In my Sicilian Kitchen 🍋

Sicilian Store Cupboard Essentials ….

This year it is twenty years since we first visited Sicily and we immediately fell in love with the island, its culture, and its people and its FOOD, so much so that after just three trips we decided that we wanted to live there and so we bought our Sicilian house.

We really wanted to learn to live life the Sicilian way in a location away from other destinations with large ex-pat communities. At that time we were one of only a few British people, who were not related by marriage or family, to have a home on the island which was the big appeal for us to immerse ourselves into Sicilian life.

My parents were English and I grew up in an area of South London where there were a lot of Italian families. I went to school with many Italian descendant children and their birthday parties and invitations to play at their homes were always so fascinating and fun. I just loved sitting around the big family table eating pizza, pasta, and gelato, receiving lots of Italian warmth and hospitality. Back then I didn’t realise that a lot of these families were in fact from Sicily.

As I grew up, I knew that I wanted to visit Italy one day.

My mother was an avid home cook and loved baking cakes and she passed her passion for baking and home cooking onto me. I loved being in our family kitchen in London and with my love of all things Italian I dreamed of one day having a Mediterranean kitchen.

My husband and I chose to visit Sicily in 2005 after I read an article in a glossy fashion magazine about alternative valentines weekend destinations which is how I first found out about Taormina. We booked some flights and a hotel and as soon as our feet touched the tarmac at Catania airport we were already seduced by the island and in 2007 we decided to buy a home in Giardini Naxos, the seaside town that sits below Taormina in a gorgeous bay under the watchful eye of Mount Etna.

Finally I would have the Mediterranean kitchen that I had always dreamed of and it is an absolute pleasure to cook whilst looking out to the sea. I have my barbecue grill located outside the kitchen door on the balcony which wafts amazing smells up to the roof terrace where my husband is hungrily waiting to eat.

Our new Sicilian home had never been loved or properly decorated or furnished and was only used randomly as a holiday home by a Sicilian family who lived in the hinterland of the island. It was more or less a blank canvas when we bought it. There was not much to the kitchen except some stand alone cupboards, old wall units, an extendable kitchen table and an old oven and fridge plus a multitude of used empty plastic water bottles that no one had bothered to throw out. The wall tiles were a yucky brown and beige eighties swirly pattern. My new kitchen needed a lot of love injected into it.

Our good friend Gianfranco, also known as our “adopted sicilian big brother” who helped us find the property and helped us with the process of buying it, was on hand to help us buy a new kitchen and to decorate it.

My Sicilian kitchen was waiting to be reborn.

Sicily is a food lovers paradise and Sicilians are born with Sicilian cuisine in their DNA. Most Sicilians seem to only talk about food. Where you can buy the best bread? the best fish? the best meat? etc etc.

The kitchen is very much the beating heart of a Sicilian home.

I have this things with tiles and was inspired by Sicilys colourful majolica ceramic tiles that adorn buildings and houses across the island and they formed my inspiration for my kitchen. I decided my colour theme would be lemon and blue hues inspired by Sicilian lemons and the colour of the surrounding deep blue sea. I started to collect kitchen ceramics made in Caltagirone, the town in Sicily most famous for its colourful ceramics and anyone who stays in our home always adds to my collection as a thank you and memory of their stay.

On each trip to Sicily I started to bring my Italian cookery books in my suitcases over from London to put on high shelves.

I had always wanted a kitchen table adorned with a handmade white lace table cloth and I was lucky to find one that I fell in love with in an embroidery shop up in Taormina. Taormina is very well known for its lace and embroidery after Miss Hill’s School of Lace was set up by a Welsh lady called Miss Mabel Hill who arrived in Taormina in 1898 with her family who made the town their home.

