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!

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!

A Taste of Mexico

Well, we're wrapping up our trip to Guadalajara, and I have to say that I've tasted some incredible flavors over the past few days. Our hosts were kind enough to take us for some authentic Mexican cuisine, and I must tell my fellow gringos that you don't know what you're missing!

Take the chalupa as an example. We had some last night at La Tequila, and they were so very tasty -- nothing like the ones you're going to find at Taco Bell. Their smoky flavor, combined with the sweetness of the corn tortillas made for an excellent way to start the meal.

I also sampled several different flans while I was here (R&D, people), and last night's was most decadent, as the caramel sauce was made with goat's milk, which gave it a tart richness that served as a perfect foil to the flan. This flan was a bit more like a soft cheesecake rather than the usual smooth, gelatinous type I'm used to -- this did nothing to harm the flavor.

And of course, I took the time to sample a number of beverages, as you can see below. I sipped some fantastic Partida Blanco tequila, which has a gorgeous perfume of agave, and I followed it with a sip of sangrita, a drink whose ingredients spurred some debate at dinner, as it is crafted from roasted chiles, potentially with some tomato. Half the table insisted that tomato was not part of the mix, but I definitely tasted tomato. I'll get to the bottom of this with some additional research (I did get to the bottom of the glass, however).

Most importantly, I hand-crafted some margaritas at the table, as I was not enthralled with the restaurant's mixture. I've recently been introduced to the Partida Margarita, and I have to tell you that it is, hands-down, the best margarita I've ever tasted. The secret is in the agave nectar, which is used in place of any sugar syrups or mixes. The delicate perfume of the nectar supports that in the tequila, resulting in a finish that is oh-so-smooth. It is simple to make:

3/4 ounce Partida agave nectar
3/4 ounce water
1 1/2 ounces Partida Blanco tequila
juice from one lime
ice

That's it! Mix them all together, pour over ice and savor near a body of water, preferably in a place that comes with a hot cabana boy.

OK, I'm off to pack, so we'll share more of our delicious dishes from Guadalajara when we're back in NY. Adios!


food, Mexico, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, tequila, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow