The corner of taste I : where to go in Sicily (how and why)

When this story starts I am trudging in the core of the night toward the Edinburgh airport. The early morning is chilly and sharp. It’s four o’clock in the morning: stars seem even more remote, because of my short sight. I ignore the stars palpitating in their vastness, my two concerns are falling back to sleep on the plane and drink a green tea (unfortunately served too hot), as soon as the Ryanair staff will stroll down the plane corridor one million times: they would sell even seats it the company would allow this policy. I’m heading to Malta and from Malta I’ll ferry myself to Sicily, to commit to memory (again and again) my grandmother’s culinary knowledge. The brisk landing of the plane, which interrupted a nice dream, waked me up in a new sun-ful dimension. All the Scottish mist was gone, suckled into the vacuum of space travel.

The trip begins

Malta is even more charming than my expectations. Tall palms wig-wag in the wind their welcoming crowns. They resemble those uncertain people who would wish to leave and are still rooted to the same position, because it is simply too beautiful to be caressed by the February sun. The ticket cost me only 36£, which is insane if one reasons on the fact that I spent less than what I should have paid out for a train to London. In the airport, I enjoy a long (in terms of time) Costa coffee with Francesca: her flight was providentially delayed and this impediment gave us the opportunity to see each other and talk for a while.

The café is the only Costa on the island. Francesca, who visited me in Edinburgh, is leaving to her hometown to vote: elections in Italy are symmetrical to its food, the latter is always a certainty, and elections are often a dark horse (especially when Temple-merchant Berlusconi is capable of gaining high consent), yet food and politics are both exceptionally colourful. Anyways, I am a bit sceptical about Costa at the beginning, since the coffee in Edinburgh is a bit Briticised. 

My wrestle with multinational food companies witnesses a moderate pull-out: my concern is linked to the fact that these big groups are able to operate in a sort of monopoly regime, piloting the growth and downfall of emerging countries, often throughout corruption and threatening. However, I have to admit coffee was great and sandwiches quality rose to the occasion.

I do usually like to travel in an ascetic state, so - as a result - at 12 am I am deeply hungry! All my food belongings were fruit (an organic banana) and honey biscuits (McVites). I do not wish to bother you wit my transfers on the island, though, and it is better to move to the more compelling aspect of my culinary-emotional trip. On the Catamaran to Pozzallo, in Sicily (60€), an alluring glass filled with golden brown donuts smirked at me, yet - because of the unstable waves - I was incapable of moving out from my seat, even if there were people promenading on the deck with no hesitation whatsoever.

The recipe: ·     2 tbsp. warm tab water; ·      1 package active dry yeast; ·      3 1/4 cups all-purpose organic flour, plus additional for sprinkling and rolling out dough ; ·      1 cup organic milk, at room temperature; ·      2-4 tbsp Scottish organic butter, softened (ex. Grahms); ·      1 large organic egg ·      2 tbsp. fair trade sugar ·      1 tsp of local sea salt flakes

Considering the amount of people swarming every year toward Malta, it is quite ludicrous for me to see how the Italian authorities do not invest more in a sort of magnetizing effect, so to encourage at least coast tourism. Recently a new harbour (Marina di Ragusa Turistic Port) has been inaugurated: incredible yachts made the day for people interested in luxury private boats:

Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo’s Marhaba:

Marhaba sailing

Microsoft founder Bill Gates’s Atessa IV:

Atessa IV anchored in Venice

Apparently the luxury yacht Dubai sailed near the harbour:

Even if Malta is an excellent target, the Eastern corner of Sicily – with Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Noto - offers three non-reproducible sightseeing jewels. This area has also a high concentration of Michelin star restaurants that I wish to trace in detail within next post. Moreover, between Vittoria and Avola there are two major grapes varieties (Frappato and Nero d’Avola) on which three wines are based: Frappato, Cerasuolo (a combination of the two grapes), and Nero d’Avola itself:

Have a look to these winery called Avide,
they also deliver wine by post:
http://www.avide.it/en/home