1650 km around Sicily in 21 Days

We have had an amazing 3 weeks in Sicily and clocked up
1650 km.
So at my average speed we spent about 40 hours behind the wheel.
Its no wonder I have only have 1 "AF" day since we arrived into Sicily, well probably into Italy ... opps there will be some major drying out when I get home!!!

But with these fabulous wines it would be a crime not to try just a drop or two. The Sicilian wines mostly from the western side are big reds like Pinot Nero, BIG flavour and the Nero D'Avola Merlot much bigger than what we know as a merlot back in Australia.
Even the whites for example Grillo big food whites, some whites up to 14%.
We did try a wine from or made by Vinagry ... not sure if that name would be a big seller back home! 

 

Hey, it tasted great and was a great match to the west coast

Spikey Lobster.

Loved that you were served all the lobster, the strong flavour and the texture of the "extra little inside bits" was yumo. 

 

 

So did we get the "Arabic/Sicilian spice hit" from Sicily that we were led to believe, told about and was hoping for, well, no would be the answer. Even the couscous was tame to our palette but to the Sicilian a "hint" of chilly or a "pinch" of curry flavour was all their palette would allow for.

Well after all they are still in Sicily and just being close to Africa and Morocco even with the Arabic influences they are still and foremost  Italians.

The architecture on the south west coast had a Arabic influence

 

  and the beautiful wall tiles were just everywhere

 

So we will have to make another food trip and go even further south next year and go into Morocco and do the spice trails, OK sorted, plane booked, we leave in April 6th ...

But that will be next years blog!

 

So back to Sicily and its amazing food ... the seafood, seafood and more seafood, octopus, squid, swordfish, Tuna, notably smoked tuna, with such a strong flavour again new for me and we had it with lemon and olive oil, tuna sushi, Tuna Botargo which is the roe, salted, dried and shaved over pasta dishes. Black Bread, Couscous, Eggplant Caponarta, and Sicilians love thing sweet and sour. Panella, Arancini and the Wines of Marsala, Persimmon, Pomegranates. Sweets with ricotta Almonds, Pistachio and Candied fruits, Cannoli, the list goes on, some we have posted recipes for and some that may be in Sandy's next cook book.
 

 

 Sicily now closed for the season

 

Look out Calabria here we come!!