The Grain and Grape

This holiday weekend found us trying something new, traveling from a different airport and our first time on Ryan Air. We drove 90 minutes to the small Memmingen Airport and flew on a direct flight to Palermo, Sicily. The flight price was fantastically low, so we thought we would give this a try. The small airport was super easy and stress-free, as was Ryan Air, all in all, a very good experience.

We traveled with a group of friends, looking for sun, warmth, and relaxation, and found a perfect retreat at an Italian villa that we rented through Airbnb. In a small town about a 45 minute drive east along the coast from Palermo, the villa sits on a hill with views of the sea, mountains, and farms. The outdoor living area was as large as inside, with multiple decks, a large patio, a heated salt water pool, and an outdoor kitchen complete with grill and pizza oven. A true dream get-away home!

Foods of Sicily

We love Italy, and were excited for our first trip south of Rome. Sicily, originally an independent island nation, maintains its own unique identity, including its own incredible food culture.

We booked a day at Chef Marco’s Casa di Cilla for a market tour and traditional Sicilian cooking class. Chef Marco is a fun character, and we strolled through the market to shouts of “Buongiorno Marco!” at almost every stall. We discussed food choices at the best fish and vegetable stalls, and picked out ingredients for the day.

As we strolled the market, Chef Marco organized traditional street food and snacks for us to try. These included panelle, a fried chickpea fritter, arancine, a rice croquette stuffed with meat, and crema di caffé, a creamy coffee ice cream treat.

This cooking class caught our eye for the lessons in Cannoli making, but that was just the dessert. Chef Marco directed us through a pasta with shrimp sauce that was to die for, a mackerel puttanesca, and tuna with pistachios and mint, all amazing! He is an outstanding teacher, and gives the impression he could make anything we could throw at him.

On top of this delicious lunch, we also made two desserts, both fairly uncomplicated to make. Cannoli Siciliani are crunchy fried tubes stuffed with a sweet ricotta cheese filling. Cassatelle are half-moon shaped pastries stuffed with a slightly different ricotta cheese mixture. As much as we love Cannoli, the Cassatelle are our new favorite.

Streets of Palermo

The streets of Palermo offer an interesting view of Sicilian life and the sights and sounds of the city reminded us of neighborhoods in cities like New York and Chicago.

---

Our villa was perfect for relaxing in the evenings, lounging in the pool, and trying out the pizza oven, making homemade pizzas. Talking with friends over Sicilian wines late into the night, we came close to solving all the world’s problems.

Sicily was a perfect destination for a relaxing weekend, with friends, food, wine, and laughs.

---