Sicilian blood oranges, maybe the best oranges in the world according to David Karp from Saveur.com

As the golden morning light of winter washes over la fiera, the daily market in the eastern Sicilian city of Catania, shoppers bustle between stalls heaped with sheep’s milk ricotta, glistening fresh sardines, and fragrant fennel. Of all the delicacies displayed, however, nothing delights the Catanese more than the blood oranges, or arance rosse, piled high, some cut in half to reveal ruby or dark violet flesh that suggests the slightly sinister romance of Sicily. And they’re not just in the market. All over town, from the backs of three-wheeled trucks, weathered vendors cry ”Dolcissimi!” in praise of the sweetest blood orange of all, the tarocco. Long after midnight, crowds are still gathered at kiosks, sipping thick vermilion juice blended with mineral water.

On childhood trips to Italy, I came to love that juice. Back home in America, I fed my craving with juice squeezed from California-grown blood oranges. But they seemed to lack the tang of their Italian brethren. Were my memories mere romantic illusions? To find out, last winter I spent two weeks traveling around Sicily, the true home of the blood orange, visiting growers and shippers from the black slopes of Mount Etna to the terraced hillsides of Francofonte.

Blood oranges flourish in many western Mediterranean lands, but they reach perfection around Catania, far surpassing blander blond or ”orange” oranges in both flavor and popularity. Here, hot summers bring sweetness to the fruit, while cold winter nights, alternating with mild days, favor the development of anthocyanins, the red pigments that give blood oranges their distinctive berrylike taste and color. Connoisseurs insist that the Sicilian arancia rossa at its best, with its intense flavor, balance of acidity and sweetness, and complex aftertaste, is the world’s finest dessert orange.

By David Karp

Source: Saveur.com

The Cous Cous Festival in San Vito Lo Capo (Annual Event)

September 21, 2010 5:00 pm

to

September 26, 2010 5:00 pm

The ancient fishing village of San Vito Lo Capo, located between the Gulf of Castellammare and the city of Trapani on the northern coast of Sicily, hosts an annual Cous Cous Festival each September. The festival is going to take place from  September 21 through 26.

Dedicated to exploring the culinary and cultural aspects of the tasty Mediterranean dish, the festival celebrates the cultural legacy of the Arabic peoples who ruled Sicily for more than 150 years. Cous cous originally arrived in Sicily with the Arabs from Morocco and other areas of Northern Africa who landed on the island in 827. By 903 they ruled all of Sicily and would continue to do so until the Normans began their conquest of the island in 1060. Despite the change in rulers the cultural and culinary stamp of Arabic culture would remain.

Cous Cous

Cous Cous is a food from Morocco of Berber origin. It consists of spherical granules which are made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed (Wikipedia.org). Cous cous is a communal meal, that comes served from a large round platter. Another variety of cous cous, Israeli cous cous, or by its Arabic name, maftoul, is larger–almost pearl-size–nuttier-tasting than its familiar Moroccan counterpart.

The Festival

San Vito Lo Capo’s Cous Cous Festival’s principal event is a cous cous cook-off with the best cous cous Chefs from Israel, Morocco, Egypt, France, Algeria, Tunisia and Italy participating to determine who indeed is the cappo of cous cous (the best chef) in the Mediterranean.

The festival also includes four evenings of music, featuring free performances by Sicilian and African World Music artists Sudd MM-Anita Vitale, Roy Paci & Aretuska , Dam, Khaled, Agricantus, and Sasao Meravigliao in the Piazza Santuario in the heart of the ancient town.

Source: www.couscousfest.it

Map

Cerasuolo di Vittoria the only DOCG wine from Sicily

Cerasuolo di Vittoria is the only DOCG* Sicilian wine. The Sicilian winery Planeta produces one of the finest Cerasuolo di Vittoria in Acate (RG). This DOCG is made of 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato grapes. The color is ruby red with slight sour cherry glints. The aromas of small red fruits, strawberry, cherry, prickly pear, Etna dog rose conserves and fruit sweets and its delicate velvety tannins make this wine ideal to match with main dishes of fish and meat, boiled meats, white meat even if spicy and moderately matured cheeses. This wine is prices around $20 and can be easily found at your local wine store.

