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I was sitting at my desk in the Free Press newsroom this week — scarfing down my plain-Jane lunch of carrots and dip, a sandwich and crackers and cheese — when I had a carnal craving for caponata.
Last week, I was in Sicily along with about 100 other journalists from around the world who had been invited to the 25th annual Sicilia En Primeur. The main events took place on Friday and Saturday, with area producers bringing new and current offerings to Mangia’s Resort in Pollina for writers to taste. North of 400 reds, whites, rosés and sparkling wines (as well as some marsala) were popped and poured, of which I managed to taste about 150.
Winery representatives and journalists mingle and taste at Sicilia En Primeur. (Ben Sigurdson / Free Press)
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Before the main events kicked off, writers were split into 6 to 8 person groups and sent off to spend a few days visiting various wineries and other local attractions on the southern Italian island. Our group focused on wines from around the northern edge of Mt. Etna; the light but tannic reds are made from the indigenous Nerello Moscalese grape, while the crisp, almost-salty whites are made from Carricante grapes, sometimes with a bit of Catarratto blended in. These grapes aren’t grown much beyond Sicily but thrive in the area’s climate and the dark volcanic soils. (More on the wines in a future Uncorked column; sadly very little Etna-area Sicilian vino makes it to our market.)
Our little group of wine writers from all corners of the globe enjoy lunch at Graci, a winery north of Etna whose wines are stellar. Note the giant hunks of local cheese being offered around. (Ben Sigurdson / Free Press files)
At many winery visits we’d be fed, which typically involved a range of Sicilian specialties served family style. Sicilian cuisine takes influences from a range of neighbouring cultures based on centuries of migration through the area from Greece, the Middle East and beyond. At one winery stop, for example, we took part in a cooking class where we helped make couscous alla trapanese, which features a delicious tomato-based fish stock combined with couscous cooked in a traditional Sicilian ceramic crock.
The finished couscous alla trapanese dish we (barely) helped make at Firriato winery. (Ben Sigurdson / Free Press)
Winery visits that took place at lunchtime often featured boards laden with cured meats, cheeses and olives alongside local dishes such as the aforementioned caponata, a mix of chopped up fried eggplant, peppers, olives and more marinated in oil. You’d typically find it next to platters of arancini (fried balls of rice coated in breadcrumbs, sometimes also featuring fish), grilled eggplant, frittatas and local breads.
Caponata (top) next to a heaping pile of sundried tomatoes. (Ben Sigurdson / Free Press)
Arancini wasn’t the only delicious fried fare. There was crocchè, fried croquettes made of mashed potato, as well as panelle, flat square fritters made from chickpea flour and then deep fried, often served in little slider-sized buns. They were dangerously addictive.
We’d all stuff ourselves on this delicious spread before inevitably being served a “main course” — usually some sort of homemade pasta in tomato sauce. Dessert followed, of course, often cannoli with fresh local ricotta and pistachios.
Oh, did I mention this was typically what we’d eat for lunch? After saying our goodbyes we’d waddle back to the van, strap our bulging bellies in and make our way to our next stop.
So you can understand, then, why during lunch yesterday the theme song for The Godfather started playing in my head while I sadly dunked my carrot stick in ranch dip at my desk.
La dolce vita, indeed.
The whole time I was gone, I couldn’t help but think of my colleague Alan Small, who died suddenly days before I left. My colleague Jen Zoratti wrote a lovely tribute to Al in her newsletter; do give it a read. There will be more on Alan’s life in this weekend’s Free Press.
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