Sicily's culinary landscape is as eclectic as the island's complex history. Written by Sicilians in Sicily, this book introduces Sicilian cuisine, explaining what it is and where to find it. Presenting descriptions, background, a glossary and a dozen classic (and simple) recipes, it is a reliable reference for anybody captivated by Sicily's food, wine and timeless culture. This is a book to consult.
The chapters on festivals, wines and olive oils transcend the superficial treatments of those topics by most cookbook authors and chefs. Rarely does a book about Sicilian food present much information about wine, or vice versa. There are several useful maps indicating such details as wine and olive oil appellations. Here the authors have included a few things overlooked by most of the others.
Unlike many such books, this one is not personality driven. It does not promote specific chefs, wineries or restaurants, nor does it focus on the authors' psyches. Such sober objectivity is refreshing in a field where blatant commercialism is the order of the day, and where every food writer wants to reveal the intimate details of her culinary catharsis.
Whether your visit to Sicily is physical or virtual, this is a reliable place to chart your course.
| Prologue |
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9 | (4) |
| Preface |
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13 | (6) |
| Introduction |
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19 | (6) |
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25 | (6) |
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1 The Art of Sicilian Dining |
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31 | (6) |
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2 The Place and the Cuisine |
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37 | (16) |
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53 | (8) |
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61 | (32) |
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5 Appetizers, Side Dishes, Salads |
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93 | (4) |
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97 | (4) |
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7 Grains, Pasta, Bread, Pizza |
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101 | (8) |
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109 | (10) |
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119 | (4) |
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123 | (18) |
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141 | (6) |
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147 | (8) |
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155 | (8) |
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14 Liqueurs, Spirits, Dessert Wines |
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163 | (6) |
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169 | (6) |
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16 A Dozen Classic Recipes |
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175 | (12) |
| Glossary |
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187 | (22) |
| Epilogue |
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209 | (2) |
| Sources |
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211 | (6) |
| Acknowledgments |
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217 | (2) |
| Index |
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219 | |
Francesca Lombardo is a food writer based in Sicily and a sommelier certified by the Italian Sommeliers Association. She is also a high school teacher and for almost twenty years she has been a culinary travel consultant, planning itineraries around Sicily. Jacqueline Alio is one of Sicilys leading historians, and part of a new wave that is writing the history of Sicily's women. Over the last decade, she has been consulted by The History Channel, The Discovery Channel and other media. An accomplished medievalist, she has published the results of her original research while writing insightful articles for a general readership. Online, her articles have captivated millions, gaining her a special place as one of the Sicilian historians with the most readers around the world. In print, scholarly works like her translation of the Ferraris Chronicle have earned her kudos in academic circles. Margaret Queen of Sicily, the first biography of that regent, is the lengthiest published work of original scholarship written in English by a historian in Sicily. She co-authored the first book in English to outline the emerging field of Sicilian Studies. Her most recent book, the result of years of research, is a compendium of biographies of the
