Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Our family in Sicily must be connected to an intercontinental antenna because somehow, they knew May 31 was our wedding anniversary!

After a relaxed day and a “girly” outing with my niece (actually, we took a long brisk walk, making some extra room for dinner), we were invited to experience some true Sicilian cuisine. With reservations at 8:00 pm, the place was practically empty when we arrived, meaning that Italians, including Sicilians, eat very late and start enjoying life when the night begins to set in. By 9:00 pm, the place was busy, busy…

We started by dipping into an appetizers buffet, followed by pasta and/or pizza (the type you have no idea exists if you don’t make the trip to Italy), followed by cheese, followed by a piece of traditional cassata cake, followed by espresso. There! No room left!

A word on Sicilian cassata: This very sweet and delicious traditional desert is a cake that combines fruit juices or liqueur, whipped ricotta cheese and tiny chocolate chips on a sponge cake base. It is covered with a layer of marzipan, pink and green icing, and decorated with candied and citrus fruits. Some cassatas are very elaborate and look spectacular!

I invite you to check out Lo Strascino restaurant (located on Viale Regionale Siciliana) to discover the decor and  some of the delicacies the place has to offer. They do not seem to have an official Website.

The evening ended with a stroll in Monreale, located on the slopes of Monte Caputo and looking down on Palermo. What a great opportunity to practice night photography (Phil: I am sure you will be happy about that!). More about this place when we come back during the day.

We’ve got to stop hitting our bed at 1:00 am!!!

Buona notte,

Anna