Until few years ago, Cerasuolo di Vittoria was the only DOC wine produced in the Sicilian province of Ragusa. The province was created in 1926 through the administrative unification of several communes that had been included in the province of Syracuse. Cerasuolo di Vittoria received its Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1973 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita in 2005. The output is sufficient to confirm the ancient enological reputation of the area. (Italianmade.com)

*Denominazione di origine controllata (“Controlled origin denomination”) is an Italian quality assurance label for food products and especially wines (an appellation). It is modeled after the French AOC. It was instituted in 1963 and overhauled in 1992 for compliance with the equivalent EU law on Protected Designation of Origin, which came into effect that year. [...] The need for a DOCG identification arose when the DOC denomination was, in the view of many Italian food industries, given too liberally to different products. A new, more restrictive identification was then created, as similar as possible to the previous one so that buyers could still recognize it, but qualitatively different. A notable difference for wines is that DOCG labeled wines are analyzed and tasted by government–licensed personnel before being bottled. To prevent later manipulation, DOCG wine bottles then are sealed with a numbered governmental seal across the cap or cork. (Wikipedia.com)

Maria Grammatico’s Pasticceria del Convento

It is not everyday that the Los Angeles Times dedicates so much space to Sicily. A few days ago, they featured an article about Western Sicily. Now they are writing about Maria Grammatico’s Pasticceria del Convento, one of the best Sicilian pastry shops.

Reporting from Erice, Italy — The glass case at Maria Grammatico’s Pasticceria del Convento in the hilltop town of Erice displays treasures worthy of a Swiss bank.

Cannoli, filled with fresh ricotta, is just the best known variety. When you make a closer study, you discover a world of confections as beautiful to look at as they are sweet to eat: green cassata cakes made of almond, sugar, vanilla, buttermilk curd and candied fruit; perfectly formed marzipan prickly pears and tomatoes; lemon-flavored cuscinetti (small fried pastries); buccellati (hard, baked cookies) twisted around fig, cinnamon and clove comfit; an almond and egg white confection known as sospiri (pastry made from sponge cake); and the endearing almond-citron baby lambs that arrive on Good Friday for Erice’s famous I Misteri celebration.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Pasticceria del Convento
By Maria Grammatico
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 14-
91016 Erice (TP) -
Phone/Fax: 0923/869390
Web site: www.mariagrammatico.it

Emilia-Romagna and Sicily are the favorite Italian regions for food

If you love Sicily, you love its food. According to NRN readers, it is also true the opposite. They put Sicily in very good company…

Among those who participated in the Food Writer’s Diary poll this month, 18 percent of the respondents voted for Emilia-Romagna, a region in Northern Italy that is the birthplace of Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, spaghetti Bolognese and prosciutto di Parma, as well as mortadella, the sausage upon which American-style bologna is based.

Many Italians and Italian food specialist regard Emilia-Romagna as the region with the finest and most complex cuisine.

The island of Sicily in southern Italy received an equal number of votes for the top spot, and is the birthplace of Italian-American classics such as veal marsala and the stuffed pastry, cannoli. It is also known for excellent seafood.

Food Writer’s Diary readers are mostly chefs and others involved in the food service industry, as well as food writers, food-studies scholars and amateur food enthusiasts. About 20 percent are based in the metropolitan New York City area and most of the rest are from elsewhere in North America.

The poll was conducted for the first two weeks of February and had a total of 54 participants. [...]

Favorite Italian regions for food, based on percentage vote for the top spot:

* 1. Emilia-Romagna (18%)
* 1. Sicily (18%)
* 3. Tuscany (11%)
* 4. Puglia (9%)
* 5. Abruzzo (7%)
* 5. Piedmont (7%)
* 7. Umbria (5%)
* 7. Veneto (5%)
* 9. Campania (3%)
* 9. Liguria (3%)
* 9. Sardinia (3%)
* 12. Basilicata (1%)
* 12. Friuli-Venezia Giulia (1%)
* 12. Lazio (1%)
* 15. Calabria (0%)
* 15. Lombardy (0%)
* 15. Le Marche (0%)
* 15. Molise (0%)
* 15. Trentino-Alto Adige (0%)
* 15. Valle d’Aosta (0%)

Read more: www.nrn.com

Celiac restaurants in Sicily

This is an old post. I am trying to find more updated information on this issue. If you can add more information in the comments, I would be happy to take into considerations your reviews. Thanks.
I have a couple of friends and some relatives with celiac disease (intolerance to gluten, a protein found in pasta, bread, beer, etc…) and I am aware of how troublesome it can be traveling without worrying about food. The wait staff usually thinks of it as another allergy, so the problem of cross-contamination (gluten-free food touching gluten) is usually underestimated. Please, find below a list of restaurants in Sicily (provided by the Associazione Italiana Celiachia) that cater also to celiac people. Enjoy!

