Driving off the ramp of the ferry after crossing the Straits of Messina, we entered the mysterious land of Calabria. Tales of the “miseria” (an era of hardship and famine) propelling the expulsion of entire families across the Atlantic made us think the landscape would be dry and infertile. What lay between Naples and Sicily…
Archives for May 2017
‘Nduja- a uniquely Calabrian salami
‘Nduja is a spicy spreadable salami from the area around Monte Poro, the area just inland from the Capo Vaticano between Nicotera and Tropea. While its origin is unknown, some believe that ‘nduja is derived from andouille (the French sausage made from tripe) and was introduced by the Spanish when they ruled southern Italy. Before…
Peas and prosciutto – a match made in heaven
Pea season is upon us. The beginning of the season is the best with the taught pods bursting with plump peas. At the end of the season, the skins will turn leathery and the peas hard and floury. The surprising sweetness of the young peas is the perfect match for salty prosciutto. This is the…
Dreaming of Sicily: aubergine/eggplant pasta timbale
We were fondly reminiscing about our trips to Sicily after my post last week. As usual the discussions led to the food – the intensely flavoured vegetables, the remarkable cheeses and the freshness of the seafood. Our children had many favourites of the trip, some of which surprised me, such as pasta with sardines and…
Sicily’s Ionian coast
We were looking to extend the summer by heading south in the beginning of autumn. We choose to base ourselves around Etna so that we could explore the volcano and its many up-and-coming wine estates and taste the famous Bronte pistachios, visit the plains of Catania famous for their anti-oxidant rich blood oranges, spend some…