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

The Sicilian Day of the Dead

Image
The Day of the Dead is most well known as the Mexican holiday called 'Día de Muertos'.  This holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died and to help support their spiritual journey. In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, the same as our fascinating Puppet Theatres that we have in Sicily who are also on this list. In recent years the festival has moved out of cemeteries and is now celebrated in the form of parties and parades including the annual Day of the Dead parade.  However have you heard about the Sicilian Day of the Dead? The Sicilian Day of The Dead or in Sicilian, 'U Juornu re Muorti' is celebrated on the 2nd November. The history of this festival goes way back to the 7th Century and it was traditionally a day to honour all the world's Saints. All Saints Day known as 'Ognissanti' in Italy falls on Nov
Read more

Forza d'Agro

Image
In the Godfather Part I, when Michael Corleone (Al  Pacino) and his two bodyguards are walking in the hills, they see a picturesque village in the distance, they point and remark “Corleone”. The town in the distance is in fact Forza d' Agro a short drive from Taormina. Forza d’Agro is an ancient hill-top town and is a warren of narrow streets and tiny houses leading up to a ruined Norman castle. Most of the stone paved lanes here are impassable by cars. The town was also used as a filming location for The Godfather Part II and III. In the opening scene of The Godfather Part II, following the assassination of young Vito Corleone’s father, the funeral procession was shot in the dry riverbed below Forza d’Agro, Michael’s older brother is assassinated in this scene after being found hiding in the hills. Following this his mother is also brutally murdered, and so being the only surviving male, Vito Corleone must escape Sicily and with the help of local residents he c
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