The Great Olive Oil Dilemma

Olives on the vine in Sicily

While in Sicily a few years ago, we visited an olive farm where, of course, we sampled the wares (directly from the giant stainless steel vats). The oil had the luscious flavor and delicious scent of just-harvested olives that you would expect from tasting at the source.

Our prized tin from Sicily

We bought a BIG tin at the ridiculously low price of 10 Euros and carted it home. We used it sparingly, knowing that when the tin was empty, we could not replace it. After awhile, the tin ran dry and our search began for a new "house" olive oil.

We hopped around from brand to brand (Lucini, California Olive Ranch, Kirkland, to name a few) and while they were all good, nothing really made us jump up and down with joy. Which brings me to today's post:

Are you as confused as I am over what constitutes a really good olive oil?

You may have heard about the "bombshell" olive oil study done by UC Davis in 2010. The study concluded that 69% of imported olive oils labeled extra virgin, were in fact, not extra virgin. WOW! Understandably, this sent shockwaves through the food industry, olive oil producers, and the public. The report, funded in part by California olive producers, raised all kinds of questions and since then many olive oil groups have upped the standards for producing and marketing olive oil. But as an average home cook who uses alot of olive oil, I still have doubts if what I'm buying is the real deal. In addition, I am overwhelmed by the gazillions of brands out there. And unless I am at a store or olive ranch where I can taste a drop or two of the production, I am buying blindly (and most likely, so are you). 

I still don't have an answer to my ongoing quest for an above-average everyday EVOO, but I did find this article from Serious Eats very interesting. If you have a favorite olive oil, please share. Eventually, this long winter will pass and it will be tomato season and I need to have my olive oil dilemma resolved by then.

Jersey tomatoes, fresh mozz, Georgia peaches, with basil and EVOO!

Sicilian Pistachio Cookies (gluten-free)

Greetings, Dear Readers.

I feel a bit out of sorts posting a simple cookie article after yesterday's horrible event in Las Vegas (I wrote it last week). Even though I feel depressed and at a loss to come to terms with the senseless violence, and our government's inability to take serious action about realistic gun control, sometimes it does help to cook or bake to relieve some of the stress and anxiety (I know it helps me). Even better would be to invite friends and/or neighbors for a meal, or "coffee and..." to talk peacefully and calmly, or simply to just be together. I hope you and your loved ones are safe.

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While summer is my fave season, I do love the Fall - the warm days/chilly nights, country drives, throwing on a cute little jacket, and the luscious flavors of Fall - plums, pumpkins, pistachios, cinnamon, cardamom. 

Last year at this time I was in Sicily (read about my trip here and here). Ahhhhhh. Beautiful, mysterious, complicated, delicious Sicily. How I loved that trip! Feeling a bit “homesick” for my ancestral homeland, I needed to make something to help me get back there virtually. 

Mt Etna's volcanic landscape

The adorable donkeys of Etna Donkey Trekking

That’s when I came across this recipe on Food52 for Sicilian Pistachio Cookies. Pistachios are a huge part of Sicily’s agriculture, especially near Mt Etna, which we visited. We were taken in by the otherworldly volcanic landscape of Etna. The mountain had just erupted a couple of months before we were there and black lava was everywhere.  The trusty, adorable donkeys of Etna Donkey Trekking carried us over craters, through ancient forests, and afforded us panoramic views otherwise impossible. I highly recommend this excursion if you visit the Catania area.

Back to the cookies! These little gems are SO easy to make, and as a bonus to people who need to watch their gluten intake - they are GF! The cookies have it all: crunch, spice, citrus - a trifecta of deliciousness! 

crunch, citrus, spice pre-rolling

What are your favorite Fall recipes? Do they bring back memories of a favorite trip? Leave a note below. And let me know if you bake these cookies!

Enjoy!

Full recipe here!

Bella Sicilia: Parte Sesta (part six) - Ristorante Duomo, Ragusa

Chocolates at Duomo

Happy New Year, dear readers, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season!

Well, here we are at the end of my Sicily travelogue. Writing this for you has helped me relive how beautiful this trip was. I saved something special for my last Sicily post: the extraordinary lunch we had at Ristorante Duomo in the charming hill town of Ragusa. I hope you enjoyed this virtual journey as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Helmed by Ciccio Sultana (chef/owner), Duomo is everything you might expect at a Michelin starred restaurant: exquisite food, gracious service, beautiful surroundings (a food stall in Singapore earned a Michelin star in 2016 so remember fabulous food can be found anywhere).

