Sagra del Cappero - The Caper Festival

Anyone who’s seen the movie Il Postino (The Postman), shot on the Sicilian island of Salina, will be familiar with the magnificent beach at Pollara. Thankfully, nothing much has changed since this piece of paradise was captured on film. The best time to come to Pollara beach is at the end of the day to swim under the overhanging cliffs and to later, watch the sunset.

Pollara is not only famous for being the location of the house of Pablo Neruda (Philip Noiret) in the movie "Il Postino", but it also hosts an exuberant annual caper festival, celebrating tondina (or nocellara), the main variety cultivated on the island.

La Sagra del Cappero is held in the village square with plenty of dancing and drinking. There are stalls serving classic caper dishes such as cheeses stuffed with capers, spaghetti with capers and tomato and caper salad.

When : first Sunday of June

Where : Piazza di Pollara, Salina (Aeolian Islands)

Tickets : free

The festival takes place in the square in front of the church of Saint Onofrio, it includes sports events, street games, folklore and musical shows, but the main performer is the caper. This little ingredient seems to delightfully stun visitors who taste the Virgona family salads and crostini, and Michelle’s pasta dishes and many of the other traditional dishes prepared by restaurants and local residents. Gennaro Contaldo, the man who taught Jamie Oliver about Italian food, speaks passionately, not only about cooking with capers, but of the memories of his Southern Italian childhood that their flavours invoke.

Salina is one of the best bases for Aeolian Island hopping. The second largest, lushest and arguably the prettiest of the islands, it has several fine hotels and good connections for day-trips to the other islands. Head for the village of Malfa, on a fertile plain filled with vines and caper bushes, where you’ll find the charismatic Hotel Signum – a great place to stay and day-trip to the other islands.

Renowned Hotel Signum chef Michele Caruso is your ticket to the most amazing culinary experience during your stay : Try the likes of sea urchin (ricci) crostini; palamita e cocomero crudo (marinated bonito and watermelon); pasta with sardines and wild fennel; or simply grilled fish such as mupa (gilthead bream) or ricciola (amberjack) with onion sauce.

...and don't miss the sweet Malvasia dessert wine, made from grapes cultivated in Salina's sun kissed vineyards.

Siciliamo also recommends :

Da Alfredo for the Aeolians’ best refreshing homemade granitas and regarded by some as the best granitas found anywhere! Piazza Marina Garibaldi, Lingua, Salina, +39 090 984 3075.

Cosi Duci: Superb homemade Aeolian pastries, biscuits, jams and honey. Via San Lorenzo, 9, Malfa, Salina, +39 090 9844 358.

For some great travel articles on Salina and the beautiful Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily, look here, here and here. You can also read what the EasyJet inflight magazine says about The Caper Festival. The Isole Eolie are my personal favourite for sailing, swimming, eating, and just enjoying life. They are stunning...and the capers are world class too!

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Sicilian artichokes

Catherine de Medici introduced artichokes to France when she wed Henri II.

Sicilian immigrants planted California's first artichoke farm near Half Moon Bay in the late 1800s and Marilyn Monroe was crowned California's first artichoke queen in 1948.

A theory suggests that artichokes actually originated in Sicily and were introduced to the rest of Europe around the 12th century. In fact, records show artichokes being grown in Sicily as early as 287 BC, and were a favourite of the Romans in Sicily. They were "re-introduced" again to Sicily by the Moors in the 9th Century. Since then, they always been a staple in Sicilian cuisine: The delicacy and sweetness of Sicilian artichokes contain hidden flavours and fragrances just waiting to explode.

Sicilian artichokes not only are delicious but a good source of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), niacin, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus, calcium and fibre. The substance cynarin is thought to benefit digestion, while the juice of the leaves is used in skin cosmetics.

An artichoke liqueur, part of the Campari group, bears the name Cynar and is made with artichokes from Sicily. Its distinctive flavour is enriched from an infusion of 13 herbs and plants, making it a completely natural drink.

As Capers, Sausages, Ricotta, Cous Cous, Oranges, Pistacchi and other Sicilian delicacies feature their own personal sagre (festivals) around Sicily, even the humble carciofo has a sagra of his own, taking place in Cerda every 25 April, only 58 km from Palermo.

The artichoke is celebrated every year with a festival that mixes art exhibits and other artichoke-themed entertainment with live traditional bands and parades through the town.

When:

Apr 2009 (annual)

Where:

Cerda

Opening Hours:

Parades and bands start at 9am
Tasting starts at 12pm

Contact Details

Name:

Information

Phone:

+39 091 899 10 03

As you approach downtown Cerda, the enormous statue of an artichoke will remind you of what will be the "king dish" on the menu (the photo, above, is of the "Big Artichoke" sculpture in the main piazza of Cerda).

But whether you will want to visit Cerda or not, if you are on your way to Sicily don't forget to sample some Sicilian carciofi at the restaurant.

These are a must try :

Carciofi Ammuttunati - or ripieni (artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs, raising, parmigian and herbs)

Carciofi alla Villanella -

Carciofi in pastella (deep fried artichokes)

If this tantalises your taste buds, try this recipe.

For those wanting to purchase authentic Cerda artichokes direct from the source, go here.

And here is a nice article in praise of Sicilian Artichokes.

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Goblets of Stars. Wine tasting at night

Tours and guided tastings on the starry night of San Lorenzo.

