Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
Stigghiola
- seasoned and barbecued lamb or kid intestines served on a skewer
THE ARK OF TASTE
The Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of endangered food products drawn up by the Slow Food Founda-
tion for Biodiversity. It aims to protect indigenous edibles threatened with extinction by industrialisation, global-
isation, hygiene laws and environmental dangers, and actively encourages their cultivation for consumption.
Foods included in the list must be culturally or historically linked to a specific region, locality, ethnicity or tradi-
tional production practice, and must also be rare. There are 47 Sicilian foods on the list, ranging from the Ustica
lentil to Trapani artisan sea salt and the Monreale white plum. For a full list, go to
www.slowfoodfoundation.com/
ark
.
Sagre
The sharing of food is a central feature of Sicily's most important social occasions, and
the Sicilian calendar is dotted with
sagre
(festivals dedicated to a culinary item or theme).
The classic way is to precede it with a day of eating
magro
(lean), because the feast day is
usually one of overindulgence. Here's a list of some of the best-known food festivals:
Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore
(Almond Blossom Festival;
www.sagradelmandorlo.net
)
Agrigento, first Sunday in
February
Sagra della Ricotta
(Ricotta Festival;
www.sagradellaricotta.it
)
Vizzini, near Caltagirone, late April
Sagra del Carciofo
(Artichoke Festival;
www.sagradelcarciofocerda.it
) Cerda, near Palermo, 25 April
Sagra del Cappero
(Caper Festival) Salina, in the Aeolian Islands, first Sunday in June
Festival Internazionale del Couscous
(International Couscous Festival;
www.couscousfest.it
) San Vito Lo Capo, late
September
Sagra del Miele
(Honey Festival;
www.sagradel-miele.it
) Sortino, between Catania and Syracuse, late September or
early October
Sagra del Pistacchio
(Pistachio Festival;
www.sagradelpistacchio.it
)
Bronte, late September or early October
Festa dei Sapori Madoniti d'Autunno
(Festival of the Madonie Mountains' Autumn Flavours) Petralia Sottana, mid-
October
Don't Miss
»
Dessert wines - skip straight to the dessert course so that you can order a glass of Marsala, Moscato or Malvasia
»
Honey tasting on Etna - sample mountain honey made from orange blossoms, chestnuts and lemons
»
Brioche e gelato
- where else is it acceptable to eat an ice-cream sandwich for breakfast?
»
Granita con panna
- crushed ice mixed with coffee, almonds, pistachios, strawberries or mulberries, crowned with a
dollop of fresh whipped cream
»
Porcini mushrooms - head to the Madonie mountains to feast on freshly gathered fruits of the forest