There have been many cookery books published about Sicily and its cuisine and being a lover of food and cooking I have created my own little Sicilian kitchen library. These books are like visual viagra full of mouthwatering recipes and beautiful photography of Sicily and its food. I have books by my favourite chefs Rick Stein, Jamie Oliver, Gino D’Acampo, Giorgio Locatelli and Ben Tish amongst many others including ones by Fabriza Lanza who runs the Anna Lanza Cookery School on her families historical estate Casa Vecchie. I also have foodie books written by food and travel writers who have also been captivated the island and also books with recipes from countries like North Africa and Greece who with their ancient conquests left their own mark on the island and its cuisine, we have the Arabic influence to thank for a lot of our ingredients and dishes in Sicily.

A large gas barbecue was a must buy for cooking fish and meat and we positioned it outside our kitchen on our balcony with a utensil rail on the wall next to it to hang herbs that I dry in the Sicilian sun. Above our barbecue on the wall we hung a terracotta Trinacria, the three legged emblem of Sicily, which is now blackened by the multiple use of the barbecue but I like to think that it gives my outside kitchen area character.

Items that are essentials in a Sicilian kitchen, other than the usual suspects found in most kitchens, include metal cannoli tubes, cake tins, fluted pie tins, a moka coffee pot, jelly moulds, glass jars for dried herbs, empty jam jars, a mezzaluna for chopping herbs, a pestle and mortar, citrus juicer, fish grill basket, a blender, a fish filleting knife, a sharp pizza cutter and a pasta maker (which is still on my list to purchase). A wine rack is also an essential part of furniture in a Sicilian kitchen for all those delectable wines.

I adore cooking in my Sicilian kitchen and over time I have learned and inherited many delicious recipes and learned to make many mouthwatering dishes through my cookery books, from TV chefs who love Sicily, Sicilian friends, English friends living in Sicily and via amazing chefs and owners of local restaurants. I have even learned to cook some yummy dishes in one of our favourite local restaurant in a cooking class.

One big thing I learned was that the perfect Sicilian kitchen needs the perfect essential store cupboard ingredients at all times in order to conjure up some delicious homemade dishes “pronto”.

When in residence in our Sicilian home on my first supermarket run I always stock up on fresh products such as onions and garlic, a variety of fresh tomatoes, fennel bulbs, olives, peppers and aubergines. Also cheeses and cold cuts of meat like ham and salami. I never have to worry about buying lemons as we are often visited by the "lemon fairy" aka one of our neighbours who always leaves a bag of lemons from their land on our street door knob. We are also treated with oranges and other seasonal fruit and vegetables the same way.

In My Sicilian Kitchen my cupboard is always kept well stocked so join me in my kitchen and take a sneak peek at some of my essential ingredients;

Fennel Seeds

Fennel is a flowering plant species. It is a hardy perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves and it is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean. It is a highly aromatic and flavourful herb used in Sicilian cookery and it has a swollen bulb like stem base that is used as a vegetable.The bulb, foliage and seeds of the plant are all used in many of the culinary traditional dishes of Sicily. Fennel seeds are an aromatic anise flavoured spice and are usually harvested by hand. I keep fennel seeds for pasta dishes like Sicilian Sausage Ragù and also for making bread.

Muddica

Muddica is the Sicilian word in dialect for Mollica, which is Italian for breadcrumbs. Muddica is used as a garnish. I always make some when I arrive in home in Sicily from leftover bread. To make toasted Muddica you need two slices of day old bread torn into pieces, then bake them in the oven until they are completely dried out. Pulse them in a blender until they are a crumb size that you like. Using breadcrumbs in Sicilian cuisine is a classic example of ‘Cucina Povera’ (Poor Kitchen) and were used as a substitute for more expensive garnishes like Parmesan cheese. Muddica was also a resourceful way for Sicilian families to use up old bread so that none was wasted or thrown away so that money was not wasted. I keep mine in an airtight container and use them for coating Cotoletta which are breaded cutlets of meat and use them also as a garnish for the popular dish Pasta con Le Sarde (Pasta with Sardines).

Almonds

Beautiful almond trees adorn the Sicilian countryside and in late February and early March these trees come into blossom with delicate pinkish white flowers and the scent is overwhelming. Almond in Italian is mandorle and in Sicilian dialect mendula. When we visit street food markets in Sicily we can buy these precious almonds sold in many ways from whole, chopped, flaked and ground. There are many ways to enjoy almonds and they are a staple ingredient in many Sicilian dishes, desserts and sweets. I love to make Paste di Mandorle Siciliana (Soft Almond Biscuits).

Red Wine Vinegar and Sugar

Caponata is one of Sicily’s most popular dishes. The main ingredients include aubergine, tomatoes and red peppers, but what gives this dish its own unique taste is the addition of sugar and red wine vinegar which gives it an agro dolce (sweet an sour) taste. This dish is bright in colour with the addition of olive oil which makes each ingredient glisten like sparkling Sicilian jewels. The fragrance of caponata being slowly home cooked is an absolute heavenly scent that fills our Sicilian home.

Pasta

A major contribution to the development of pasta was made in ancient times by the Arabs who invented the process of drying fresh noodles and the production of tubed shaped pasta. When the Arabs conquered Sicily in the ninth century they brought this technique with them to the island. The Arabs also introduced new and highly sophisticated forms of irrigation and so grain cultivation flourished on the once dry Sicilian soil. In the Sicilian hinterland you will see fields of wheat that turns the plains and hills into fields of gold. It is a sight unchanged since the island was described as the granary of Rome, 'the nurse at whose breast the Roman people are fed' as a Roman statesman once wrote. The first recorded pasta production in Sicily was in Trabia near Palermo in 1150. In Italy, there are more than 600 different types of pasta. They differ in terms of shape, size and diameter. You can only imagine how many varieties of pasta take up a huge space in my Sicilian store cupboard. Some of the classic types of pasta have beautiful names like farfalle (butterflies), conchiglie (shells), orecchiette (little ears), penne (feather or quill) and capelli d’angelo (angel hair) amongst many others.

Tins of Tuna and Sardines

In Sicily you will find an amazing choice of fish including Tonno (Tuna) and Sarde (Sardines). Sicilian tuna canning is a historical industry, particularly known for the Florio family’s innovative methods in the 19th century. The Florio’s introduced tin canning and preserving tuna in olive oil inspired by French methods allowing for a longer shelf life. I always keep a tin of tuna in my cupboard to conjure up a quick dish of pasta with tomato sauce and tuna for when we arrive home late at our Sicilian house after our long road trips home from London. It has become our tradition as a warm welcome back to home. Similarly I always keep a tin of sardines in our cupboard for our dog Duke for his arrival home with us, our fur baby loves his sardines, so much so that if we say the word sardines he licks his lips.

A Jar of Anchovies

Anchovies, despite their strong flavour, are a versatile small fish. They can be eaten straight from the jar, added to sauces and dressings, used as a topping for pizza, added to salads or a sandwich like a Pane Cunzato. Pane Cunzato is a seasoned Sicilian sandwich handmade with crusty bread filled with primosale cheese, sliced tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and anchovies in oil.

Risotto Rice

Risotto is traditionally made with short or medium grain rice varieties known for their high starch content, which helps create a creamy texture. The types I buy are either Arborio or Carnaroli. These rices absorb liquid well and release starch when cooked, contributing to the signature creamy consistency of Sicilian risotto dishes.

Pistachios

Pistachio trees grow best and produce the most nuts in an arid semi-desert climate with long, dry, hot summers, low humidity and cool but not freezing winters. During the growing season pistachio trees thrive on heat. Summer temperatures of 37℃ produce large quantities of the best nuts which means that Sicily is the perfect environment to grow them and with its fertile volcanic soil some say that Sicily produces the best Pistachios in the world, which are known locally as "Sicily's Green Gold". Nature decides when it is time to harvest pistachios but generally pistachios are harvested in Sicily in late August and September. The trees usually flower in March. I keep ground pistachios for making cakes and desserts and also pasta dishes using speck which is a cold smoked cured ham cut into small strips.

