cuisine. Before moving to Trecastagni, Giovanni spent two decades catering and cooking haute cuisine exclusively in Monaco of Bavaria.

 Giovanni Perni with his wife, Mariella

The view of Trecastagni from my studio.

All’Angolo’s interior offers an intimate feel, with only five tables. The dining room is decorated and adorned impeccably with well-loved antiques. The tables are all dressed beautifully in bright yellow jarquard-damask linen, fine china and hand-blown glassware. A crackling fireplace keeps the room cozy in the winter while you enjoy your meal with classical music playing in the background. 


In the bar area, I couldn't help but notice the collection of brandy (of which Giovanni is an expert), the most important and expensive are those of Rochelt from Austria. Each flavor of Rochelt comes with it's own unique, intricately crafted bottle stopper.

Rochelt
For summer, you can sit outside on the patio that is shaded by vines that have been there for ages. They have an enchanting little garden beside an ancient well, which is tucked away in the corner. Every detail of the patio is magical!


Details of the patio of All'Angolo

Besides being the owner of All’Angolo, Giovanni Perni is also the chef. He is a one-man show in the kitchen, creating stunning presentations cooked to perfection and with great pride. It’s not hard to see that his passion for good things borders on obsession, starting with the bread, which is made with whole-grain that he mills himself!  

 
Hand-milled, homemade bread

If only there was an award for Most Impressive Woodpile, the award would certainly have to go to Giovanni Perni! 

Detail of the woodpile with handmade ceramics from local artisans.
 
The other details of the restaurant are taken care of by Mariella, Giovanni’s wife. She sees to the care of the clients; the reception, the ordering and all of the serving of the food, and sharing with you what may not be on the hand-written menu. Mariella accompanies Giovanni on their holidays which are based on researching the raw materials and local products used in their cuisine.

Mariella on the way to our table.
  
We start our meal by ordering a white wine which we leave up to Mariella to decide. With over 180 labels of Sicilian and international wines to choose from, it is best to leave it up the professional. After a few minutes, Mariella brings us a plate of a variety of cheeses in all different tastes and textures.

A local cheese with a reduction of Balsamic Vinegar (Crema di Balsamico) 

You think you are just getting the one plate of cheese and then one more arrives...and then another. Their Mozzarella di Bufala is the best we’ve found on the island, and the fresh ricotta drizzled with local honey is out of this world! 

 Centered is the honey-drizzled ricotta cheese. The Mozzarella di Bufala is on the right.

Wild mushrooms highlighted by a bit of warm Sicilian sun.

Olives, caper-berries and mushrooms accompany the cheeses, while ripe figs come along for the ride on the plates of hand-cut meats. 

Hand-cut meats with a sun-ripened fig.

The last time we dined at All’Angolo I tried the raw sausages. I'll put that on my List of Brave Food Experiences of Sicily!


 Brave Food Experience...raw sausage with a side of pickled caper-berries.

Next, grilled eggplant and zucchini make it to the table. I am not exactly certain what herbs Giovanni uses in preparation of the vegetables, but whatever it is makes me want to eat my vegetables!

 Grilled eggplant and zucchini
   
The primi plates are always a generous amount of risotto or pasta. This time we had the risotto with succulent baby shrimps, vine-ripened tomatoes and zucchini blossoms. This is my kind of comfort food!

  
Zucchini Blossom and Shrimp Risotto
  
The main dish was rolled Pesce Spada (swordfish), stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts and something I couldn’t put my finger on...mushrooms perhaps, which made it altogether rich and sumptuous!


Stuffed Pesce Spada (Swordfish)
 
After dinner, we were offered the chilled Limoncello. It was a perfect way to bridge the gap between our main course and the desserts to come....lemon sorbetto with local miniature-sized strawberries, called fragoline bi bosco.

Chilled Limoncello

Sorbetto di limone con fragoline di bosco

I’m not actually a dessert person, but I had to try Giovanni’s panna cotta after Mariella mentioned that it had a fig buried in it. Out comes the most beautiful bowl of miniature strawberries nestled on top of a blanket of chocolate creme. Below the chocolaty decadence was the rich, velvety panna cotta that held the fig tight!


I relished each bite and longingly await our next visit!

A bit of fig smothered in panna cotta and chocolate...yum! 


I am grateful to have experienced the cuisine of one of the few 
true lovers of their work and passion!

 ~


Ristorante All’Angolo
Via Catania ang. Via Toselli 

Trecastagni (Ct)
Tel: 095.7806988
Credit cards: All
Closed: Never
 








Friday, June 10, 2011

Trattoria da Nino ~ Taormina's Best!

TRATTORIA DA NINO
WE'VE NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD!


Why eat anywhere else?


The food is to die for…

Just a couple of minutes walk off the famous shopping street, Corso Umberto in Taormina, Trattoria da Nino is waiting for you with open arms.

 Gianluca and Jacqueline

We have been living in Sicily for almost two years and one of the highlights of living here is the Sicilian cuisine. Rich dishes prepared lovingly in slow-food fashion. 

We’ve been all over this island and nothing compares to the exquisite food and camaraderie that you will find at Trattoria da Nino. The food is authentic, the patrons are locals and the atmosphere is fresh, modern and lively. It's so good, we're going there again tomorrow!

Mixed Seafood Pastas
The real gems are the people who own and run the restaurant: Nino, with his talent for speaking many foreign languages, always greets us with a warm hug. 
Gianluca, we now call our “brother from another mother”, is full of endless energy and charm. He never ceases to be sure that we are totally taken care of each and every time we visit. Gianluca has become a great friend indeed!

Nino and Gianluca

Sebastiano, Reese, Gianluca and Stephen

Sebastiano, who is very attentive to detail, sees that you always have the right glass and correct utensil for the occasion with a friendly smile. Thumbs up!
I can say, without a doubt, these folks are the most genuine people we have come across in ALL of our restaurant experiences…EVER! They have been gracious and generous beyond words!


NOW, FOR THE FOOD...

Trattoria da Nino offers the best of the best in seafood dishes that surpass any other seafood I've eaten while living in Sicily. One of my favorite starters is their "Sicilian Sushi". Red prawns from Mazara del Vallo and fresh sashimi marinated in Sicilian orange juice. They are sweet, delicate and melt in your mouth! 
 
Other favorites include top quality tuna, which they serve carpaccio style (See first food photo), and their grilled fish dishes that are cooked to perfection!

Grilled Sea Bass 
 
Their Spaghetti con Vongole and Calamari and Shrimp Fritti and are some of the most delicious I've found on the island.

Spaghetti con Vongole

Calamari and Shrimp Fritti

I think I have eaten the Spaghetti con Vongole at least half of my visits there! 

Jacqueline with the best Spaghetti con Vongole
  
However, there is one particular chicken dish that is out of this world…
the Pollo al Diavolo ("The Devil's Chicken"). 
Mouth-watering, tender and with just enough spice...

Fact: my stomach just growled like I was smuggling a lion just thinking about it!

~

OTHER SPECIALTIES...

Homemade Cassata Cake 
with a CD of Mario Biondi that Gianluca gave us for Christmas!

Peach liquor and Limoncello

Grappa for the brave, and biscotti to top it off...heaven!

~
If you ever find yourself in Taormina, please be sure to venture off the Corso and make your way over to Trattoria da Nino. You are sure to find the best Sicilian cuisine served by warm and wonderful people in this most authentic trattoria.

And...they are a fur-friendly environment! What’s not to love!

Hercules, the sweetest King Charles Spaniel

Via Luigi Pirandello, 37
98039 Taormina Messina, Italy
0942 21265