Trattoria
De Paris
P.zza Lena,7 – Agrigento (AG)
Contact: Dulcetta Salvatore
Phone: 0922-25413
Closed on weekends

Ristor. Pizzeria
La Trizzera
Via Fosse Ardeatine – Agrigento (AG)
Contact: Diego Genova
Phone: 0922-512415
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Le Caprice
Via Cavaleri Magazzeni – Agrigento (AG)
Contact: Rizzuto Marco
Phone: 0922-411364
Closed on Mondays

Catering
Diana Catering
Via Paolo Borsellino, 6 – Canicattì (AG)
Cotact: Maria Diana
Phone: 0922-858403

Osteria
Hosteria del Vicolo
Vicolo Sammaritano,10 – Sciacca (AG)
Contact: Bentivegna Antonino
Phone: 0925.23071
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
Al Rustico
Via Ten. Lilly Bennardo,11 – Caltanisetta (CL)
Contact: Cannarozzo Umberto
Phone: 0934-23350
Closed on Tuesdays

Pizzeria
M.B. di Marianna Bilardo
Via E. Vassallo,67/69 – Caltanisetta (CL)
Contact: Luciano Miccichè
Phone: 0934-24986
Closed on Tuesdays; please, call for reservations

Ristorante
Scuderie La Rana srl
Via P. Leone 45 c.da Fontanelle – Caltanisetta (CL)
Contact: Amorelli Michele
Phone: 0934-592437
Closed on Monday; please, call for reservations

Agriturismo
Az. di Turismo Rurale Belvedere
C.da Canicassè s.n.c. – Caltanissetta (CL)
Contact: Lombardo Michele
Phone: 0934-568166
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
La Variante
Via Aldisio,52 – S. Caterina Villarmosa (CL)
Contact: Giancarlo Polizzi
Phone: 0934-679843
Closed on Tuesdays

Pizzeria Trattoria
Le Delizie
Via Risorgimento, 32 – S. Caterina Villarmosa (CL)
Contact: Angelo Amico
Phone: 339-4072111
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Acido Lattico
via Stazione, 32 – AcicasPhoneo (CT)
Contact: Pappalardo Placido
Phone: 095-57111001
Closed on Mondays

Ristorante
La Scogliera
Via A. Musco,13/a – AcicasPhoneo (CT)
Contact: Tripodi Francesco
Phone: 095-494634
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
Le Quattro Stagioni
Via Marchese di S. Giuliano, 53 – Acireale (CT)
Contact: Puglisi Antonino
Phone: 095-7634196
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
Pellegrino
P.zza Verga, 6/7 – Acitrezza (CT)
Contact: Salvatore Pellegrino
Phone: 095-276060

Ristorante
Feudo Delizia
C.da Segreta – Belpasso (CT)
Contact: Angelo Pappalardo
Phone: 095-918950
Closed on Mondays

Ristorante
Sala Ricev. Villa Rigoletto
C.da Davara,15 – Belpasso (CT)
Contact: Pietro Santoro
Phone: 095-355051

Ristorante
I Marchesi di Santa Barbara
Via S. Bonaventura, 22 – Caltagirone (CT)
Contact: Benenati Alessandro
Phone: 0933-22406
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
La Piazzetta
Via Vespri, 20/a – Caltagirone (CT)
Contact: Ascanio Giuseppe
Phone: 0933-24178
Closed on Thursdays

HoPhoneRistorante
Il Timo dello Sheraton Catania Hotel
Via A. da Messina, 45 – Cannizzaro (CT)
Contact: Saverio Piazza
Phone: 095-7114111

Ristorante
Haiku
Via Quintino Sella, 28-30 – Catania (CT)
Contact: Puglisi Gabriella
Phone: 095-530377; 339-8162555
Closed on Sundays

