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Sicily – Page 3 – GT Food & Travel
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GT Food & Travel

Tag: Sicily

  • Eating our way through the Ortigia Market – Siracusa, Sicily

    Eating our way through the Ortigia Market – Siracusa, Sicily

    I can’t spend enough time in Sicily. I am a bit bias given two of my grandparents were born near Napoli and the other two near Siracusa (Syracuse)…so when my friend, KBT, and I squeezed in a food crawl in Siracusa I was elated.

    The cool sea air of the nearby fishing port engulfed us as we walked to Ortigia. The small island of Ortigia is the historical heart of the city and it’s where you’ll find the market located on Via De Benedictis and the surrounding streets.

    A seemingly endless spread of mussels, calamari and swordfish is displayed beside piles of cheese, spices and salami. Cleavers crash down on white cutting boards, vendors shout and shoppers breeze by; I was mesmerized.

    Every five steps we stopped to munch on Sicilian snacks. Buttery raw shrimp, fresh ricotta and nuts were on our hit list. Some of the best pistachios I’ve ever tasted are from Bronte. I meant to stop myself after I bought the first pound of these lustrous green gems but before I knew it, I had a two pounds of pistachios, two bags of Avola almonds and a sack of sun-dried tomatoes in tow.

    Next stop…Andrea Borderi’s shop. Tables of pear-shaped smoked provola, wheels of pecorino and small rounds of ricotta salata (lightly salted milk curd that is pressed and dried; it is nutty and mild tasting) were placed beside cases of braided mozzarella.

    Andrea offered us a slice of peppery sheeps’ cheese and his special tricotta (ricotta cooked three times) drizzled with olive oil and oregano over thin crisp bread. The velvety milky bite sprinkled with perfumed green specks vanished quickly in our mouths.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted rectangular blocks of aged cheese – Ragusano. This was the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese that I was hoping to find; a specialty from this region, it is made with whole milk from Modicana cows which are reared in the province of Ragusa.

    Andrea eagerly offered us a taste. As he carved away at the cracked golden-yellow chunk, it appeared as if it would crumble under the weight of the knife. He handed us a generous unbroken piece. It was piquant like aged provolone and moist with oil. I added two pounds of vacuum sealed perfection to my expanding baggage and we were on our way. We were late for our lunch reservation but that’s a tale for another day.

     
    Borderi Shop
    Via De Benedictis, n. 6
    Ortigia Market, Siracusa


  • Antica Marina Osteria – Catania, Sicily

    Seafood, Sicily, summertime…jackpot! I’ve been living in Rome for 4+ years and it’s become increasingly difficult to find a meal that brings joyous tears to my eyes. I knew there was a good chance that I’d find what I was looking for in Sicily.

    During a road trip in July along the east coast of Sicily, we stopped in Catania for lunch at Antica Marina Osteria. This friendly and casual local owned by Maurizio Scorza, Giovanni Leonardi and Campisi Salvatore serves seafood dishes in an intimate space tucked away on the la pescheria di Catania (Catania fish market).

    We started with an assortment of seafood antipasti for which the restaurant is well known. Eight white ceramic bowls arrived at our table brimming with delicacies from lightly fried cuttlefish to tuna, zucchini and roasted cherry tomatoes tossed in local olive oil.

    Mussels stuffed with breadcrumbs and parsley were a great contrast to the zing of thinly sliced salmon with chili pepper and mushrooms.

    Tender octopus salad and shrimp prepared like ceviche were two of my favorite dishes. The small shrimp were sweet and delicate served in a marinade of tangy lemon juice, parsley and olive oil.

    The starters were followed by tagliolini ai ricci di mare (pasta with sea urchin sauce) and tagliolini ai cozze ed alga (pasta with mussels and seaweed). The velvety orange specks of sea urchin transported me back to my Sicilian grandmother Maria’s kitchen table. I closed my eyes as it dissolved into a buttery broth on my tongue…pure bliss.