Terry and Chef Ciccio

As you may know, when I travel I spend a great deal of time researching food and restaurants at my destination, and Sicily was no different. To me this is not drudge work, I love reading about the foods and restaurants at our upcoming destinations. A search turned up many good possibilities in the area, including four Michelin starred locales in the 2017 guide. After deciding on Duomo, I asked our tour leader to make a lunch reservation for us, and that morning during a walking tour of the city, we happened to pass by the restaurant. To my delight, Chef Ciccio was outside making a phone call and he kindly took a picture with me. I’m sure it was no big deal to him, but it made my day!

The lunch menu at Duomo is prix fixe, and quite the bargain 

 I think. For 59 Euros, you get five courses (with a couple of extra surprises), and three glasses of wine/champagne. The full menu is below. From beginning to end, this lunch was outstanding, and must go on my “top five” list* of memorable meals.

bread basket

Duomo Lunch:

smoked swordfish

• Smoked swordfish with cantaloupe melon salad and pistachio sauce, with an olive stuffed pistachio marzipan and mock pit



spaghettone

• Homemade spaghettone with moresca sauce “taratata” with tuna bottarga and carrot cream



truffle ice cream

• Sicilian scorzone truffle ice cream



amberjack

• Amberjack with Hyblean caper blossom powder, “Fiore” black olives stuffed with Pizzuta d’Avola almond, green beans, smoked sauce



cannolo



espresso

• Cannolo stuffed with Ragusa ricotta on lukewarm San Cono prickly pear soup served with Pizzuta d’Avola almond sorbet
• Housemade chocolates

As I mentioned in Parte Due, one of my reasons for wanting to go to Sicily was to seek out any ancestral ties on my mother’s side. In corresponding with our trip leader, Alessio, before the trip, I told him that I was looking for connections to my mother’s family who had emigrated to the US from Palermo in the early 1900s. I told him the family name was Librizzi and perhaps he could help me research it when we got to Sicily. A short time later, Alessio responded that his wife’s maiden name is Li Brizzi, and he would be happy to introduce us. I nearly cried when I read that! What are the chances that our tour guide’s wife would have the same last name (albeit with a slightly different spelling) as my mother’s family? Pretty slim, I think. 

On our last evening in Palermo, Alessio invited the entire group to join him, his beautiful wife Cristina, and their two adorable boys for dinner.  I didn’t get to spend much time talking with Cristina, and most likely we are not related, but when Alessio said “no matter, we are “cugini" (cousins) and you will always have family here in Sicily,” I felt like the connection that I have always felt to this beautiful island was more real now than ever before. 

Ciao, bella Sicilia, fino al mio ritorno! (until I return).

* My “top five” (in no particular order):

Chez Panisse, Berkeley, CA

Vetri, Philadelphia, PA

Duomo, Ragusa, Sicily

Steireck, Vienna, Austria

The Lost Kitchen, Freedom, ME

Upcoming in early 2017: lunch at NYC's Bouley and the food scene in Sarasota, Florida! 

Stay warm, eat well, be happy!

Bella Sicilia: Parte Quinta (part five)

Market Produce

Still so much to tell you about from our glorious trip to Sicily! 

We journeyed to the beautiful town of Modica where we raced through the tiny, winding streets in vintage Fiats (courtesy of the local Fiat club). What a blast that was! My first words at the end of the ride were “let’s go again!” 

After our ride, we visited Antica Dolceria Rizza, a chocolate shop where they still make chocolate the “old fashioned” way, as the Aztecs did. This chocolate has a slightly gritty texture and is not very sweet. Of course, we brought some home with us.

Ortigia

Many people have asked me “what was your favorite part of the trip?” It is very hard to answer that because this was truly an epic journey. But if I had to play favorites, one would be the day we spent in Ortigia, home to an array of architectural wonders, such as the Temple of Apollo and the fountain of Arethusa. Ortigia, is a lovely island situated next to Syracuse, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Syracuse is 2,700 years old and the birthplace of mathematician Archimedes. 

