Celebrating Santa Lucia in Sweden

Saint Lucy was a 4th century Sicilian martyr, born and executed in Syracuse. She’s thought to be responsible for ending a famine 1582, and Sicilians honor her feast day on December 13th by abstaining from bread.

Lucia was a Christian noblewoman of Syracuse who was denounced to the Greek authorities after refusing to marry her pagan suitor. Being a Christian back in the 4th century wasn’t as fun as it is nowadays. Try going back to the year 304, when being denounced as a Christian meant that authorities could rip your freaking eyes out, then stab you in the throat. Like they did to Santa Lucia.

In 1582, a terrible famine swept Sicily. In Syracuse, starving people prayed fervently to Santa Lucia for salvation and, lo, into the harbor did sail a boat mightily flush with wheat. The famished masses were so desperate that they wouldn’t even wait to make bread, and instead boiled the wheat for immediate consumption. They thanked Santa Lucia as their savior (instead of, say, the captain of the wheat-carrying boat) and, ever since, Sicilians have eaten a dish made of boiled wheat called cuccia on December 13th.

Cuccia has evolved from simple boiled wheat, and can now be eaten with chickpeas and fava beans, or made into a dessert with ricotta. We bought some of the ricotta cuccia; the boiled wheat was elaborated with berries, candied fruits and chocolate pieces, and was extremely sweet. When we went for lunch, the restaurant had a special menu for Santa Lucia with all the dishes noticeably lacking bread.

There’s just one way to make cuccia (boil wheat), but it can be made into a variety of dishes. Siclian Cooking Plus has a nice overview of the different recipes, if you’re interested. It’s a nice dish, but I think indulging in it just once a year sounds about right.

- Hotels in Sicily

Rent an apartment in Palermo

When I was just a teenager in Bluffton, Ohio, Pizza Hut brought out its stuffed crust pizza. A revelation! I can clearly remember my reaction on learning about it. “That makes… so much sense.” Stuff the crust of the pizza with cheese! For the next week, I couldn’t sleep and talked of nothing else. How could no one have thought of this before? Worn numb by my fervent pleading, my parents finally acquiesced and we drove out to Pizza Hut. Oh, happy day! Trembling, I cautiously bit into a slice, crust first, and instantly emerged from my delusional state. Stuffed-crust pizza was actually kind of gross. I never ordered it again.

Until last week. Someone told us about the stuffed-crust pizzas of Sciuscia, on Via Dante, and my body seized up with ecstasy, as though I were fifteen again. “Careful”, the angel on my left shoulder warned. “You’ve been burnt before!”

“Nonsense”, whispered the devil into my right ear. “You’re in Sicily! A stuffed-crust pizza in Sicily will have nothing to do with Pizza Hut.” He had a point. “Finally, your long-cherished dream can be realized!”

Mere hours after learning of its existence, we were seated at Sciuscia. Jürgen must have been concerned by my sweat-stained shirt and bulging eyes, but was kind enough to keep quiet. After ordering, the wait seemed an eternity. The waiter once approached us with two pizzas, only to set them down at the neighboring table. I don’t know, they had probably ordered before us, but I could take no more. I leaped atop my chair and howled “STUFF CAAA-RUSSSST”, trying to rip my shirt off, but managing only to wrinkle it.

Eventually our pizzas arrived. And, of course, they were better than Pizza Hut’s. Thousands of times better. Like Beethoven versus the Black Eyed Peas. The crusts at Sciuscia can be stuffed with a variety of cheeses and sauces; ours were both with ricotta. The pizzas themselves were perfect and huge. Despite my excitement and hunger, I couldn’t finish everything.

Not surprisingly, Sciuscia is a popular place, and reservations are recommended. It was the best pizza we’ve had in Palermo.

Location on our Palermo Map
- Cheesy Pizza we had in Buenos Aires

Antipasto Recipes

When you sit down in a small, family-run trattoria in Palermo, something like Trattoria Family Michele & Iolanda, expect to have the freedom of choice snatched away from you. You’ll likely enjoy whatever plate you’re given to eat, but you won’t have much say in what that plate is.

It was a Sunday afternoon and, after having visited La Cuba, we were a little hungry. Breakfast had been hearty, and we really didn’t want to have a big lunch. Spotting a sign in the window of a trattoria promising paninis, we thought “Perfect”. Quick, simple and cheap. Oh, silly Mike. Oh, silly Jürgen!

