Please note that due to an unavoidable conflict, dates for the Fall 2010 Divine Sicily Vendemmia Tour have changed. The tour will now begin on Monday, September 13th and end on Monday, September 20th. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Being from the South, I naturally love hot weather and am so glad summer is finally here. Here's hoping that you're having a good one wherever you may be. And hoping too that you're enjoying it with great wine and FRESH locally grown food. Now that I'm on my summer schedule, I had some time to share some Sicilian wine experiences at a wine store in Albany, NY that conducts regular classes and tastings. Allan von Schenkel and Kristen Williams are owners of FLOW (For Love of Wine), a groovy wine shop that has a grand piano and wonderful local art as well as an incredible selection of hand-picked vintages. They asked, would I come and lead a class about some of my favorite wines from one of my favorite places----Sicilia? Do olives have pits?!  I was there in flash and brought some Sicilian cheeses and olives with me to help illustrate the synergy of Sicilian food and wine. It was a genuine "taste of a place", and only reminded me of how I can't wait to go back this fall and hopefully share this special region of Italy with some of you.

Fall 2010 Divine Sicily Tours
September & October

This fall we have organized three great trips to Divine Sicily, and we hope you will be able to join us for one or more of them. We specialize in small group trips, so please register early in order to reserve your spot.

You can register for these trips on The Farmhouse Table web site by clicking through to the trip you are interested in and clicking on the "Registration & Information (click to download printable PDF)" link. You will also find full itineraries there.

Divine Sicily Vendemmia: September 13 - September 20, 2010
It's called the vendange in France, vendemmia in Italy and here in this country, the crush. There is the smell of the earth and the vines, and the freshly picked grapes, the air and brilliant sky above you clear and crisp. The shocking sweet-tart taste of fresh grape juice and the marching row after row of vines with their leaves turning red and gold against the distant hill town. We invite you to come and be a part of the grape harvest this fall on the West coast of Sicily...[more]
 
Divine Sicily Cuisine & Culture: September 20 - September 29, 2010
Are you one of those people who plan what you're going to make for dinner while you are eating lunch? Do you stop and read menus on restaurant doors, live to share time at the table with your friends and family, and read cookbooks like novels? If so, you MAY be the type of soul we're looking for to join us on our Sicilian Foodie Road Trip. If you're ready for a fun food adventure, then start packing your bags. The Farmhouse Table has put together an itinerary that is the perfect blend of cuisine and culture that will allow you to experience Sicily with an insider's perspective. We'll begin our food journey at the International Couscous Festival in San Vito lo Capo and work our way across the island with a knife, fork, and wine glass...[more]
 
Divine Sicily Wine & Culture: October 2 - October 11, 2010
Flying into Catania, our adventure begins on the eastern side of the island near Mt. Etna. We'll stay on a working organic vineyard where we'll taste world-class wines and experience food culture harking back to the ancient Greeks. As we work our way across the island, we'll be staying on an olive estate, explore a town famous for its ceramics, and taste the only DOCG wine in Sicily, the velvety Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The road trip ends on the western side of the island near Marsala, where we'll sample some of the Arab-influenced specialties of the area (you'll only be 85 miles from North Africa at this point), learn about some of the indigenous grapes of that region and explore some archeological sites...[more]

Recipe of the Month

Sicilian Iced Tea

This refreshing cocktail is based on Averna amaro, a Sicilian digestif-style liqueur. The iced tea also includes fresh orange and lime juice, and Cointreau, an orange liqueur, to sweeten the citrus. Club soda makes it fizz, and a sprig of rosemary adds fresh herb to the herbs in amaro's base recipe. It's a treat, and it's light, which makes for an appealing drink during the hot days of summer. One ounce equals two tablespoons. Have one...or three.

1 1/2 ounces Cointreau
1 ounce Averna amaro
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce fresh orange juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Splash of club soda
Lemon wedge
Sprig of fresh rosemary.

Shake first five ingredients with ice. Pour into an old- fashioned glass, and top with splash of club soda and a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Spring Comes Early in Sicily

Primavera, as spring is called in Sicily, is actually starting right now. Her dress is covered in fields of wildflowers and the markets are full of fresh artichokes, wild asparagus, and dandelion greens. The almond trees are still blooming and fresh cheeses are abundant. I don't know about you, but this past winter has made me appreciate the upcoming spring season all the more. I'm ready to take in some balmy sea breezes while enjoying a glass of jammy Nerello Mascalese wine with my antipasta! Sound good?! Then you'll want to join The Farmhouse Table next month for our gustatory trip across this beautiful island. Registration is still open and we only reserve 6 spaces, so CLICK HERE to see what's on the menu.



SPRING 2010 Divine Sicily Culinary & Wine Tour
April 17-26

Elizabetta and I have had many requests to arrange a spring food and wine trip to accommodate folks who can't travel in the fall. Sicily is wonderful in the "off season".....it's less crowded and the weather is usually sunny and mild with a spring shower here and there. Flying into Catania, we'll begin our adventure in the Mt. Etna region with its world-class wines and food culture harking back to the ancient Greeks. We'll eat and drink our way across the island to the west coast---but taking time to explore some archeological sites along with some cooking classes and vineyard tours. You'll be able to depart from the Palermo airport for your connecting flight.

You can register for this trip on The Farmhouse Table web site by clicking the "Download Registration & Information PDF" link.

Silvia's Nut Torta

This recipe comes from the kitchen of Silvia de Vincenzo of Azienda Agricola Mandranova, located near Palma di Montechiaro on the southern coast of Sicily. This gorgeous estate is known for its exquisite monocultivar olive oils, and the cooking classes that Silvia conducts are always a part of our food and wine trips. The first time we made this Sicilian-style cake, Silvia used almonds that were grown nearby. But then, on another occasion, we made it with a mix of pistachios, pine nuts, and almonds, which turned out to be my favorite version. She uses golden raisins as well if she happens to have them on hand, but you can leave them out if you prefer.

