Sunday, March 17 - More sights and Family dinner with Maria & Ignazio

Quattro Canti - Created in the 1600s, it divides central Palermo into 4 main districts.  Each of the  4 corners is decorated with the patron saints of the 4 seasons and Spanish kings. At the base, there is a fountain offering water to weary travelers.

 

And NOW, it's time for the family dinner with Maria and Ignazio.

 

While waiting for Ignazio to pick us up, a wonderful family who lived opposite our apartment introduced themselves.  Afterwards we always stopped to talk.  They were always sharing something with us, like a mid-afternoon snack of boiled veal, stories of their past, etc.  When we left, they presented us with a beautiful picture book of Palermo.

 

Please meet

Celestina, Carmello e Cesare

 

 

 

Our quiet Sunday dinner was, in reality, an enormous savory Sicilian feast.  

 

Maria invited her sister Laura and her family - Walter, her husband and Guglielmo, their son.  Laura works for the government and is not only well-versed on Sicilian public and political issues, but also American issues.  She is out-going, quick to smile and laugh and a talented fast talker.  Both Maria and Ignazio kept saying, "Slow down Laura, Tony and Judi cannot understand you."  And for 30 seconds she would do that.  Then there was Walter, a quiet, creative man who works for a Swiss pharmaceutical company and has created his own company selling holistic medicines.  And then there was Guglielmo, a teenager of about 16 with blond and red dyed hair and an earring, fortunately in his ear.  Like his Mom, he offered us insights to Sicilian life.

 



 

From left to right - Guglielmo (Laura and Walter's son), Ignazio, Maria, Walter (Laura's husband), and Laura.

 

From left to right - Tony, Guglielmo, Ignazio, Maria and Walter

  



And now our Sicilian feast!!

 

Aperitivi

 

 Bruschetta Ricci di Mare (fabulous!)

Tuna, caught by Walter, preserved in oil (Mmmmmm!)

Ricotta di Bufala (to die for and difficult to find)

Caponata (Laura made the best ever combination of eggplant, peppers, oil & spices)

An assortment of Sicilian cheeses

Homemade Sicilian red wine from Agrigento - grapes picked and pressed by Ignazio, his brother and their families from their farm in Agrigento. Extraordinary! AND we were so happy to receive an extra bottle to take home!!

 

 

All of these apperitivi were delicious, unique and full of flavor.  Tony and I would have been happy stopping here.  But more dishes were to come.

 

Il Primo Piatto

 

  Pasta with broccoli

(Italian broccoli looks like a hybrid of American broccoli and cauliflower.)

 

T

 

 

Il Secondo Piatto (main course)

 

Eggplant parmesan

BECCAFICU!!  (What a wonderful surprise!)

Carne involtini (thin slices of beef stuffed with a filling and then rolled and cooked)

 

Dessert 

 

Fruit and maraschino cherries

Homemade cannoli with bufala ricotta

Homemade limoncello

 

WE DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN!!

EVERYTHING was OUTSTANDING!!

 

Judi wishes she could have spent a few days with Maria and Laura in their kitchen!!