Cannoli Tubes

The Cannolo Siciliano is one of Sicily's signature creations with Arabic roots and was supposedly invented in the harems of Caltanisetta. They are crispy rolls of pastry that are deep fried and then filled with a sweet ricotta cream which are then decorated with crystallized fruits, pistachios or chocolate, then dusted with icing sugar. Originally the cannoli dough would have been wrapped around thick pieces of bamboo but in modern times the tubes are made of metal. My cannoli tubes were a gift from a friend and I am yet to use them but they look great on my shelf in any case.

Tomatoes

Sicilian tomatoes are renowned for their exceptional flavour, texture and versatility. Whilst I always buy fresh tomatoes on my first supermarket run when we arrive home in Sicily I also ensure that I have plenty of tins of chopped tomatoes, bottles of passata and tubes of tomato paste for pasta dishes and stews.

Cannellini Beans

This versatile white Italian bean can be used in soups and stews and I add them to a lovely tomato and salisiccia (Sicilian sausage) stew. I also like to make ‘Italian baked beans on toast’ using a tin of chopped tomatoes and oregano mixed with the beans on top of some crusty toasted bread. My ‘Italian baked beans’ recipe is also nice as a side dish.

Candied Fruit

Sicilian candied fruit is a traditional Sicilian delicacy renowned for its vibrant colours and delightful flavours and are often used to enhance or decorate cakes, sweets and desserts. The most popular include candied orange, lemon and cherries. The process of candying fruit was brought to Sicily by the Arabs who immersed fruit in a sugary syrup resulting in a sweet preserved treat. I buy mine in the street markets of Catania and a little tip, courtesy of Chef Piero at Trattoria Antonio in Giardini Naxos, is to add tiny candied orange to the popular dish Sarde Beccafico (Stuffed Sardines).

Chilli

Sicilian Chilli, known as Peperoncino is a staple in Sicilian cuisine and is used as a spicy kick to various dishes. It is known for its full flavour and is mostly added to pasta dishes. I buy mine dried from a stall holder in the ancient market of Ortigia in Siracusa and I really would not buy it from anywhere else, it is the best and so much so that I always bring some home to London with me too. I have also attempted to dry chilli’s at home in the Sicilian sun but I am yet to complete the drying process successfully.

Flour

Being a keen baker there is always flour in my cupboard. In Italy, the main types of flour are Tipo 00, Tipo 0 and Semola (Semolina). Tipo 00 is finely ground and best for delicate pastries, cakes, fresh pasta and pizza making. Tipo 0 is more versatile for various baked food including bread. Semola, made from durum wheat, is ideal for making pasta and some breads. As I mentioned with pasta, during Roman rule on the island, Sicily was known as the “Breadbasket of Rome” due to its fertile land and abundant wheat production which produced the perfect flour for baking with. I also always have cornflour in my cupboard too, which is known in Italy as Farina di Mais. I use this for making Sicilian summer puddings such as Gelo di Anguria (Sicilian Watermelon Pudding) and Biancomangiare (Sicilian Almond Milk Pudding), hence the need for jelly moulds.

Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds have a mild, sweet and nutty flavour and a satisfying crunch when eaten whole. They are often baked or toasted which brings out a stronger almond-like flavour and aroma making them more pungent in cuisine. Another vestige of Arabic influence, sesame seeds are used a lot in Sicilian cuisine including pasta dishes and for those of you who love Sicilian street food you will know that they top the roll for ‘Pane e Panelle’, the chickpea fritter sandwich typical of Palermo. Unique tasting sesame seeds are cultivated by hand and boast an intense flavour. Sesame seeds are sown in May, they flower from July and are harvested in mid-September where the bunches are arranged in sheaves which are left to dry in the Sicilian sun. You only have to mention sesame seeds for most people to declare “Ohhhhh I love sesame seeds!!!” Giuggiulena is a traditional hard nougat-like sweet typical of Sicily. The main ingredient is sesame seeds. The recipe I use is based on the combination of sesame seeds poured in honey which are fixed by the caramelisation of sugar. As with other sweets on the island it is considered a legacy of the Arabs.