    We chose ricotta cake for dessert. The creamy and luscious cheese was encrusted by sweet toasted almonds and dark chocolate bits and topped off with a sprinkle of powdered sugar…a dream ending to a heavenly meal.

    Antica Marina’s fresh ingredients, enticing specialities and welcoming atmosphere make this a not-to-miss destination for seafood lovers.

    Antica Marina Osteria

    via Pardo, 29 – Catania

    Tel. +39 095 348197

    www.anticamarina.it

  • Sicilia en Primeur 2011 – Tastings & Reflections

    Sicilia en Primeur 2011 – Tastings & Reflections

    I spent four days at the Sicilia en Primeur 2011, tasting Sicilian wine and meeting wine producers. It was an intense, informative and fun event. I visited the Terre Sciane and Pantelleria group of wine producers for two days before arriving at the Donnafugata Resort near Ragusa where we tasted wines for two days. There was the option to taste each wine with the producers. This was fantastic for me because I believe to truly know a wine you must know the personalities of the producers and how they work. There was also the opportunity to taste wines with an AIS sommelier instead of the wine maker.

    I opted for tasting at the producers’ tables where I had the chance to hear each cantina’s story straight from the producers. By the end of the event, I tasted more than 100 wines. The diversity of the territory and the wine makers personalities shine through each glass. I walked away with a growing admiration and love of Sicily, its wines and the pioneers who are transforming the landscape of Sicilian wines.

    I’ll be adding these to my wine list! Enjoy…

    Occhipinti – Il Frappato 2008

    Arianna Occhipinti is the 20-something year old behind these extraordinary wines and vineyard. An artisan producer, her wines are moving. Arianna’s love for the land and hands-on approach to winemaking are captivating. The small vineyard is located in Vittoria in the region of Ragusa. Il Frappato, IGT 2008, is ruby red in color with scents and flavors of red berries and green tea. Fresh and delicate, this wine left me wanting to taste and re-taste it time and time again.

    Il Frappato 2008 – Arianna Occhipinti

    Centopassi – Catarratto Terre Rosse di Giabbascio 2010

     

     

     

    Centopassi wines

     

     

    Centopassi is the winemaking division started in 2002 by two social cooperatives of Libera Terra on 60 hectares of land confiscated from the “Cosa Nostra” around the outskirts of Palermo and Corleone. This new generation of inspirational wine producers are finding ways to give back to both the land and people of Sicily by producing high quality organic wine. All of their wines are interesting. The Catarratto, IGT 2010, comes from the Giabbascio vineyard situated near Palermo at 400 meters above sea level. It is smooth and fresh with floral and tropical fruit notes – a must try!

    Newly planted vineyard at Centopassi
    Centopassi – newly planted vineyard

    Graci di Alberto Aiello Graci – Quota 600 Rosso 2008

    Graci focuses on the traditional varieties of nerello mascalese, nerello cappuccio, carricante and catarratto indigenous to Mount Etna. The wines reflect the terroir, bold and beautiful. The Quota 600 Rosso, Etna Rosso DOC is elegant and balanced with an intense nose and flavor of dark red fruits.

    COS – Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico 2008

    Giusto Occhipinti and Titta Cilia have been making wine together since 1980. The duo can be credited with putting cerasuola di vittoria back on the map. Renowned for aging wines in terra-cotta amphorae, this DOCG nero d’avola-frappato blend is evocative, earthy and full bodied.

    Donnafugata – Ben Ryé 2008

    Donnafugata vineyard – Pantelleria

    Donnafugata is one of the family run vineyards that painted the story of Sicilan wine and Josè Rallo is the face and voice of the cantina; her passion, radiance and determination are reflected in the array of Donnafugata wines. The Ben Ryé 2008, DOC Passito from Pantelleria has a stand up personality and richness. Amber in color with strong scents of apricot, peaches and honey, this dessert wine pairs well with aged cheese and cannoli.

    Josè Rallo of Donnafugata
    Josè Rallo of Donnafugata

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