Inside, the restaurant was cute, with Sicilian trinkets decorating the walls. We were the only guests, and upon seeing us, the owner sprang into action. He sat us down, welcomed us to Palermo on behalf of all Sicilians, and asked what we’ve done and seen. He nearly had a conniption fit upon discovering that he and I shared a first name.

After chatting for a bit, he told us that he was going to whip up some wonderful plates of pasta, followed by a second plate and then dessert. We threw up our hands: stop, stop! We’re not all that hungry, Michele, we’d just like a couple paninis! “Panini?! No! You are in Sicily, and panini you can eat anywhere. No, I will prepare something Sicilian for you, okay?” Well… okay, but just a simple snack, right? “Oh yes yes, just a snack!”

He disappeared and, as minutes passed and the sounds of frantic activity escaped the kitchen, we began to lose faith in the simplicity of our snack. When Michele finally emerged, it was with a gigantic buffet tray of sixteen-thousand Sicilian delicacies. He darted back into the kitchen, and came back out with a plate full of meatballs. But he was not done! On the third trip to our table, he came bearing gifts of arancine. Sigh… we surveyed the feast before us despondently. Well, if we must!

The food was all delicious. We had caponata, an oily eggplant salad, pickled pumpkin slices, fried zucchini, a paella-like rice dish, and peppers with eggs. The meatballs were incredible, as were the arancine. Michele was great company, leaving us alone while eating, but friendly and helpful when we wanted something. We couldn’t finish all the food, which is an almost unheard of rarity between me and Jürgen. And at €25, the price was fair. Of course, it was a little aggravating that this mega-feast wasn’t at all what we wanted. But in the end, with food like this, it’s hard to complain.

Location on our Palermo Map
-Our Favorite Street Food from Palermo

Other Interesting Things We Ate

Thinking about Sicilian food nearly always sets the stomach to growling. Perfectly-baked pizzas, al dente pasta smothered in a rich ragú, fried arancine, swordfish filets, cannoli, pani c’a meusa. Mmmmm… Hold on, wait just a second. That last one, I don’t recognize that. “Oh no? Well then, my friend, we must educate you. Pani c’a meusa!”

It sounds kind of gross… “Nonsense! This is one of Palermo’s favorite snacks. Step right up to my little cart!”

It smells kind of gross… “Nonsense! Nothing could be more delicious than the marvelous pani c’a meusa!”

It looks kind of like chopped-up tripe stuffed into a bun … “Well, yes. That’s exactly what it is. Two euros, please!”

Yep, in this town full of incredible home-cooked pastas and amazing pizzas, of sweets and treats galore, of aromatic bakeries and fresh fruit vendors on every corner, one of the most popular kinds of street food is hacked beef spleen and tripe in a bun. Of course we had to try one, but first a beer. And then another, and a third, and now my courage is sufficiently bolstered. Un pani c’a meusa, per favore!

We were at the Palermo soccer match, and I figured that it was as good a time as any to man up. Honestly, the little sandwich wasn’t all that bad. It was drenched in lemon and sufficiently spiced. But, regardless of the taste, I could never remove from my mind the fact that I was eating tripe, and I wasn’t able to get through the whole thing.

It’s the perfect way to tell a true Palermitano apart from a phony. Set down this tripe-sandwich in front of them… whoever gobbles it up the quickest is the real deal.

-Sicilian Cookbook

We went up and down every street and alley surrounding the San Saverio church at least three times, but we could not find the Trattoria Il Vicolo. “It’s supposed to be near the church! Ask somebody.” But most of the people around the neighborhood were either standing in dumpsters, searching for trash, or sitting before blankets on the street, selling the trash they had just found. Apparently in this corner of town, Saturday is the day for extreme bargain-hunters, and I wasn’t eager to engage anyone in conversation.

But just as we were getting ready to give up on Il Vicolo, we found it. Right across from the church. Exactly where we were supposed to be looking.

