Posts

Showing posts from August, 2019

Making Sicilian Watermelon Pudding

Image
Did you know that if you spell the word 'Stressed' backwards that it spells 'Desserts'? Sicily is the perfect place to destress especially as the island is known throughout the world as one of the best destinations for delicious desserts. There are absolutely loads of them. The Arabs introduced sugar to Sicily and established sugar mills making it possible to make desserts such as cassata , cannoli , cubbaita and torrone, just to name a few, sweets made with almonds and also the art of making gelato and granita . At this time of year Summer in Sicily always makes me think of watermelons, they have a super refreshing taste in the infernal summer heat. In high summer watermelons are in abundance throughout the island and they boast a strong and naturally sweet flavour. One of my favourite things to do in the summer months is to stop at the roadside where local men with their three wheeled Ape vehicles have their tempting watermelons piled up high in the b

an afternoon in Cefalù

Image
Cefalù is a small fishing village, now a resort thanks to its good sandy beaches, located on the northern coastline of Sicily. It is just over an hours drive east of Palermo and just over two hours drive west from Messina. The town lies on a strip of land between the sea and a huge promontory looming above. It is one of the most popular seaside resorts on the Tyrrhenian coast, is included in the list of "The most beautiful towns in Italy" and is part of the Madonie National Park. Cefalù was founded in the 4th century BC but was destroyed by the Norman Count Roger in 1063. It only regained prominence thanks to his son King Roger II who endowed the town with a cathedral decorated with exceptional Byzantine mosaics and made the town a bishopdom. The modern holiday resorts lie to either side of the town because the village has closed itself to the sea fortifying itself against storms with protective sea walls and its beauty is boasted inward. The cathedrals architecture