Spaghetti and Clams

Grilled Squid

But let’s focus on what’s really important here: the food! We meandered through Ortigia’s bustling outdoor food market ogling the gorgeous produce, cheese, and seafood. Based on a recommendation from the local guide, we had lunch at a simple seafood restaurant called L’Isoletta, smack in the middle of the market. This is where I had probably the best spaghetti and clams ever! No small claim in my book. We began with gorgeous squid, simply grilled with olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs. Followed by a delicious fennel, mushroom, arugula salad, and then on to the main event. With fresh spaghetti and chock full of sweet clams, this dish was the essence of the Sicilian sea. House wine, crusty bread to sop up the juice, and my meal was complete.

Teatro Greco

The view from Taormina

If you go to Sicily, you must visit Taormina. Although the main city streets with high-end shops can be crowded, this picturesque hillside village with sweeping sea views, is home to an ancient Greek amphitheater (teatro Greco) that will instantly transport you back thousands of years. Built by the Greeks in the third century BC and then rebuilt and enlarged by the Romans, the theatre is still used today for classical, rock, and operatic productions. Taormina has a thriving arts community and hosts an annual international film festival (headed recently by Richard Gere). On a really clear day, you can see Mt Etna, the still bubbling and very active volcano. 

Mt Etna Landscape

Speaking of Mt Etna (“mountain that burns”), we traversed the switchbacks up the famous mountain to spend some time with the sweet donkeys who will take you for an up close view of the black lava. Guided by the father and son team of Etna Donkey Trekking, Santino and Salvo, have lived on the mountain all of their lives, and will never leave. The people who live here love “the Etna.” No matter that some towns have been completely wiped away by her eruptions, they rebuild. They have a bond with this mountain, forged by hundreds of years of learning her ways.

Salvo and Santino

This was an extraordinary day. To stand on an active volcano and see the lava it spews, and hear Salvo talk about the sustainable tourist model they are building, was another trip highlight. Donkeys have been used here for hundreds of years, first as the only real means of transporting people and goods up and down the mountain. Now, they carefully guide visitors along the paths to witness the ancient forests and geological marvel that is Mt Etna. In addition, they are used as therapy animals due to their docile nature.

Etna is the tallest volcano in the Mediterranean, 11 thousand feet above sea level. The last eruption took place in May, 2016 (just a few months before we visited!). Our guide made us feel (slightly) better about visiting a volcano that had just erupted by telling us that Etna is not that dangerous because it erupts so often. Then Santino slipped in the fact that two days ago there was a “big explosion” of one of the four major craters! Somehow, not feeling better…

Santino is the sixth generation of his family to live here (and he says he will never leave). His grandfather’s will specifically delineated that the property can never be sold to anyone outside the family. 

"mela"

Polpette and sausage

Archimedes Lever

After our donkey ride, Santino welcomed us to his home where his lovely wife had prepared a sumptuous lunch of chickpea soup, tender polpette (veal meatballs), grilled sausage, and “mela,” a kind of apple marmalade. Of course, this was accompanied by homemade wine produced from their 50 acres of vineyards. The building on their property, where they host groups, was built in 1860 to bring grapes for crushing. “Back in the day,” it took ten men to stomp the grapes, using something called an “Archimedes lever.” This huge lever, made out of oak and taking up almost the entire room, ceased being used in the 80s, but it still works and Santino gave us a demonstration.

In the next post, last, but certainly not least, our fabulous lunch at the two Michelin star restaurant, Il Duomo, in Ragusa!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday!

Ciao!

Quarta Parte: A Day in the Life...

Fresh Ricotta

As part of every OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) trip, they include what is known as “A Day in the Life,” where the group experiences everyday life with the locals. On this trip, it was a visit to a dairy farm in the village of Castelluccio. The family that owns the farm has about 100 acres of land, with views of olive trees that stretch for miles. I absolutely fell in love with the countryside of Sicily. 

Gorgeous Persimmons

Their land is rich with beautiful fruit orchards overflowing with incredibly sweet persimmons and luscious prickly pears. The sun was high and warm as we wandered through the orchards, with the family patriarch plucking pears off the trees and doling out big slices for us to eat out of hand, his two trusty dogs trailing us. 