It’s tucked into a tiny alley, so wasn’t totally easy to find (yes, there was a big, prominent sign in the church’s plaza, but let’s just ignore that). Coming from the grime of the “market” outside, we had grown a little skeptical about the restaurant’s quality, but on stepping inside, our apprehensions evaporated. Il Vicolo is a lovely little tavern, cozy and familiar with wooden tables and chairs, and an attentive (English-speaking) waitstaff. We immediately felt at home.

The waiter took his time explaining the menu (almost entirely seafood) and by the end of his ten-minute monologue describing each plate in full, our stomachs were grumbling. Soon enough, we were gorging ourselves on delicious, homemade Sicilian food, as delicious as he had made it sound. I had seafood ravioli, generous with little shrimps and mussels, and bathed in a rich tomato sauce. The ravioli were perfectly cooked, and my second plate of grilled swordfish filet was just as good. Jürgen, no fan of seafood, had more limited options. He chose a first plate of fried delicacies followed by spaghetti with an eggplant-based sauce. Eggplant, we’re learning, is a major ingredient in Sicilian cooking.

We had a great time in Il Vicolo and can definitely recommend searching it out for excellent Sicilian seafood. Not only delicious, but it was a good bargain as well. We each had two plates, dessert and a couple glasses of wine for around €30 total.

Location on our Palermo Map
-Italy’s Favorite Hazelnut Spread

Cactus Pear Jelly

One of the stranger fruits we’ve encountered in Palermo has been the cactus pear, which is sold at just about every market stand in the city. Fico d’India, as it’s known here, is native to Sicily, despite its name, and a popular snack with Palermitani. We had to try it.

When we bought them at a fruit stand, the spikes had already been skinned off. Mostly. I thought it’d be safe to handle the fruit like a ball, tossing it into the air and catching it. And for the next couple hours, I was picking the tiny, nearly invisible thorns out of my hands. Lesson 1: never trust a cactus fruit.

Once I had healed up, it was time to try the fico out. We sliced off the ends, as we’d seen vendors at the market do it, then made a slice lengthwise through the skin. After peeling, we were left with a bright red fruit. We chopped it up into a few chunks and I took my revenge on the prickly fruit by consuming it. It’s got a sweet, melon-like taste and the flesh is full of seeds — so many that spitting them out one-by-one would be hopeless. Luckily, they’re edible.

I don’t know if I’ll ever add the cactus fruit to my list of favorites, what with the seeds and pain, but it was certainly interesting to try.

Other weird fruit we tried: The Chirimoya – Mark Twain’s Favorite Fruit

Buy Italian Pottery Online

After a couple hours spent wandering the alleyways of Bagheria, we had worked up quite an appetite, and sought out a restaurant recommended by a couple readers — the Antica Osteria Zza’ Maria. The word “Zza” alone was enticement enough to visit; it looks like a typo, or the sound a flamboyant snake might make, but it’s actually Sicilian for “Aunt”.

The door to the restaurant was shut tight when we arrived, but after a couple timid knocks, it was swung wide open by the owner. He seemed thrilled to have us, and I half expected him to give us hugs before leading us to our table. Without asking, he brought us an appetizer of eggs and zibibbo, a sweet white wine produced on the island of Pantelleria (off the southwestern Sicilian coast, closer to Africa than Italy).

As we were scarfing down the eggs, we listened to a bit of the history of the restaurant. It had begun life at the turn of the century as a wine shop, but when the proprietor died in World War One, his bereaved widow (Aunt Maria) turned it into a tavern. It was the first of its kind in Bagheria, and an immediate success, popular with artists and intellectuals.

After concluding this discourse, he told us what we would be eating. Note the distinction: “told” and not “asked”. We’ve found this to be a common practice in Sicily, especially in less touristy spots, and one I’ve come to appreciate. When the house recommends your plate, it’s almost guaranteed to be great, and the stress of decision-making is removed. It’s also more familiar — when you’re invited for lunch at your aunt’s house, you eat what you’re given.

As I knew it would be, my frutti di mar seafood pasta was incredible. Fresh mussels, shrimps and a lovely, light cream sauce over homemade linguini. Jürgen, disinclined to seafood, was presented with a rich ragù. Passing on dessert wasn’t an option, I mean it simply wasn’t a choice we were allowed to make, and he set down two giant cannoli in front of us which we dutifully gobbled down.

It was an incredible meal, in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. If you find yourself hungry in Bagheria, head over to Zza’ Maria for some excellent home cooking.

