The Connections Bridgewater-Somerville Edition Sept/Oct/Nov 2019

PAGE 40 A BITE OF SICILY By: Linda Seigelman I have always wanted to visit Sicily, and every- one I know who traveled there said wonderful t hings, so I had high expectations for my recent t rip. Those expectations were far exceeded as I f ell in love with Sicily – the people, the food, the s cenery. There were beautiful baroque towns, s andy beaches with crystal clear water, green mountains, flower-filled valleys, smoking volca- noes and quaint off-shore islands. We walked t hrough pristine vineyards, fragrant orange, pis- t achio, almond and olive groves, Greek temples, Roman amphitheaters and colorful local markets. L ocal produce, meats, fish and cheese were at t he center of every meal, and the Sicilian staple of fresh ricotta and honey was a true revelation. F rom the hotel staff, to the workers picking oranges who insisted we stop for a sample and t he shopkeepers who always proudly offered us a taste of their wares, the people of Sicily were warm and welcoming. It was impossible not to be charmed. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and an intriguing crossroads of c ultures and civilizations. Over the centuries, it has been part of Greater Greece, a Roman province, a Byzantine stronghold, an Arab Caliphate, a Norman kingdom, a pawn for Spain and the Bourbons, and finally part of a unified Italy. This dramatic cross-cultural mix is reflected in the island’s architecture, agriculture, cooking, language and social mores. It is what makes the culture distinctly Sicilian and very different from that of the Italian mainland. The bounty of Sicily’s food and agriculture as well as the high degree of excellence of cooking at all levels was impressive. I went with a list of Sicilian specialties I wanted to sample, and I checked off every one. We enjoyed delicious focaccia at a local grocery, amazing sandwiches at a deli in the Ortigia market and the best swordfish in a small port town. We had freshly picked wild fennel and orange salads, amazing pasta with sardines, terrific caponata, and of course quite a bit of two of Sicily’s most famous treats, cannoli and gelato. There are many won- derful places to eat, but a few of our favorites are listed below. If you are considering a visit to Sicily, I highly recommend it. SOME FAVORITE SPOTS Antica Dolceria Benajuto, 159 Corso Umberto 1, Modica – a small elegant sweetshop with high quality cocoa-based chocolates, nougat torrone, and specialty cookies like the fig-filled nucatoli and the ‘mpantigghi – pastries filled with chocolate, spices and ground beef (very delicious) Caffe Sicilia, 125 Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Noto – possibly the best gelateria in Sicily - some say the world - and they’ve been making top- rated pastries for over 100 years as well, the Montezuma gelato (chocolate, cinnamon, orange- and lemon-peel) was outstanding, but it is all great Da Salvatore, Piazza San Michele, Petralia Soprana – Salvatore is the owner and host of this trattoria and pizzeria located in a beautiful little hill town in north central Sicily, delicious home cooking with daily specials, a sautéed mushroom dish and ricotta frittata were highlights La Salumeria dei Fratelli Burgio, in the market in Ortigia, Siracusa – an Italian deli, cheese shop, gourmet food emporium, every- thing is homemade, the sandwiches are works of art, the bread amazing, caponata and salads are delicious, grab a table out front or get something to go, lots of great foodstuffs to bring back to the States Osteria Nero D’Avalo, 2b Piazza San Domenico, Taormina – lovely restaurant in a quiet setting, veranda seating, sophisticated take on local specialties like fennel, eggplant, sword fish and seasonal game, a top choice in Taormina Pasticceria Artigianale Grammatico Maria, 14 via Vittorio Emanuele, Erice – the recipes for the pastries are centuries old and come from the sisters of the San Carlo Monastery in Erice, the cannoli, fig and almond cookies and sesame seed biscuits are top notch, there is a coffee bar in the back of the bakery where you can enjoy your tray of pastries with a cappuccino, espresso or a cup of tea Porto San Paolo, 1 Largo San Paolo, Sciacca – lovely casual restaurant on the top floor of a building nestled on the edge of the port, beauti- ful water views and food to match, excellent caponata, fennel salad, and the best swordfish of the trip - on a island where swordfish is the daily catch on every menu Pura Follia, 92 via Nazionale, Scicli – incred- ible pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven with local seasonal ingredients and a choice of crusts from traditional to chia, flaxseed or quinoa flour, a broad range of artisanal beers too, the “Profuma di Sicilia” with mozzarella cheese, wild fennel sauce, tomatoes, basil, anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs (used in place of parmesan cheese throughout Sicily) and a crust made of antique grains was pizza heaven Ristorante Crocifisso, 48 via Principe Umberto, Noto – a small, beautifully-designed restaurant with outstanding food and service, the meal was impeccable from start to finish, the caccio et pepe mussels and the pasta with sar- dines, pine nuts, raisins and fennel were incredi- ble, terrific wine list too, a regional standout and a top 10 in Sicily Tischi Toschi, 3 Vico Francesco Paladini, Taormina – a lively and fun spot to try the spe- cialties of the house family-style, leave the order- ing to the waiter and enjoy fennel and orange salad, caponata, grilled sardines, baked cheese, pasta with the fish of the day, and of course can- noli for dessert Dining Out theconnectionsnj.com ESCAPE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN Book Your Special Events Now! 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