Prickly Pears for the taking

When I thought the day couldn’t get any better, we went to their cheesemaking hut where we helped his son make fresh ricotta (okay, mostly he made it while we watched), which was still warm when we ate it at lunch. Nirvana! 

Kneading Bread

When we returned to the house, the lovely matriarch of the family invited us to make bread with her. She uses an ancient kneading machine, the kind that has been used in rural villages for decades. We all took a turn at this and believe me, it was not easy. After the dough has been kneaded and has risen, it’s formed and then baked in a wood-fired stove where she’s also added some olive tree branches for flavor.

While the bread was baking, we walked through the olive groves to a spot under the trees where we enjoyed salumi, caciocavallo cheese, and champagne (to celebrate the anniversary of a couple on the trip). It was like a Food and Wine Magazine spread.

For lunch back at the house, they grilled fat pork sausages and tender chicken legs that had been rubbed with lemon, oregano, and olive oil, all washed down with homemade wine in mismatched glasses. Everything we ate had been grown or made on the farm. Whatever they don’t use for themselves, they use to barter with neighbors. This is life in a small, rural Italian village. Hard to believe we were not far from the bustling hill town of Ragusa, that is home to a Michelin starred restaurant. Talk about two extremes. And I loved both equally.

Ciao for now!

Bella Sicilia: Parte Terza

Sicilian Lemon Cake

As we made our way to Agrigento, we drove past rows of huge cactus and beautiful tall palm trees, this makes sense given Sicily’s semi-tropical climate. 

Temple of Hera

Temple to Hercules

Agrigento is home to the Valley of the Temples, where incredible archeological remains of Greek temples stand from somewhere between 510 and 430 BC. Here we walked the ancient road that links the Temple of Hera (Zeus’ wife), who represented love, marriage, and fertility, to the Temple of Concordia (“peace”), connected to the magnificent Temple to Hercules (this was the first temple to be constructed here), and finally the Temple to Zeus. 

Temple to Zeus

Antique Cart

Antique Cart

We had lunch that day at the home of a family whose late grandfather is something of a local legend. Raffaele La Scala, was a master builder of ornately carved and painted carts, which were used to haul items such as salt, grapes, and grain. La Scala’s family has a mini-museum of this man’s extraordinary talent at their home, and we were fascinated to  hear his story and see these beautiful works of art. Other than the painting, La Scala hand-built the carts and carved the intricate designs on these pieces which are now collector’s items. 

Ricotta Squares

Let me tell you about the wonderful lunch we had at the La Scala home, which began with delicious little ricotta squares dotted with sweet peas. This was followed closely by a fabulous pasta dish (I’m not ashamed to say I had seconds!) made with diced zucchini, salted ricotta, cherry tomatoes, basil, and mint. Accompanying the pasta was a simple side dish of potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano. As they say in Italy, you can never have too many carbs!

Pasta with Zucchini

Sicilian Lemon Cake

The highlight for me, though, was the incredible lemon cake (again, two servings!). Fragrant with fresh lemon juice and zest, a hint of vanilla, and a marvelous texture, I had to have the recipe! I beseeched our trip leader, Alessio, to ask our host (Maria) for the recipe, who graciously complied. As she rattled off the ingredients in Italian, Alessio translated, and I furiously scribbled! Of course, all the measurements were in metrics, which I have since converted. One ingredient they used is called Lievito (a leavening agent), which is what in the US we know as  baking powder. 

I  haven’t made the cake yet so this has not been tested, but am providing the recipe here in case you’d like to give it a try. The directions are rather vague but experienced bakers should be able to make it work. When I make it, I will certainly post the results!

The La Scala family adheres to what my family always believed: one dessert is never enough! After the lemon cake, Maria produced a frozen delight: semi-freddo, chock full of caramelized almonds, sugar, and cream. 

Semi-freddo

Still to come: 

• our day at a dairy farm in the idyllic Sicilian countryside making fresh ricotta and baking bread
• racing through the streets of Modica in vintage Fiats
• the beautiful seaside village of Ortigia, where I had probably the best spaghetti and clams of my life
• the gorgeous hillside town of Taormina with its' impressive Greek amphitheatre
• meeting the sweet donkeys of Mt Etna
• and, finally, the amazing lunch at Il Duomo in Ragusa

Ciao for now!