Honey

Miele (Honey) is produced across Sicily. Due to the abundance of citrus groves most of the honey is made from orange blossom nectar. The town of Zafferana Etnea, located on the slopes of Mount Etna, is well known for its production and makes honey which is made from the Nero d’Ape (Sicilian black bee). These bees are very proactive even in high temperatures up to 40 degrees when other species of bees stop producing. The honey that this black been produces is incredibly unique but expensive so I stick to buying orange blossom honey that I use to make sweets like Giuggiulena and Paste di Mandorle. It is well worth stopping off at Zafferana Etnea on a trip up to the southern slopes of Mount Etna to treat myself to a jar of the towns honey. In October the town celebrates its produce each Sunday at Oktoberfest.

Basil Plant

Basil is an aromatic herb plant with a scent that evokes the warmth of the Mediterranean sun. Italian basil enhances the taste of tomatoes. I always have a jar of dried basil in my cupboard but I also always buy a new basil plant on each trip to Sicily to shred up as garnishes to my dishes. Did you know that there is a famous legend in Sicily related to basil? Around the year 1000AD there lived a beautiful young maid with fair skin and blue eyes who dedicated all her time to her beloved plants and flowers on her balcony. One day a young Moor saw her on her balcony and fell in love at first sight. The couple began a passionate love affair however the Moor concealed a secret. One day the maid found out that her lover would have to leave to return to his wife and children in the middle east. The maid was overtaken by anger and one night after he had fallen asleep cut off his head but then decided that she would miss his handsome face and so she made his head into a plant pot and placed a shoot of basil into it so that she could continue her love for him by caring for it. Soon the maidens grief stricken tears watered the basil and it grew big and lush arousing the envy of her neighbours who went to local ceramic artists asking for vases that looked similar to plant their own basil in.

Oregano

My favourite herb is Oregano. It is well known that Sicilian oregano has a unique and remarkable fragrance which is more intense than any other variety. It is very flavourful and a little goes a long way. If I run out of this precious commodity I can really notice the difference with regular shop bought oregano and so I make sure I never run out in both Sicily and in London. I usually buy my large stash from the same stall holder in the ancient market of Ortigia every time I visit because I know that he hand harvests the oregano that he sells from his land. However another activity I love to do is to buy a bunch of dried oregano and hand strip it myself, it is quite a therapeutic thing to do up on my roof terrace in the Sicilian sun. I also bring bunches of oregano back to the UK as gifts for friends tied with some colourful ribbon and wrapped in tissue paper. A bouquet Sicilian style. I use oregano in almost everything.

Mint

Mint is used widely in Sicilian cuisine and is another vestige of the invading powers of Arabic rule on the island. Sicilian mint is very aromatic with spear shaped leaves. Mint really gives a kick to a dish. I used to get my supply from outside one of our local restaurants where the owner used to tell me to help myself to sprigs from his mint plants that grow in great abundance. This year I bought some mint in a local store that is grown on Mount Etna and left the sprigs in a glass jar to keep them hydrated, the sprigs soon started to grow roots and so before we left to come back to London in early June I planted them in with some of my cacti which thrive in volcanic ash in pots on my roof terrace. I am pleased to report that on my trip last month to our Sicilian house that my Etna mint is thriving with not much watering and loving their new abode and so now I have my own supply of this lovely aromatic herb. I love to use mint to make a lovely strawberry, blood orange and mint fruit salad.