Ristorante
Metrò
V. Crociferi 76 – Catania (CT)
Contact:
Phone: 095322098

Ristorante
Primopiano
Via A. Decurtis, 8 – Catania (CT)
Contact: Vicino Fabio
Phone: 095-531028

Ristorante
Rigoletto
V.le M. Rapisarda,114 – Catania (CT)
Contact: Pietro Santoro
Phone: 095-355051

Ristorante
Nero Cenere
Via Garibaldi,64 – Nicolosi (CT)
Contact: Giusy Laudani
Phone: 095-79185137095-710145
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
Capricci di Gola
Piazzale Diritti Umani, 6/7 (di fronte ospedale di Paternò) – Paternò (CT)
Contact: Spartà Salvatore
Phone: 340-7296029
Closed on Thursdays

Ristorante
Giardino di Bacco
V. Piave 3 – San Giovanni La Punta (CT)
Phone: 095-7512727

Tavola calda
Gustavo
c/o Parco Comm.le “I Portali” – v.le C. Colombo – San Giovanni La Punta (CT)
Contact: Caruso Maurizio
Phone: 095-7411853
Closed on Monday mornings

Ristor. Pizzeria
Le Cisterne
Via S. d’Aquisto, 10 – Tagliaborse di Giarre (CT)
Contact: Davide Angelo Pappalardo
Phone: 095-965093
Closed on Mondays

Ristorante
La Torretta di Federico
Via E. Pantano, 135/137 – Torre Artirafi (CT)
Contact: Curcuruto Federico
Phone: 095-971596

Ristorante
Parco dei Principi
Via delle Ginestre , 1 – Zafferana Etnea (CT)
Contact: Sorbello Sebastiano
Phone: 095-7082335
Closed on Tuesdays

Ristorante
Villa Mirador
Via Zafferana-Milo, 23 – Zafferana Etnea (CT)
Contact: Torrisi Marco
Phone: 095-7082890
Closed on Mondays

Bar Tavola Calda
Bar Di Maggio
P.zza A. da Messina, 2/4 – Enna (EN)
Contact: Di Maggio F.sco Paolo
Phone: 0935-29343; 339-2609017
Closed on Mondays

Ristorante
La Rondine
C.da Gatta – Piazza Armerina (Mirabella Imbaccari) (EN)
Contact: Berretta Giuseppe
Phone: 0933-991139
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
La Cascina
C.da Oliveto – Acquedolci (ME)
Contact: Liotta Domenica Tania
Phone: 0941.726193
Closed on Tuesdays

Pizzeria
Time Out
Via Mons. Angelo Paino – Barcellona P.G. (ME)
Contact: Maio Alessandro
Phone: 090-9799633
Closed on Tuesdays; please, call for reservations

Ristor. Pizzeria
Il Faraone
Via Nazionale, 34 – CasPhonedi Tusa (ME)
Contact: Francesco
Phone: 0921-334464

Ristorante
Fattoria Fabio
C.da Sciara – Galati Mamertino (ME)
Contact: Fabio Giacomo
Phone: 0941-434042
Closed on Wednesdays

HoPhoneRistorante
Le Giare
Via S. Caterina, 17 – Itala (ME)
Contact: Giovanna Cacciola
Phone: 090-9595006
Closed on Tuesdays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Da Natale
Trav. Provinciale, 15 – Itala Marina (ME)
Contact: Micalizzi Giuseppe
Phone: 090-953144
Please, call for reservations

Sala Ricevimenti
Faro dei Corsari
Via Barone – Villaggio Spartà – Messina (ME)
Contact: Giuseppe Scarcella Perino
Phone: 090-846115

Ristor. Pizzeria
La Tartaruga
Via V. Bassi, 51 – Messina (ME)
Contact: Greco/Pino
Phone: 090-2926754
Closed on Sundays and Satrudays at lunch

Ristorante
Antico Baglio
Via Salita al Bosco, 16 – CasPhoneuono (PA)
Contact: Allegra Natale
Phone: 0921-679512
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Romitaggio
C.da S. Guglielmo – CasPhoneuono (PA)
Contact: sig. Baggesi
Phone: 0921-671323
Closed on Tuesdays

Rist. Pizz. Catering
La Collinetta
C.da Rizza – Chiusa Sclafani (PA)
Contact: Cascio Antonino
Phone: 091-8354018; 091-6155148
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria Trattoria
King
V. Briuccia 24 – Palermo (PA)
Contact: Marco Alagna
Phone: 091-511098

