an abundance of Lemons

Lemons are not real Lemons unless they are Sicilian …. an old Sicilian saying

Public Gardens, Taormina
Living in Sicily means we have a nonstop supply of mouthwatering lemons and when the lemon trees bloom the air is fragrant with Fiori di Limone, lemon blossom.

I can remember once driving down a country lane and being stuck behind an open backed truck full of lemon peel the aroma was over whelming, a traffic jam Sicilian style .....

The Sicilian climate and fertile volcanic earth creates a long growing season and the gathering of lemons takes place over three periods. First is the autumn harvest or Primo Fiore followed by the cultivation of the Bianchetti in Spring and the Verdelli between June and July.

My favourite breakfast is a brioche dipped into a zingy lemon granite and a Sicilian meal is not complete without a Limoncello to finish.
Lemon Granite

Friends will often visit our house bringing with them a carrier bag full of lemons and we love to put them to good use, my favourite being baking cakes.

By popular demand, here is the recipe I use for Sicilian Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf:

Preheat Oven to 180c

Ingredients:
50g Poppy Seeds
185ml Warm Milk
220g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
300g Self Raising Flour
200g Butter
Rind of 1 Sicilian Lemon
60ml of freshly squeezed Sicilian Lemon Juice
125g of Granulated Sugar

Combine the poppy seeds and warm milk in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.

With an electric whisk combine the caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy then mix in the eggs. Fold in the flour gradually whilst alternating the poppy seed and milk mixture. Finally stir in the Sicilian lemon rind. Beat for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. Pour into a greased and lined loaf tin and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Whilst still hot prick the top of the cake with a skewer. Combine the Sicilian lemon juice with the granulated sugar without letting the sugar dissolve. Pour the sugar over the top of the hot cake.

The juice will form a crunchy topping.           

Buonissimo !!!!!!!!

Sicilian Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf
 


This post is dedicated to my beautiful friend Valentina who this year has turned into a Sicilian domestic goddess and discovered the joy of baking cakes. Love swapping recipe ideas with her.

an abundance of Lemons in Syracuse



Thank you for following me at White Almond Sicily

For NEW Blog updates and all things Sicilian

You can also follow me on
Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google + and Linkedin

I am also a contributor to www.timesofsicily.com

for Travel Advice and Reccomendations 

Popular posts from this blog

Why I Love Autumn in Sicily 🍂🍁

Image
It is very hard to choose which is my favourite season in Sicily … At the moment we divide our time between London and Giardini Naxos and twice a year we drive with our dog to our Sicilian home in Spring and Autumn and fly in for short breaks in Summer and Winter time. Sicilian summers are not suitable for our dogs and their little English paws and winter is very quiet and most places are closed for the season, although it is a great time to have our town back to ourselves. So we get the best of both worlds, a Sicilian Spring and Autumn in Sicily and an English Summer and a traditional English Christmas in UK.  With temperature in mind the best time of year to visit Sicily is in May, June, September, October and November. Every season is beautiful even winter when you can ski on Mount Etna. Summer is wonderful but it is very hot in July and August and the beaches are very crowded. Autumn, or as my followers across the pond in America called it “Fall”, is harvest time, in Sicily this me
Read more

25 Sicilian Myths and Legends

Image
Sicily is a place full of myths and legends and there are many stories associated with the island. From the stories of nymphs and gods from Greek and Roman mythology to tragic love stories from an exotic era when the island was under Arabic, Norman and Spanish rule. Some stories have happy endings and some not so happy endings.  What is a legend? Legends are stories which are thought to be based on true events but have developed fictional elements that have deep significance to the culture from which they originate. For example historians claim that King Arthur really existed but his existence is shrouded in different legends, such as is his final resting place on Mount Etna?  What is a myth? Myths are stories derived from cultural traditions or legends most of which have a deep symbolic meaning and usually involve a lesson that will be helpful to the listener or reader. Mythical characters are often non-human in some form or related to a god or supernatural being, often set in ancient
Read more

'Salsiccia' ... the Great Sicilian Sausage

Image
As you travel around Sicily whether it is via the stunning coastline or its interior mountain regions you will notice top quality fresh ingredients and dishes made from delicious recipes. I love food, especially Mediterranean food, which makes Sicily the perfect place for me to live, Sicily is a foodie’s paradise. One of my favourite things to eat and something I am addicted to is salsiccia , Sicilian sausage.  If I had my way I would eat it every day and would probably end up looking like one. When my “adopted” Sicilian big brother came to stay with us in London I worried about what I was going to cook a Sicilian every day, especially one that is a fantastic cook. One evening I decided on an English style sausage casserole. After serving the sausages on his plate he started to scrape the entire dish back into my casserole pot.  “These are not sausages they are disgusting”.  I agree with him in some way, but you cannot compare English sausages with Sicilian sausa
Read more