Exploring: Marzamemi

After a nice Sunday walk in Vendicari, we ventured south to the fishing village of Marzamemi. Unassuming buildings pushing us towards the open space of the simple, but inviting piazza. Gorgeous stone walls, enticing doors painted vibrant turquoise and red,  boats bobbing in the water and a tasty lunch at Taverna La Cialoma (especially the octopus salad and eggplant with lemon ricotta). We were on a mission to share a piece of Sicily with Nicola and actually we ended up experiencing something new and wonderful ourselves (thank you, Margaret!).

Sunday Walk

Vendicari Nature Reserve: flamingos, cormorants, colorful kingfishers, beach balls, fluffy winter grass...it is still one of our favorite spots in Sicily and it was fun to share it with Nicola.

Pink Soup

Here's a recent recipe from Camille:

-Dig out two old bottles of strawberry milk from under the back seats of your van

-Pour into a large pot

-Stir

-Measure

-Stir again

-Pour into a cup and try to convince your mother to drink it

Here are two kid friendly cook books we like:

Pretend Soup

The Silver Spoon for Children

Both of these cook books have illustrated steps so kids can follow and concoct easily. Both have recipes that appeal to adults and kids. Both are worth buying and using again and again. Neither one of them recommends using rotten strawberry milk, but they still have good recipes.

Lots of things have been "cooking" around here lately. Serious dragon construction work, lantern hanging, and lots of book reading. And we are in the midst of another amazing author visit. This time the author is from England and she's written some very cool, animal tales. Like this one and this one and this long time family favorite (not recommended for use in the kitchen or for reading while eating). Hope you have been cooking up some good things, too.

Sunday Remnants

I have never been a fan of apples. Just hasn't been my thing. The crunch, the tartness, the sweetness, none of it ever really appealed to me. Until a few months ago when there was some kind of seismic shift in my taste buds. I think it might have started after Thanksgiving when I had a leftover bag of cranberries and decided on a whim to give Ina's cranberry apple cake recipe a try. I only planned on having a taste while letting Adam and the kids gobble it down, but that never happened. I ended up eating the majority of that darn cake. 

From the apple cake, I progressed to eating apple slices. That probably sounds strange, right? Who doesn't grow up in America not eating apple slices? (it's right up there with not eating apple pie, right?) I cut up apple slices on a near daily basis for my kids and yet they were never anything I'd felt compelled to actually put into my own mouth. And then things got really radical when I found myself drawn to apple juice and I even made a couple of crock pots full of mulled apple cider. 

So this morning, I found myself craving apples and dreaming of apple muffins. I eagerly peeled and chopped in anticipation and even took pics of the pretty remnants.  It turns out it wasn't the perfect recipe, but that's the nice part of baking on a Sunday morning. There's no pressure to have perfection and it's fun to try something spontaneously.  But if you do have a good recipe for apple muffins, please share. I am happy to pass along the Barefoot Contessa recipe that initiated this recent apple craze. I am actually thinking about giving it a try with pears in place of cranberries, doesn't that sound good, too?

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

On Strike

It's been an interesting week here in Lake Wobegone Sicily. For the past five days, the Sicilian truckers, farmers, and fishermen have been on strike. That may not sound like such a big deal, but it is turning into one. Big rig trucks and tractors have been blocking major intersections, toll booths, and even shut down parts of the major interstate/autostrada. Gas stations have been out of gas all week. Grocery stores are out of milk, eggs, and other products. Everyone is being urged to conserve gas, limit travel, and carpool when possible. School teachers have started riding the school buses with the kids to get to school each day. 

Protestors have been camping out in clumps along the roadways trying to get their message across, trying to make some changes. I don't understand all of the intricacies of this particular strike, but I do know that Sicily is struggling and there doesn't seem to be much recognition for that. The Sicilians I have spoken to are upset that this five day strike hasn't been reported in the National Italian news. There have been meetings, but no apparent resolutions and the end is not in sight. The truckers won't continue to strike, but next week there will reportedly be a week long strike by all of the gas stations. And next weekend we have been warned about a possible airline strike. It's tense. 

And yet, as I slowly wound my way through the group of protesting farmers and truckers yesterday, I found myself fighting an urge to pull over and join them. Mixed in between my feelings of frustration about the increased traffic jams and my worry about running low on gas, I had this surreal moment of desire. The scene I had been witnessing for the past few days looked strangely inviting. Men gathered around a small fire, grilling and eating artichokes fresh from the nearby fields, chatting, using their hands for extra emphasis. A slice of Sicily in the midst of chaos. Hoping things get resolved soon.

Little Pink Chapel

Nestled next to the railroad tracks, big green doors with a padlock, fresh roses in a water bottle as an offering, a remembrance, some sign of life and devotion.

Exploring: Eurialo Castle

Hiking in the steps of Archimedes, soaking up the same stunning and strategic views he had of Siracusa, climbing through tunnels he designed over 2000 years ago: Eurialo Castle is the perfect place for an afternoon of time traveling. Which is exactly why swords are essential. Seeing our young friend with his trusty wooden sword reminded me of our first trip to Agrigento when Noah was around the same age and he had his light saber close at hand. Boys and swords and Sicily...seems to be something timeless about that combination.