EvainSicily

nostalgia dell'estate?? the first autumn days and rain and rain and we already complaint about it, thinking to the next summer!

Gouts like carobs Through the Arabs carob trees were introduced in Sicily and since then (IX century) these plants characterize the Sicilian landscape, when you drive outside the city roads. Carobs are have a lot of properties, especially to make candies to cure throatpain...it's used to produce flour and to feed sheep and cattle! Gouts seem to like them a lot!! Do you know that is one of the ingridient of Cocacola??

a murtidda I don't know what is the Italian word for murtidda... I simply know that is a kind of a wild fruit with a sweet and sour taste..and that when you see bushes of murtidda   in the Sicilian countryside  it means tha summer is over!!  

Walking around the little lanes of our historical centres, and not only, it's very common to see laundry hanging on balconies. I didn't realize that it's very unusual  till a few years ago when an American painter asked me if it was possible to find a papyrus watercolor (a typical souvenir from Syracusa) with a Sicilian balcony painted on it. Sure!!! We went to who I consider the best artist making very good paintings on original papyrus paper..She showed her plenty of lovely portraits of sicilian medieval or Baroque windows and balconies. The American lady always commented that they were very nice but not properly Sicilian....WhY? I was surprised..She said...."well, there's something missing to me..I'd like to see the laundry!!!" "The laundry" exclaimed the Sicilian artist, thinking it was not elegant to paint laundry in a Baroque balcony!. Well, the American painter commissioned  to her two papyrus watercolors as she liked! After three years,

Sometimes, some tourists tell us that it would be nice to put a uniform. on..to keep a flag or un umbrella  or whatever make them easier to follow their guide and not to go with  a different group!! Yes , it can happen..Once I had just three ladies ..and in a couple of minutes I had already lost one as she went with a different guide!! Some guides like to put on clothes with strong colours or raise a flag, a flower, a puppet...an umbrella.. I don't do that and especially Italian,s tell me I'm wrong. Why?  Chi mi ama mi segua!!  This is my answer to them.....and they reply" You're not tall"  and I Il vino migliore sta nelle botti piccole... (best wine is in small barrels...). Anyway, to dress like a nun.....beh ..we're not so Virtuose, one day maybe there will be only virtual guides, but this is a different story.

With some imagination Piazza Duomo can become a Milonga  dancing a sensual Tango also with an umbrella!!! It's a big problem to find a partner for tango lessons here, at least  till some years ago...now Sicilian men are changing and some are taking Tango lessons , but a few arrive at the end of the course!! Uffa!!! Anyway in Siracusa there's a very good school of Tango...... The day after, arriving in Piazza Duomo with a group of tourists, , instead,  we thought to be in a set of a movie.....cameramen and photoreporters all around!! A movie??? oh no!.....A sicilian wedding.....a very elegant couple were the protagonists of a real wedding!! Do you like it? Or do you prefer a more private atmosphere?

Sicily is a land of contraddictions and compromises.......so that is an example.. a Sicilian chart with tyres!!!!!

 Although the climate  here tell us that is still summer (over 26° celcius),there are other signs that tell us Autumn is coming..... chestnuts....smoking...  .  grapes harvested  ..ready to make  mosto for good red wine ... and mosto  to make a good mostarda at home here my manmmy's neighbour: recepy: it's important to ferment the mosto putting  it together with wood's ashes for about 4 or 5 hours in a pan . and then make a pudding in the traditional way. here my mammy has used some special old moulds to shape the mostarda...but she forgot to put a layer of minced almonds to decorate the top...Next time!!!!

the interior of the Duomo in Ortigia (Siracusa) Catania -a Baroque Church on via Etnea Beneventano Palace in Piazza Duomo in Ortigia (Siracusa)   The Cathedral in Noto   Wedding in Sicily can still be like a movie.,where you'll be the main characters for an unforgettable day!...there are beautiful locations for civil and religious weddings and beautiful villas , manor houses for wonderful partie. and banquette..or quiet romantic places for an overwhelmig romantic atmosphere...