CMN Video: Making a Sicilian Cassata

CMN Video: Making a Sicilian Cassata

While in Palermo, Sicily, we were treated to a gala dinner in a medieval palazzo. For dessert, the chef showed us how to make a classic Sicilian dessert, the Cassata.



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Exploring Palermo's Capo Market

CMN Video: Exploring Palermo's Capo Market

Jennifer and Chef Mark explore the stalls of Capo Street Market in Palermo, Sicily, discovering the vibrant fruits and vegetables on display. Chef Mark speaks with Culinary Tour Guide Michele Topor about the more unusual meats on offer.



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 2 - Planeta

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 2 - Planeta

Chef Mark is joined by Penny Murray of the Planeta Estate in Sicily, who describes the qualities of their 3 olive oils, and their unique process for extracting the oil from their olives.

www.planeta.it



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 1 - Mandranova

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 1 - Mandranova

Jennifer learns the proper way to smell and taste olive oil from Sylvia di Vincenzo of the Mandranova Estate in Sicily.

Look for part 2 where Chef Mark speaks with Penny Murray of Planeta, also in Sicly.

www.mandranova.it



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Fork in the Road Sicily

CMN Video: Fork in The Road - Sicily

Jennifer and Chef Mark speak with Tony May and Gianfranco Sorrentino from GRI, or Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, about GRI's mission to promote the image of Italian Cuisine in the United States. Each year, they visit a region of Italy to learn about fresh artisanal products. This year, the destination was Sicily, and the Culinary Media Network came along to join in on the fun! From ancient Greek ruins, to sumptuous feasts in rustic farmhouses to Medieval Palazzi and winery tours, we took a big bite out of Sicily!



A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com



Mara Eli, Francesco Cafiso
"Sicilia" (mp3)
from "Made in Sicily The Songs"
(Alfredo Lo Faro)

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CMN - RP145: Marsala Wine

ReMARKable Palate #145: Marsala Wine

Today's show is an audio soundseeing tour of Florio, the legendary producer of Marsala wine, in the town of Marsala, in the province of Trapani, on the far western coast of Sicily. Our guide Marcello tells us about the history of this historic winery, which has been in operation since 1833, where some of the casks still have 100 year old wine in them! Listen with earbuds, since I recorded this with binaural microphones, and you'll get the full stereo soundseeing experience.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Theme Song: "Go Fish", by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

CMN - A Fork in the Road: Selinunte

Video - Fork in The Road: Selinunte

We pay a visit to the ruins of Selinunte, on the southern coast of Sicily, and one of the best preserved examples of Greek archistecture in the world.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Views from Sicily

The weather has been almost perfect here in Sicily, with the exception of one cold, rainy day. I'm sorry I haven't been able to blog like I had planned to, but the internet connection in Ortigia was spotty, so keeping in touch was not as easy as I had hoped.

However, we have moved along from Ortigia to Palermo, where it is not only sunny, warm and bright as can be, but the WiFi connection rocks. Score!

Hopefully you've been watching the videos on our home page to keep up with this week's adventures, but I also wanted to show you some still images from our activities this week.

Yesterday we toured the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, where the ancient architecture still stands proudly on the hilltops overlooking the sea:



Well, of course I had to get in the picture! Here is the same hilltop from another view:



Speaking of views, we are staying at the Villa Igiea in Palermo, from which I have a swoon-inducing seaside view. I took this photo at sunrise, but will try to capture the view in brighter light later today.



One thing I am compelled to share is that the fruit and vegetables here (not to mention cheeses and sausage meats) have incredible flavor -- not like anything you will ever taste in America, anywhere. When I arrived in my room there was a little taste of Italy waiting for me, and even the strawberries were bursting with sweetness:



Another tidbit I'm compelled to share is that we are with a FANTASTIC group of people. Some are restaurateurs from around the US, including a few of New York's best restaurants, others are journalists, and a happy few are simply food enthusiasts who could not resist the pull of traveling throughout Sicily with the group.

We are making some wonderful new friends (and hearty eating/drinking comrades), and this trip is one of the best I've had in the past few years. I'll share more later, but right now I have to hop in the shower and get down to the group! Have a great day!

