July 5, 2014
They were strolling hand-in-hand down the street like extras in some Sicilian film. They stepped into the tabacchaio and when they emerged, I went in pursuit. How was it that I’d never seen them before, in this dinky place of 2500 people?
Concetta handed me her card. Turns out she runs a restaurant called U Saracenu, in the heart of Ragusa Ibla. I haven’t eaten there since those days when my house was a kitchen-less mess. The place seemed then like a throwback to a much earlier era, and when I popped in today, nothing in the decor had changed. The previous owner, built like a fridge, used to tell me exactly what I wanted to eat.
“I’d love a big salad, please.”
“Oh no. This no weather for salad. You need hearty fare in this rain.”
And he’d lumber from the kitchen balancing a steamy bowl of minestrone, or ricotta ravioli doused in ragú.
But he has retired, and the chef (Concetta’s hubby) and Concetta are now the proud owners, serving the same old-style, no-nonsense, no-pretense Sicilian fare at prices you’ll like.
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 The front room is the lightest room and you sit next to an old feed trough; the restaurant is a former animal stall.
 Translated, the name means “At the Saracen’s Place”–referring to the Arabs or Moors who ruled Sicily for a couple hundred years.
 Chef Angelo Gelasio
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May 4, 2014
Meet Nuvola (left) and Mario (right).
They live and work in Castelbuono in the Madonie Mountains, not far from Cefalu.
Several years ago Mayor Marco Cicero had the idea of eliminating garbage trucks from the old town and substituting six donkeys–going back to the way things were done 60 years ago. Nuvola (Cloud) works everyday except Sunday, clomping door to door gathering and separating trash. She and her fellow donkeys are all female because, according to Mario, women are more docile and diligent.
The sweet creatures get pretty bogged down.
The town is saving money (no need for truck upkeep or gas!) and there’s less exhaust from trucks. Eco-friendly, says the mayor.
But as animal rights groups and the mayor of New York are trying to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park as being abusive (though the “Horse Whisperer” says the horses are content), I’m wondering: what do you think??? Are trash-hauling donkeys a good idea?
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ABOUT CASTELBUONO: Nuvola (Cloud) gets her name from the clouds often hanging over this lovely town. If you’re on holiday in Cefalu, be sure to visit! There’s a stunning Norman castle and museum, some interesting shopping (check out “manna” and the fabulous sweet shop called Fiasconaro), and a yellow piazza bubbling with water, chatter, laughter.
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January 28, 2014
There’s something wonderful about being in Sicily on winter mornings: you have the piazza all to yourself.
Oh, there might be a mutt or two coiled in a corner… but otherwise there’s a deep calm, far from the clamoring crowd. You’re free to breathe in the empty island air and indulge your inner lone wolf.
(Is it the decade of a too-busy life in NYC that’s made me crave solitude? Shoving my way on and off the 6 and 7-train every day?)
This is Marzamemi, a honey-colored fishing village on the east coast of Sicily (south of Siracusa and not far from Noto). I won’t set foot there in summer (crowds!), but in winter I could linger for hours. I hope heaven is as nice.
Won’t you join me for an open-air caffè? Now I’m feeling a little lonely.
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April 16, 2013
Alice hosted a luncheon yesterday.
A 4-legged critter with eyelashes long as dreams, Alice set quite a charming table in the middle of her grassy field, under twirling olive trees.
Her human, Antonio, threw steaks on the grill. Not just any old steaks, but those of Massimiliano Castro, named best butcher in Sicily. We devoured them like a pack of wild animals while Alice, a vegetarian, kept right on chomping her grass. Once in a while her boyfriend would bray from across the valley, and Alice would holler right back. He haw he haw he haw! It’s spring, and love is in the air.
For dessert, Antonio made cuccia, the traditional dessert eaten in Siracusa for Santa Lucia feast day–a heart-stopping concoction of grain, ricotta, honey, orange rind, and orange flower water. Head chef at his Donnalucata restaurant, Consiglio di Sicilia, Antonio plans to add the dessert to his menu. Reason enough to get on a plane and fly here all the way from Kansas.
 Chef Antonio Cicero with his cuccia Among the guests joining Alice was Sicilian-born, Melbourne-based Marisa Raniolo Wilkins, author of the fabulous Sicilian Seafood Cooking. A gorgeous book created with love for all things Sicilian. Complimenti, Marisa!
Thank you, Alice, for a wonderful afternoon in your field. You’re welcome at my table anytime.
 Chef Antonio with Alice ***
If you are interested in having a similar lunch with Alice, either with cooking classes or a culinary tour (incuding a salami tasting with Massimiliano), drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch with Antonio and his wife Roberta.
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 Massimiliano Castro, Sicily’s best butcher Click to subscribe to BaroqueSicily.
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July 31, 2012
The fabulous Susan Van Allen has updated her 100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go, adding budget tips, maps, and online resources to a wonderful list of must-see spots.
You can win this book! To have your name tossed into the hat, just drop a comment on this post before midnight on August 3 EST. You can just say hi, or you can tell us what your favorite place is in Italy (or if you’ve never been to Italy, tell us where you wanna go). Or explain why you must have this book. The contest is open to everyone; if your name is picked from the hat, Susan will send the book to you even if you live at the ends of the Earth.
Grazie Susan, and complimenti!!!
Advice from Susan Van Allen…
Go Solo. Italy is a fantastic place to wander solo, following your very own desires. As Italians are such wonderfully social people, you’ll rarely find yourself feeling lonely….If you are on your own and would like to break up your solo time, log on to Lonely Planet’s Thorntree (www.lonelyplanet.com), CouchSurfing (www.couchsurfing.com) or Connecting Solo Travelers Network (www.cstn.org) to find out who else is around that you could meet up with. Or you could join a group tour that’s focused on an active adventure, sightseeing, or a workshop that focuses on your interests. In other words, “I have no one to go with,” doesn’t have to be an obstacle to your Italian travel dreams.
Flirting. There’s a shrink in New York who prescribes a trip to Italy for women who need a boost to their self-esteem. Italian men have mastered the art of flirting—it’s one of the country’s masterpieces. Females of all ages are adored here. Enjoy, without taking it too seriously. It’s all in the spirit of: You are women, we are men. We are alive! And what a fun game we play! If you get harassment rather than flirting, a loud “Vai Via” (”Go Away”) is the age-old stopper, and it usually works.
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PS. Susan is offering a “Golden Week in Tuscany” for women only from November 3-10. Check it out here.
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All photos and text on BaroqueSicily are Copyright of Jann Huizenga ©2009-2015, unless otherwise noted. Material may not be copied or re-published without written permission. All rights reserved.
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