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 two 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 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.