Salmoriglio Sauce

The most famous of Sicilian sauces, you will find this served with grilled sword fish, but I love it so much I enjoy it with absolutely anything that we BBQ or even on salad as a dressing. It is a firm staple in my Sicilian fridge homemade as soon as I arrive and been to a market. To make Salmoriglio add 6 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp Sicilian lemon juice, a pinch of salt, 1 garlic clove and 1 tbsp of Sicilian oregano, put all the ingredients into a sealed beaker, bottle or flask and give it a good shake !!!!!! This is enough for one serving but of course you can increase the volume of ingredients as the Salmoriglio will keep well in the fridge for a few days, just keep shaking it up each time you use it.

Limoncello

Limoncello is a vibrant, lemon favoured liqueur made from the zest of lemons. It is typically enjoyed chilled as a digestif after meals. It is known for its bright yellow colour and intense lemony aroma stemmed from the infusion of alcohol. It is sweetened with simple syrup resulting in a sweet and tart liqueur with a smooth silky texture. When it is homemade beware, at my 'adopted' Sicilian big brothers house we were once served his father in laws homemade liqueur with 100% alcohol content. Eeeeeeek. Every Sicilian house needs a bottle of Sicilian Limoncello. Apart from having a cheeky tipple after an evening meal enjoyed at home I use my limoncello to add a bit of an alcoholic kick to desserts in particular to a zingy dessert I make with mascarpone cheese, sugar and lemon zest. Limoncello is also very “on trend” at the moment served as a Limoncello Spritz. A Limoncello Spritz is made with just three ingredients just like a Aperol Spritz with Prosecco and Club Soda, a perfect cocktail for friends visiting our Sicilian house.

Marsala Wine

In 1773 English trader John Woodhouse landed at the port of Marsala and discovered the local wine in the region which was aged in wooden casks and tasted similar to Spanish and Portuguese fortified wines then popular in England. Mr Woodhouse recognised that the 'in perpetuum' process raised the alcohol level and alcoholic taste of this wine whilst also preserving these characteristics during long distance sea travel. Mr Woodhouse further believed that fortified Marsala wine would be popular in England and indeed Marsala proved so successful that he returned to Sicily and in 1766 began its mass production. In 1806 it was another Englishman, Benjamin Ingham from Leeds, who opened new markets for Marsala in Europe and the Americas. They were later run by his relatives Joseph Whitaker and William Ingham Whitaker. Joseph and William inherited the vast vineyards. Meanwhile in England the wine acquired so much fame that the British government ordered that their fleet in the Mediterranean Sea under the command of Admiral Nelson be provided with Marsala. A contract was written between Mr Woodhouse and Nelson for the supply of 500 pipes a year to the English ships sailing in the Mediterranean. Admiral Nelson brought his fleet to the port of Marsala for collection. In 1833, the Italian entrepreneur Vincenzo Florio bought up great swathes of land near Marsala and set to making his own vintage wine with exclusive grapes. Florio purchased Woodhouse's business in the late nineteenth century and consolidated the Marsala wine industry. Florio remains as one of the leading producers of Marsala wine today. I always keep a bottle of Marsala wine in my cupboard to make Pollo al Marsala (Chicken in Marsala Wine) and also for the quintessential Italian dessert, Tiramisu. Of course I don’t mind a glug (or two) of Marsala whilst I am conjuring up my dishes.

Marmalade

What could be more comforting than marmalade spread onto a freshly made slice of bread? Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The sweetness of Sicilian oranges lends a fantastic flavour to this traditional breakfast treat. Locally made marmalade is a pure joy to eat and it can also be used as a filling for crostata, hence the reason I keep a fluted pie tin. It is also pure joy to make my own marmalade which is why I am always on the lookout for empty jam jars.