CMN - A Fork in the Road: Cafe Sicilia Pt 2

Video - Fork in The Road: Cafe Sicilia Pt 2

Jennifer leads us through a tasting of 4 of the hand made gelati from Cafe Sicilia in Noto.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - A Fork in the Road: Cafe Sicilia Pt 1

Video - Fork in The Road: Cafe Sicilia Pt 1

We pop into Cafe Sicilia, he oldest Pasticceria in Noto, a small town in Sicily, and discover their gelati and pastries. More from this important spot in future "Fork in the Road" mini-episodes.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - Fork in the Road: Sicilian Tuna

Video - Fork in The Road: Sicilian Tuna

Chef Mark talks about the many tuna and fish products we learn about on a lunch featuring the agricultural and artisanal products of Sicily.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - A Fork in the Road: The Ear of Dionysus

Video - Fork in The Road: The Ear of Dionysus

We're in the ancient Greek ruins of Siracusa, and Jennifer introduces us to "The Ear of Dionysus".

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - Fork in the Road: Sicilian Lunch

Video - Fork in The Road: Sicilian Lunch

Jennifer shows us some of the unique DOP and IGP products we sampled at a special lunch featuring products from the Southeatern Region of Sicily.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - Fork in the Road: Siracusa (Chef Mark)

Video - Fork in The Road: Siracusa (Chef Mark)

Another quick update from Siracusa, in Sicily, as we enjoy a warm, sunny breezy day.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN - A Fork in the Road: Siracusa (Jennifer)

Video - Fork in The Road: Siracusa (Jennifer)

A quick update from Siracusa, in Sicily, as we enjoy a warm, sunny breezy day. First in a series of almost live vlog updates.

A Fork in the Road is a production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We're Off to Sicily!

Yes, we're on the road again, folks!

My pointy shoes are packed, and Chef Mark and I are off to Sicily for a whirlwind tour of the island, its unique gastronomic treasures and ancient landmarks. We'll be traveling with a wonderful group of journalists (some of whom were with us on our tour of Alto Adige and Asiago), as well as restaurateur Tony May and our intrepid host Dario Chiarini.

Our journey will include an exploration of Sicilian olive oil, unique in the world for its healthful properties. It also has a fantastic pizzicante, which gives you that little (big) peppery kick to the back of the throat. For more about Sicilian olive oil, listen to my chat with K. Dun Gifford and Dr. Fausto Luchetti on Food Philosophy #60 about Sicily and the Mediterranean diet.

And if you listened to my latest Food Philosophy episode, you know that we're trying to bring a new element to this trip with live (or semi-live) video blogging and more Fork in the Road episodes from planes, trains, automobiles, restaurants or wherever our feet happen to find us.

In addition to the food and wine frenzy, we'll also get the chance to visit ancient sites like Selinunte, an abandoned ancient Greek city with ruins of an acropolis and numerous temples. The city was founded in the seventh century BC, and effectively destroyed in 409 BC. Selinunte's glorious heyday lasted for a period of about two centuries, when it was one of the most progressive Greek cities in Sicily, famous throughout Magna Graecia.

For me personally, this will be a fascinating trip, as my father is from the land just across the strait of Messina in Calabria. Unfortunately we won't be getting over there on this trip, but I am eager nonetheless for a taste of southern Italy. Let's have a little heat and spice!

We're very excited to take you along with us in real-time for this journey, so keep an eye on our CMN home page for updates!

Food Philosophy #60: Sicily and the Mediterranean Diet

Food Philosophy #60: Sicily and the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is much more than a diet -- it's a lifestyle. Happily, olive oil plays a big part in that, and this week I'm talking to some experts on the subject of olive oil and living well. Join me as I speak with Dr. Fausto Luchetti and K. Dun Gifford about Sicilian olive oil, their work to advocate the Mediterranean diet, and the new Sicilian Regional Institute of Olives and Oil.

I also caught up with renowned restaurateur Tony May to talk about his adventures with other restaurant owners as they travel through Italy tasting and sipping (I need to get in on that group).

P.S. Don't miss next week's three-part video of our eating tour of the Lower East Side, coming out on Food Philosophy, ReMARKable Palate and All You Can Eat!


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Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Podcast Network (http://www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com/).





food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow, Sicily, olive oil