3 cups of unsalted nuts, such as pistachios, pine nuts, and almonds

1 1/2 cups sugar

Zest of 1 lemon or orange

Pinch of salt

Small handful of golden raisins

7 egg whites at room temperature

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend nuts and sugar together until very fine. Transfer to a large bowl and add citrus zest, salt, and raisins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into nut-sugar mixture. Turn into a large, shallow cake or spring form pan that has been lined with parchment paper and bake until lightly brown on top-about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan, slice, and serve with fresh berries.

Holy Cannoli! Tempus Fugit!
The year 2009 was incredible....one of growth and eye-opening experiences. So many wonderful things have happened to me this year and I hope to you as well. I was lucky enough to visit my beautiful daughter in Thailand, to finally become a novice beekeeper (a long time dream) and to travel with some of you to one of my favorite places in the world....Sicily. We're grateful to have been very busy this year, so busy that time has flown by since I last sent you a newsblog. But now it's time to catch up and share with you the exciting plans we have for 2010. We, at The Farmhouse Table, wish you good health, good cheer, and really good food in the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Across Sicily with knife, fork and wine glass

Our food and wine road trips this past September and October were in a word....delicious. Some of our favorite stops included an open-air wine tasting with Frank Cornellissen (picture above), the International Cous Cous Festival in exotic San Vito lo Capo, and visiting the Di Bartoli family vineyard near Marsala. We (blissfully) ate and drank (wine, of course) our way through Sicily and made lots of new friends around the island. Our cooking classes ranged from Sicilian-style stuffed fresh grapes leaves on the west coast to Nerello Mascalese glazed sausages near Mt. Etna. We tasted freshly pressed olive oil, picked-that-morning mushrooms, fresh ricotta sheep's milk cheese, and some nectar-like 70 year old Marsala wine. We made pasta, and cannoli, and pistachio cake. We stayed in agriturismos, ......working farms that surprised a good number of our guests at how elegantly appointed and comfortable they were. Because the food was grown right there and the wine was produced there or very nearby, our meals at these family style dinners were memorable and amazing.

Spring 2010: Divine Sicily Culinary & Wine Tour

April 17 - 26, 2010

The Farmhouse Table is pleased to announce our first Spring Tour. Elizabetta and I have been wanting to put together a spring itinerary for our wine lovers and foodie friends for some time. Sicily's countryside is filled with wild flowers at this time of year. It gives you a completely different perspective than the tourist summer season or our fall harvest trips. Temperatures are on the cool to mild side, and because it's "off season", it's less crowded so we'll be able to enjoy some of our favorite spots. Flying into Palermo, our adventure begins on the western side of the island. We'll stay on a working vineyard where we'll taste the wines of that region, explore some archeological sites, and learn to cook some of the Arab-influenced specialties of the area. As we work our way across the island, we'll be staying on an olive estate, explore a town famous for its ceramics, and taste Modican chocolate made as it was in the 16th century. The road-trip ends in the Mt. Etna region with its world-class wines and food culture harking back to the ancient Greeks. You'll be able to depart from the Catania airport for your connecting flight.

You can register for this trip on The Farmhouse Table website when the full itinerary is posted February 1, 2010.

Charleston is not only a gorgeous, historic city, but blessed with an array of eateries ranging from seafood joints to 4-star lace-curtain restaurants. We were lucky enough to have a recommendation from a local foodie (Thanks Juanita!) to try The Fat Hen on John's Island. Chef Fred Neuville, a C.I.A. graduate offers Low Country-French cuisine in a warm, relaxed atmosphere. This, along with the friendly staff, makes eating the inspired food all the more enjoyable. What a pleasure to share food with my family that is made with such thought, such imagination and such love. I especially appreciate Chef Neuville's support of the local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients on his menu as well. If you're anywhere near Charleston, dining at The Fat Hen is a must.

Recipe of the Month

Back in June I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with Beth Ribblet and Kerry Tully, the owners of Swirl Wine in New Orleans, Louisiana and our oeno-guides on the upcoming Wine Tour in Sicily. I brought back some remarkable wines from Azienda Agricola Frank Cornelissen in the Mt. Etna region for Beth and Kerry. The Sicilian-style pesto that Beth made for our special wine dinner that night was unforgettable. This tried and true recipe is from the queen of Italian food, Lidia Bastianich. I thought I'd share it with you as it's finally tomato season here in the Northeast. You can use the same amount of regular chopped tomatoes instead of the cherry tomatoes called for in the recipe. I'll add a few fresh mint leaves in with the basil if I happen to have some in my herb garden. Buon Appetito!

Pesto Trapanese
From Lidia's Italy
(Photo by Beth Ribblett)
Serves 4 to 6

¾ pound (about 2-1/2 cups) cherry tomatoes, very ripe and sweet
12 large fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup of whole almonds, lightly toasted
1 plump garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1/4 teaspoon pepperoncino (dried red pepper flakes) or to taste
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste, plus more for the pasta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Recommended equipment:
A blender (my preference) or a food processor
A pot for cooking the spaghetti

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry. Rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.

Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl followed by the garlic clove, the almonds, basil leaves, pepperoncino and ½ tsp salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine purée; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.

With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the purée into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If you're going dress the pasta within a couple of hours, leave the pesto at room temperature. Refrigerate if for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before cooking the pasta.

To cook the spaghetti, heat 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt, to the boil in the large pot. Scrape all the pesto into a big warm bowl.