Overview : A visit to one of Sicily’s most beautiful and best-tended vineyards by moonlight. Guided tour of the vinification cellar and photovoltaic installation for solar energy, a renewable and non-polluting power source. Video of grape harvesting and wine making at the Donnafugata estates in Contessa Entellina and on Pantelleria (duration: about 10 minutes). There will be a special selection of Donnafugata wines for tasting during the evening.

As usual, August 10 is the date for the “Calici di Stelle” (“Goblets of Stars”), an event held in the splendid setting of the Donnafugata Estate (at the 60 kilometer stone on the Palermo-Sciacca limited-access Highway 624).
This program, a nationwide event organized by the Wine Tourism Movement and now in its 6th edition at Donnafugata, has become one eagerly awaited by lovers of fine wine.
It will be an important event for the estate staff, too, who during the evening will be able to meet and talk with the numerous and knowledgeable wine lovers arriving from all over Italy and abroad. Last year about a thousand people attended the most glamorous wine event in Sicily.
The “La Fuga” Chardonnay vineyards, lit up for the occasion, will be the setting for the first leg of the guided tour, where the technical staff will illustrate how vineyards are tended and the vines are grown and pruned. As they walk through the vineyard, visitors may even taste some grapes from this premium vines.
The tour then continues to the estate’s vinification cellar where technology and innovation are mixed with systems to protect and defend the territory, values always espoused at Donnafugata, which manages to cover more than 30% of the cellar’s energy needs with a photovoltaic installation inaugurated in 2001.
Afterward visitors can watch an extremely brief film, “Donnafugata on Pantelleria,” the island of Ben Ryé, to learn about this Sicilian winery’s commitment, values and important endeavors.
The height of the evening and the moment wine lovers look forward to most will be the tasting of a special selection of Donnafugata wines, including some authentic gems: Sherazade 2006, a new red made from Nero d’Avola and Syrah, Chiarandà del Merlo 2000, Mille e una Notte 1998. And of course, the sweetest are sampled last, Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria.

PROGRAM:

When: Friday, August 10, 2008 - from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Price : The price of the tasting is € 5 to be paid at the entrance. In addition we ask that you leave a € 5 security deposit for the wine glass, which will be given back when the wine glass is returned.

Booking : Reservations required at the phone number +39 0923 724245 or via e-mail at info@donnafugata.it. Just give a last name and the number of people in your group.

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Sicilian item of the day : Dangerous Eating cooking lessons

www.siciliamo.com

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Not the ordinary bread

The small town of Salemi (photogallery) enjoys a lovely position surrounded by the vineyards that are so typical a feature of the Trapani region. The older parts of Salemi bear the indelible imprint of Arab influences, its narrow cobbled streets wind their way to the top of the hill crowned with the ubiquitous Sicilian Castle.

But what makes this little town special is its bread.

Some years ago "bread" was the most important element in the eating habits of people from all walks of life: princes, children and common people. In fact for a long time it was considered a sacred element. There are many important religious and folkloristic feast in which bread plays a very important role, the one of St Biagio has to be mentioned.

According to the Christian religion. St Biagio is a protector of the throat. His celebration is characterised by two typical shapes of bread: "li cuddureddi"

Originally this feast was a propitiatory rite later adapted to the catholic faith.

Bread also plays a significant part in the celebrations of St. Josephs day (19 March), when special large votive loaves are baked in the shape of angels, garlands, flowers, animals and work-tools so as to represent every aspect of daily life.

This is an event that cannot be missed!

On March 19th the streets of Salemi are decorated with "altars" made of wood and covered with coloured fabrics, lights, laurel and myrtle, oranges, lemons and breads in the shape of angels, Virgins, Jesus, St Joseph, flowers and every other possible decorative shape: You won't believe you very eyes!

The tradition dictates that those "devotees" who organize a votive altar must also gather a banquet (La cena) consisting of 101 recipes based on cereals, vegetables, fruits, fish and cakes.

After setting a long banquet table and blessing the breads, the food is first offered to the children (representing the holy family) and then all the visitors.

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Siciliamo visits the Cous Cous Fest

The "10th International Festival of Mediterranean Culture, Food and Wine", otherwise known as the Cous Cous Fest of San Vito, (photogallery) is a gastronomic exhibition (usually held mid to late September) that attracts the attention of the Mediterranean and International gastronomic community to the idyllic seaside Sicilian Village of San Vito Lo Capo. San Vito Lo Capo is located on the North West of the Island midway between Palermo and Trapani. Chefs from the Mediterranean basin, Africa and Brazil compete for the prize of the best preparation and presentation of the traditional dish of Cous Cous, as well as for newer, more modern versions of this dish. Traditional Sicilian couscous with fish soup and chunks of swordfish is a must!

The festival celebrates 3000 years of Cous Cous, with a lively mix of world music, Mediterranean colours and, of course, food and wine tasting.

This year Siciliamo eagerly attended the Cous Cous Fest is San Vito in order to participate in the many interesting gastronomic workshops and seminars fronted by some of the best cous cous chefs in the world as well as those from the Sicilian school of cous cous, showing what Sicilian cuisine is all about...

While San Vito's history as the centre of Sicilian cous cous was enough reason in itself to attend the festival, white sand beaches and clear blue water such as this also helps a little! And don't forget, San Vito is part of the Province of Trapani, otherwise known as the "Bread Basket" of Italy and contains some of the best produce and the cutest agriturismi farm stays you will find.

The following video features my mum making the Moroccan version of lamb couscous with the traditional tajine pot. Enjoy!

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