Chocolate from Modica

The towns famous chocolate production has been crafted in Modica since the 1600's and follows an Aztec recipe. Chocolate can be eaten at the height of summer without it melting in your hands so it never melts in my cupboard. This is possible thanks to the cold processing of the cocoa solids that does not blend with the sugar. The look and taste of this chocolate is recognised internationally. The reason I like to keep some Modican chocolate in my cupboard is so I can add it to cakes and desserts, I can grate it on top of desserts like Tiramisu or chop it up into pieces and add it to cake mixtures or other desserts made with sweetened mascarpone cheese. My Modican chocolate is very well hidden in my cupboard so that my chocoholic husband can’t find it and eat it all.

A Jar of Pesto

Pesto alla Trapanese is a Sicilian variation of the Genoese pesto and originates from the province of Trapani. This pesto is made using almonds and tomatoes instead of pine nuts. Best served with pasta, you will find this dish on restaurant menus across the island, especially in Palermo and the western side of the island. It is also known as Pasta alla Siciliana. I also love Pistachio Pesto which is quite expensive to buy in a jar but it makes a lovely quick dish to make with crunchy fried speck. I am yet to attempt making my own pesto at home but watch this space.

Pine Nuts & Raisins

Sicilian pine nuts (pinoli) are praised for their distinct rich flavour and their soft buttery texture which make them more superior to any other pine nut. Raisins (uvetta) are dried grapes and are produced by drying the fruit which causes them to lose moisture and to shrivel resulting in a small, sweet and chewy ingredient. Both pine nuts and raisins are a firm staple in Sicilian cuisine and a must have supply for any Sicilian kitchen. They are mostly used in dishes such as Pasta con Le Sarde and also Caponata and yet again with have the Arabs to thank for these two essential ingredients.

Capers

Caper plants can be seen all over Sicily bursting out of stone walls from cracks and from rocky outcrops

In Spring as the caper plant blooms the heart of its flower looks like a violet firework and is just stunning. The caper buds that come after the flower are a firm staple ingredient in Sicilian dishes such as Caponata. Whether wild or cultivated the hard edible buds have to be hand picked just as they reach the right size which can be hard work as the plant flowers continuously throughout late Spring and Summer. Again I buy my capers in Ortigia where the stall holder always tells me that I must wash them throughly to get the salt crust off, that keep the capers preserved, before using them to cook with. Capers are a versatile Sicilian store cupboard ingredient that are ideal for adding a distinctive and unique sour/salty flavour and aroma to dishes. I love to add them to my Tuna Ragù sauce.

Olive Oil

Sicily’s olive oil is like liquid gold. Olive picking in Sicily starts from the middle of September until the end of November. Nets are placed under the olive trees after which the farmers use a wooden fork to rake the olives from the trees. The farmers use wooden ladders to reach the highest branches. The olives are then collected from the nets and put into crates or buckets ready to be pressed to make olive oil. A Sicilian kitchen would not be a Sicilian kitchen without a supply of locally made olive oil and we seem to acquire a collection of different bottles and vessels containing oil from all over as friends and neighbours give us some of theirs, or someone they know, freshly presses oil from their own olives and of course each person thinks that their olive oil is the best on the island.

Cat Food

A few years back some English friends stayed in our Sicilian home during the summer months whilst we were in London, on arrival they messaged me to say that they had arrived safely and that they loved our house, that they couldn’t believe how many books I had about Sicily and asked “Why do you have cat food in your cupboard?”. Good question. I always have cat food in my cupboard because we have a lovely feral cat colony in our commune where our house is located in Giardini Naxos. In Giardini Naxos our feral cat colonies are protected and it is a crime to harm any cats. Our colony is very well looked after and fed by our neighbours but the cheeky little kitties know that when the shutter doors of our kitchen are open that we are back in residence and open for business and they so camp underneath our balcony like a game of hungry hippo. These crafty felines also recognise the click of our barbecue being switched on our balcony which signals “pranzo” lunch !!!!!

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NEW Blog post coming soon

Making Pollo al Marsala

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