Location on our Sicily Map
-Book Your Sicilian Hotel Here

Make your own: Connoli Tubes

One of our Palermitano readers recently told us that although the most famous nickname for the city is la Felice (“The Happy One”), Palermo is more well known around Sicily as la Licca (“The Glutton”). I think both apply. As I munch down yet another cannolo, I am both happy and gluttonous. Yes, I know I’ve got cream smeared across my face and cookie flakes on my shirt. So what? BURP

Cannolo is the singular, cannoli is the plural… and, as I’ve recently learned, you should never say cannolis. The word means “little tube”, which in this case is a sweet, fried wafer, rolled up and filled with thick, white ricotta-based cream. Tube-shaped, filled with white cream; don’t let it spoil your enjoyment of the treat, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that cannoli were originally a symbol of fertility, eaten during Carnival.

Cannoli are insanely delicious, and it’s no wonder that they’ve become popular throughout the world. Though you can find cannoli in the USA, those little mini-sticks don’t compare with the mammoth tubes of Palermo (I know, I know, the “symbol of fertility”; but try not to read innuendo into my words). American cannoli just don’t compare; Palermo is the treat’s birthplace, and still the best place in the world to try them. But even within the city, quality varies widely. Some of the more touristy places don’t use actual ricotta, or leave them sitting around for hours, which ruins the cookie’s crispiness.

We had our introduction to cannoli at Bakery Rosciglione, near the Ballarò Market, and still haven’t tasted better. The cream and the wafers are made fresh in this tiny shop, and when we expressed curiosity, the baker ushered us into the kitchen, so we could see how he prepared them fresh. (Yes, he took us into the back room to show us his cannoli. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

So, cannoli. Yet another Palermitano attack upon our fitness level. You win, Sicily — we give up. We’ll stop trying to control ourselves, and just give ourselves over to gluttony.

Location of Rosciglone on our Palermo Map
- Pizza Cook Books

Music From Italy

I would say it was a pretty successful night. We had discovered Mikalsa, a cool bar within walking distance of our apartment, and heard an incredible concert by Renzo Rubino, a local artist trying to make it big. Plus, we became instant addicts of Mikalsa’s home-brewed beer called Panormus, in honor of Palermo’s original Greek name.

Renzo Rubio makes an odd kind of music. He’s a charistmatic, larger-framed guy with a strong, gravelly voice and mad skills on the piano, and the performance was proudly “guitar-free”. His backing band consisted of violins, drums and accompanying singers, and they produced an strangely festive sound, somehow reminiscent of Barnum & Bailey’s.

Mikalsa was a perfect venue for the concert, with cozy furniture and a good crowd. I’ve already mentioned their home-brewed beer, but allow me to do so again, because thinking about it bathes my mind in happiness. Like so much of the food in Palermo, the beer was sweet. And it was strong; I don’t know what the alcohol content is, but we were buzzing after just two rounds.

If you’re looking for a cool place to hang out and perhaps catch a show, definitely check out Mikalsa Bar. And keep an eye out for Renzo Rubino’s concerts; lots of fun.

Location of Mikalsa Bar on our Palermo Map
Facebook Link: Renzo Rubino & MiKalsa Bar

Cheesy Pizza in Buenos Aires

Sicilian cuisine continues to spring wonderful new surprises on us. I had been completely unaware of the existence of sfincione, or Sicilian Pizza, and now I will never be able to forget it.

After visiting Monreale’s cathedral and cloister, we had worked up quite an appetite, and found Pizzeria Toto, a cute spot tucked into a nearby alleyway. This was one of these great Sicilian places which don’t even provide you with a menu — the waiter asked if we wanted cheese. “Sure!” And pizza? “Yeah!” And that’s what he brought us.

The cheese selection was excellent, but when he sat down the plate piled high with sfincione, I nearly fell over. Sfincione is pizza, but somehow even better. It has thick, chewy dough baked with anchovies, onions and cheese, and is served in square slices. We rapidly inhaled every bit, and thought about ordering a second round.

Toto was a perfect choice for lunch. The interior is charming, with kitschy decoration, posters and books, and there’s a table outside, which is where we sat. If you’re looking for an excellent, filling meal while in Monreale, this place fits the bill.

Location on our Sicily Map
-last minute holidays