June 11, 2011
Early evening.
Vittoria, Sicily.
A man pedals by.
Sad.
Wistful.
Why?
Click to subscribe to BaroqueSicily.
|
|||
|
May 30, 2011 Like a bolt from the blue, the Madonna storms out of the skies on a mighty white stallion, sword at hand, slashing and slaying an army of Saracens. Not your version of the Madonna? Well, this is Sicily, where everything’s a little different. The year is 1091. The place is Scicli, near Sicily’s southern coast.  Madonna delle Milizie The Normans ruled Sicily at that time. Norman knights were battling Saracens and getting creamed. The Norman leader, Roger de Hauteville, prayed to the Madonna for help, and–miracle of miracles–she swooped down to save the day. Almost a thousand years later, la Madonna delle Milizie is still revered and celebrated in this stony little baroque town. The entire 1091 event is re-enacted each year in late May.  The Normans  The Saracens What do the locals eat to celebrate the 1091 event? Turkish heads. That’s right. They feast on testa di turco, a large cream puff in the shape of a turban. Never mind that the Turks came nowhere near Sicily until the 16th century. *** Click to subscribe to BaroqueSicily. May 7, 2011 Birra.
Insalata.
Olio di Sicilia.
I’m on my way back to Sicily. La dolce vita. Paradiso. *** Click to subscribe to BaroqueSicily. April 23, 2011 (first posted April 2, 2010) Easter morn in Modica: The resurrected Christ threads his way through back alleys, seeking, seeking. The black-shrouded Virgin comes forth, searching, searching.
High noon: Bells peal. Mobs mill. Families hang from balconies. Mother and Son reunite. Her black mantle slips off to reveal a cape the color of a Sicilian sky. Wooden arms swing open. Doves fly. Statues kiss.
12:05: The crowd, warmed by the spectacle and the Easter sun, kisses, too. Then home they go to the family extravaganza to fatten themselves on ricotta ravioli, Easter lamb pies, sweet breads, salads, marzipan lambs, ricotta-rich cassata, and everything else you can think of.
Buona Pasqua! Have you seen a moving Easter tradition in Sicily or elsewhere? March 27, 2010 Ciao Cobbler! On my first visit, I gave to you a beloved bag with a dangling strap. You smiled, squinted over it, and cobbled it up. Charge: gratis. On my second visit, I gave to you a bad boot. You smiled, squinted over it, and cobbled it up. Charge: €1. Viva my Red-Capped Cobbler!
|
|||
|
Powered by WordPress & Atahualpa |
|||
