A photograph of the region through Carolina’s eyes
Italy’s DMCs share with DUCO tips on gastronomy, landscapes, and secret treasures
Luxury DMC Italy with Class makes it easy to work up an appetito for Sicily, where an eclectic heritage offers a wide variety of mouthwatering delights.
Gastronomic Storytelling:
Sicilian cuisine is among Italy’s most intriguing. Situated at the crossroads of Southern European, African, and Arabic cultures, the island is a veritable melting pot of Mediterranean flavors. Each corner of Sicily offers a special morsel which has come to define the island’s unique gastronomy. In the southeastern city of Ragusa, you’ll find impanate which are similar to the Spanish empanadas because this was where the Spanish ruled in the 17th and 18th centuries. Likewise, the famous chocolate from Modica is made according to the Aztec tradition – which was introduced to Sicily by the Spanish. In northwestern Trapani, you’ll find a range of recipes reflecting the Arab conquest of the region from the 12th to the 14th centuries. This region’s restaurants serve up a fish cous cous originating from the Magreb regions, candied fruit with ricotta cheese from the eastern Mediterranean, and Sicily’s famous arancini, fried rice balls born of the intersection of Muslim and Norman traditions in Palermo.
Best Enjoyed:
Sampling Sicilian street food in one of the island’s lively and colorful markets or indulging on traditional pastries are experiences no visitor should miss. In particular, true food-worshippers should make the pilgrimage to Maria Grammatico’s pastry shop in Erice, a Medieval town just north of Trapani. Here you’ll find divine Genovesi pastries full of warm vanilla custard, which are best enjoyed after a walk up to the town’s Norman castle to enjoy its 360° view, with the sound of traditional Sicilian songs from a local musician.
For more information about Italy with Class, click here.
Luxury DMC Essence of Sicily takes us to the little-praised interior, where traditional shepherding thrives with deep roots.
How are the practices of Sicily tied to its land?
Some jobs are traditions, remaining unchanged from the past to the present, and handed down through generations like prized possessions. These are trades, but also lifestyles that take shape in the inland of Sicily, a fascinating and little-discovered place. For six generations, the shepherding profession has been passed down from father to son.
What makes this profession so timeless?
The job is built upon a repetition of gestures, beginning at dawn. To characterize the soundscape of this place, one can count on whistles, whispered calls, and the incomprehensible and magical Sicilian language. The experience of shepherding is above all a meeting with an ancient craft.
Why does this practice continue today?
Sheep’s milk is a precious commodity on the island. The work in the pastures moves to the small dairy where cheese is produced: an art that requires knowledgeable hands, skill, and dedication and produces local fresh ricotta and aged pecorino cheeses.
For more information about Essence of Sicily, click here.
Luxury DMC Essence of Sicily brings us to the heart of historic Ragusa, where traditional cart painting, a custom thought to have disappeared, has been brought back to life.
What is the local hidden treasure?
There is a workshop-laboratory in the center of Ragusa Ibla that takes its name from a color, Rosso Cinabro. Here, the artists Biagio and Damiano carry forth the art of Sicilian cart painting, following the oral tradition learned from the old master cart painters. Their passion for art, craftsmanship, and tradition come together in this laboratory where pigments are ground and traditional pictorial techniques are used.
What makes it so special?
Like a picture from the past, the two young artists dress in traditional clothes, and the walls of their workshop are full of signs. Each detail and splash of color provides context for the different cultural layers that the Sicilian cart embodies. Precision, study, passion, and balance are the elements that characterize the work of these last master cart painters. However, they’re not totally lost in the past: The pair was recently commissioned by Dolce & Gabbana to create one-of-a-kind pieces for the “Sicily is My Love” collection.
How can visitors best experience this gem?
On a visit to Ragusa, anyone is welcome to stop into the laboratory – a cross between an artist’s atelier and a museum – to see the artists at work and evidence of past masterpieces. The men will be happy to recount their story and training, which is mostly derived from knowledge handed down through generations.
For more information about Essence of Sicily, click here.
A series of webinars presenting the best of the Regions
Webinar sicily
Savouring Sicily: 360 Degrees of Majestic Beauty
“An important thing to remember about Sicily is how wonderful, friendly, welcoming, and hospitable the people of Sicily are.”
Sir Rocco Forte