Pizzeria
La Saliera e La Pepiera
Via G.A. de Cosmi,13/13a – Palermo (PA)
Contact: Giacopino Maria Rita
Phone: 091-6252300
Closed on Mondays at dinner and Saturdays at lunch

Pub Creperia
Trinkhaus
V. S. Isidoro, 23/B – Palermo (PA)
Contact: Nicolò Bosco
Phone: 091-6731010
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Antica Masseria Fontana Murata
C.da Fontana Murata – Sclafani Bagni (PA)
Contact: Gioia Cosimo
Phone: 0921-542018; 0921-543553

Ristor. Pizzeria
Al Nuovo Muretto
Via Loreto, 104 – Modica (RG)
Contact: Claudio Stracquadanio
Phone: 0932-751428
Closed on Mondays

Rist. Catering
Caffè Bistrò
Via M. Coffa 20 – Ragusa (RG)
Contact: Leggio Daniele
Phone: 0932.624634
Closed on Saturdays

Ristorante
Cuccagna 5
V.le Europa 46 – Ragusa (RG)
Contact: Roccasalva Antonio
Phone: 0932-255469
Closed on Mondays

HoPhoneRistorante
Poggio del Sole
via Ragusa/Marina km.5,7 – Ragusa (RG)
Contact: Sgarlata Franco
Phone: 0932-668521

Ristor. Pizzeria
L’Abbuffata
C.da Gaddimeli – S.P.Marina Di Ragusa (RG)
Contact: Emanuela Scrofani
Phone: 0932.239521
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Red Lions
Lungomare Rossini 20 – Augusta (SR)
Contact: Paolini giuseppe
Phone: 093-994086

Pizzeria
Porto Matto
V.le Sandro Pertini,43 – Avola (SR)
Contact: Gianpaolo Molisina
Phone: 0931-822207
Closed only on Mondays (summer); open only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (winter)

Ristor. Pizzeria
Rosa Blu
Via Aldo Moro, 121 – Avola (SR)
Contact: Salvatore Auricchia
Phone: 0931-564738
Closed on Wednesdays

Pizzeria
La Dolce Sera
V.le Vitt. Veneto,188 – Floridia (SR)
Contact: Lentini Paolo
Phone: 0931-948046

Ristor. Pizzeria
La Spiaggetta
V.le dei Lidi, 473 – Fontane Bianche (SR)
Contact: La Pira Sebastiano
Phone: 0931-790334; 0931-790317

Alb.Rist.
Valle di Mare Village
V.le dei Lidi,533 – Fontane Bianche (SR)
Contact: Spadaro Alessandro
Phone: 0931-791653

Ristorante
Glamour
Contrada Sabuci sn – Lentini (SR)
Contact: SPhonea Borghese – Paolo Russo
Phone: 339.1560983
Closed on Mondays

Pizzeria
Mille e una Pizza da Salvo
Via T. Fazello,178 – Noto (SR)
Contact: Gulizia Salvatore
Phone: 0931-571571
Closed on Wednesdays

Pizzeria
Mondo Pizza
Via Carnazza, 2 – Noto (SR)
Contact: Lupo Salvatore
Phone: 0931-839932

Ristor. Pizzeria
Sicilia & Sapori
Via Ducezio 15/23 – Noto (SR)
Contact: Musco Concettina e Lupo Salvatore
Phone: 0931-835707
Closed on Tuesdays

Ristorante
La Corte di Eolo
Via Antonino Uccello, 1 – Palazzolo Acreide (SR)
Contact: Migliore Giorgio – Di Domenico Paolo
Phone: 0931-883185

Pizzeria
Al Feo
V. Annunziata 50 – Priolo (SR)
Contact: Gozzo Sebastiano
Phone: 0931-768200

Pizzeria
Squillo da Vitaliano e Rosanna
Via Aldo Moro,8 – Rosolini (SR)
Contact: Fronterrè Vitaliano
Phone: 0931-859994; 0931-856810

Ristor. Pizzeria
Caffè del Duomo
Piazza Duomo, 16 – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Romano Carmelo
Phone: 0931-21544

Ristorante
Casa per Ferie Villa Mater Dei
Via delle Carmelitane – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Marino Gioacchino
Phone: 0931-744044

