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Sicily Scene
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A 59-year-old linguist and teacher from Cardiff, Wales, UK describes her life in Sicily.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'friendship'
CHRISTMAS IS COMING...
... and out on the balcony the winter fuchsia is thriving, despite my benign neglect: Sicilians don't usually decorate until the Immacolata holiday on 8th December but I couldn't wait any longer! [The photos in the background are of the "White Christ...
PASTA AL FORNO BY ROSA
Every cook in Italy has a special way of making pasta al forno - one of the world's great comfort dishes - and this is Rosa's version. She brought me what she calls a "small portion". Ottima, Rosa!...
TWO FEASTS AND A GIFT
Last night in Modica there was a very special party for a very special lady, as my dear friend Linda celebrated a significant birthday. Without further ado, I am going to show you the wonderful, international feast that she and Chiara had prepared fo...
LUNCH WITH MY POET
I'm delighted to be able to tell you that "my poet", Antonio Lonardo, now has a blog. Do go over and say "hello" - he'll like it.Antonio and Carla invited me to lunch today:Antipasti of this year's olives, marinated artichokes and gherkins - all pati...
SUPPER BY ROSA
I've said it before and I'll say it again: no one makes focaccia like Rosa, who brings me some every time she makes it. She rolls the dough wafer-thin, and the texture is somewhere between that of traditional Sicilian focaccia dough and filo pastry. ...
A NORTH-SOUTH LUNCH
To Linda's today for a north-south lunch in more ways than one. First of all the company: Linda from the south of England, her family from the south of Italy, friends from Modena in the north of Italy [a town in which I spent a happy time in the 1980...
SATURDAY NIGHT...
It's cold and rainy in Sicily but I'm OK as Lucia has just brought me a focaccia filled with broccoli and salsiccia which she baked in her own traditional stone oven.I'm off to eat it while it's still hot!...
MORE AUTUMN ABUNDANCE
Kind Lucia visited this morning, bringing me these wonderful gifts from her garden: loti or kaki in dialect [Sharon fruit or persimmons], pomegranates and quinces. [The tiny pears around the side are from the greengrocer's and are the sweetest I have...
SOAP, NO WATER AND PAINS IN THE NECK
Autumn has come very suddenly to Sicily and as I write there is sheet lightning in the Scicli direction. We have now had two days of nasty storms and late last night there were some quite terrifying thunderclaps.Everybody seems to be feeling low and ...
FOODIE FRIDAY - A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY FEAST
Yesterday was Rosa's birthday and I was invited to a very special lunch at her home to celebrate the occasion:First, there was pasta with sweet tomato sauce: Rosa had made two enormous Italo-Albanian types of focaccia, one with a filling of onions an...
PHOTO MEME
I don't often do memes but this one is simple and quick and doesn't involve an intricate set of rules. In addition, it was Leslie over in Canada who tagged me and she was tagged by Liz in Wales, then Anne in Oxfordshire told me I'd been tagged. All t...
FROM LUCIA'S GARDEN
Last night my friend Lucia brought me a bag of enormous basil leaves from her garden, along with some courgette flowers, peppers and chilli peppers. A late-night pesto-making session was in order! ...
A VERY MODICAN DIVA
Some of you may remember that in July I wrote about a concert given here in Modica by the soprano Adriana Iozzia, who is my close friend Irma's daughter. On that occasion, it was difficult to take photographs of Adriana in the theatre so I thought th...
SILK SURPRISE
Two years ago I helped a neighbour's daughter with her university research on teacher evaluation in the UK. I was glad to help and refused to take the payment that she offered. Since then, she has brought me a little gift whenever she returns to Sici...
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ
Last night I had supper in the company of an 86-year-old man: He entered the garden where we were seated and, in a move worthy of Fred Astaire, threw his walking stick onto the bamboo, sat down and proceeded to regale us with tales of old Modica. Thi...
FOODIE FRIDAY: A FEAST FOR FRIENDS
Marie-Laure and David left Sicily yesterday so on Wednesday evening I cooked them a Sicilian feast.For the antipasti below I bought spiced mushrooms and grilled carciofi [artichokes] and made the filling for the cherry tomatoes. This is what you do: ...
A DAY IN AGRIGENTO
Ever since I came to live in Sicily, I've been trying to get back to Agrigento, whose breathtaking Valle dei Templi should surely be listed among the Wonders of the World. When I first visited Modica, it was just possible to do the journey to Agrigen...
A GIFT FROM ALBANIA
Rosa [my cleaning lady, confidante and friend] has returned to Italy from her holiday in Albania. She had a good time, looks well and happy and was thrilled to learn that so many of you had wished her well on this blog. Rosa was as delighted to bring...
UNA DOMENICA D'ESTATE
A lovely, relaxing Sunday at the sea today, with friends Marco and Giovanna who have a house at Sampieri.As soon as I arrived, Giovanna put a dish of pineapple ice cream, which she had just made in a bimby [I want one!] into my hand. It was delicious...
MOUNTAINGIRL'S PHOTO CHALLENGE - "SPARKLING" [BY SIMI]
By Simi the dogHello, folks. It's Simi here! I bet that surprised you, didn't it?! My Mummy asked me to tell you we're a day late with Auntie mountaingirl's Photo Challenge and that's because Mummy was out shopping with Auntie Marie-Laure from la be...
L'ANNÉE DES RETROUVAILLES
I haven't seen my French friend Marie-Laure for 6 years and at the beginning of each year that I've been in Sicily we have promised each other that that year would be "l'année des retrouvailles". However, family commitments, work and life in general...
A FEAST FOR FERRAGOSTO
What a feast at Maria and Luca's today! I'll just let you enjoy the pictures:There was squid salad [which I had to pass on, as I can't eat fish]:Maria had made pane condito - [bread seasoned with oil and herbs] served with fresh cheese inside:She had...
A DAY AT THE SEA
I loved the sea as a child and I still love it - provided it's warm and once I'm in it, that is. I must admit, though, that the thought of going to a beach fills me with panic: not because I'm afraid of the sea or of showing more of me than is usual,...
A STORY OF POSTCARDS
Like my blogging friends Lucia in Toronto and Anne in Oxfordshire, I love receiving postcards so I was delighted when this one arrived from Lucia last week: Lucia was wondering whether it is possible to buy postcard albums and I thought I'd show her,...
POSITIVE DAY - POST 1
Positive Day is the inspiration of a 12-year old girl and you can read all about the idea here. I am delighted to be taking part.Like everyone else, I've had my troubles, particularly during this past year, so today presents me with a great opportuni...
DAILY DOINGS - 22
"Patriuccia! Patri-uuuuuu-ccia! Sono io! " [It’s me!] sang a woman’s voice over the intercom earlier this evening. [ Sicilians are fond of the – uccio / a suffix as as term of affection. ] It was, of course, Lucia, who had arrived bearing yet a...