Pizzeria
Don Chisciotte
V.le Teocrito, 69/A – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Amato Alberto
Phone: 0931-64324

HoPhoneRistorante
Il Podere
Trav. Torre Landolina, 11 – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Maria Luca – Maurizio Urso
Phone: 0931-449390

Ristorante
La Tavernetta da Paladino
Via Tripoli,6 – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Paladino Antonio e Salvatore
Phone: 0931-461066
Closed on Tuesdays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Vagabunda (ex Fico d’India)
V.le Scala Greca – Siracusa (SR)
Contact: Montaldo Graziano
Phone: 0931-493900
Closed on Fridays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Gulliver
Via per Monte Bonifato,12 – Alcamo (TP)
Contact: Impellizzeri Giuseppe
Phone: 0924-24012
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Villa Speranza
Via G.E. Rinaldi,165 – Fraz. Marausa-Trapani (TP)
Contact: Bianco Mario
Phone: 0923-843162
Closed on Mondays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Peppizza
C.da Strasatti, 921 – Marsala (TP)
Contact: Di Girolamo Giuseppe
Phone: 0923-741403 Fax: 0923-741826
Closed on Tuesdays

Ristor. Pizzeria
Baby Luna
L.re Mazzini – Mazara del Vallo (TP)
Contact: Sciuto Andrea
Phone: 0923-948622
Closed on Mondays

Ristorante
Pepper Jam Cafè
Via Lungomare, 38 – San Vito Lo Capo (TP)
Contact: Miceli Antonella
Phone: 0923-972795
Closed from October through February

Ristor. Pizzeria
Due Palme
S.S. 119 km. 42,700 – Santa Ninfa (TP)
Contact: Giovanni Lo Curto
Phone: 0924-61044 – 349-4420864
Closed on Mondays



Antica Dolceria Bonajuto – Funny video

I still remember the first time I had some chocolate of Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. I was in Milazzo and a little pastry shop was carrying these vintage wrapped chocolate bars. It was love at first bite! Now I find the chocolate even in my neighborhood in Brooklyn either at Union Market or Bierkraft. I recently found Antica Dolceria Bonajuto on Facebook and saw this video that I absolutely need to share with you. It is their commercial and lasts only 55 seconds. It made my day.

Here is a bit of history from the company’s web site:

In 1880, Francesco Bonajuto, following in his father Frederico’s footsteps, opened a small cake shop in the picturesque, baroque setting of Modica. From his shop, he brought forth exquisite cakes of Arabian and Spanish origin, the fruit of centuries-long traditions, earning acclaim and appreciation from the townspeople.

For more information and/or order some of the best Sicilian chocolate, please visit www.bonajuto.it.

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto
Address: Corso Umberto I 159
Modica, RG
Phone/Fax: +39 0932 941225

Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento, Sicily

February 14, 2010 9:00 am

to

February 21, 2010 10:00 pm

Agrigento will host the 65th edition of its Almond Blossom Festival this coming February 14-21, 2010. The event showcases folklorist groups and musical bands from diverse parts of the world: Armenia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cipro, Georgia, Guatemala, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine (see last year video of a Korean group below). Tourists can admire the almond blossoms in the beautiful setting of the Valley of the Temples.

The Almond Blossom Festival originated from an idea of Count Alfonso Gaetani in 1934. The purpose was to celebrate the mild climate in Agrigento and promote typical Sicilian products.

4th Festival of the tarocco orange in Francofonte (SR)

February 19, 2010 12:00 pm

to

February 21, 2010 9:00 pm

The tarocco orange is a variety of blood orange. The main center of Francofonte (SR) is hosting the 4th Festival of this fruit from February 19 through 21.

Cusumano, Nero d’Avola, Italy

STV is featuring some quality Italian wines. Among them is the Cusumano Nero d’Avola, one of my favorite reds.

Italy’s Mediterranean island of Sicily is increasingly offering great value wines, many of them made from indigenous southern grapes like this Nero d’Avola.

The emphasis here is on the fruit, not oak, with dark blackberry and black plum flavors and some cinnamon in the finish.

This wine has delicious flavors of red apples, blackberries and black plums, and goes nicely with foods that aren’t too fancy such as pizzas or tomato-based pastas.

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