SEASONAL SLUMBERS

Well, here we are in September, a melancholy month in some ways - not quite the end of summer but not quite autumn either. At least here in Sicily, although the heat persists, the nights are more bearable amd, in a country where the culinary seasons are still respected, autumn fruit is beginning to appear. The fichi d'India (prickly pears) are already here and soon the orange season will be in full swing.

That, however, means goodbye to anguria (watermelon) until next summer but not in my dreams. Bertie-Pierrine, as you see, approves!

 

FERRAGOSTO AND THE FRIDGE THAT HATED ANGURIA

As long-term readers will know, Ferragosto (Assumption Day on 15th August and the two-week period surrounding it) is not my favourite time of year: When you are on your own, those daily encounters with the staff at your local bar, with shopkeepers or just with passers-by that you normally see, are very important and I miss them. Then there is the relentless heat, which, of course, is getting worse; for me, as for many others, it is less the intensity of the heatwave than its duration that is exhausting and the nights have brought little relief. However, the heatwave broke at the weekend - it usually does around Ferragosto - and then in Modica we found ourselves assailed by a very noisy and nasty hailstorm and even a tornado! I did not see the tornado, although it was in my area, so I first learned of it through online images: nobody was hurt, thank goodness, but some trees and road signs were down, roofs were damaged and there was certainly damage to crops. People were, as you can imagine, very frightened and the Mayor of Modica gave up her time to go and speak to them. I am sure this was appreciated.

I have my own little Ferragosto traditions, as I have for other festivals, so at home I again comforted myself with my granita all'anguria (watermelon granita) and every time I make it I think of the fridge I had that hated watermelon: This was the fridge-freezer I had brought with me from Britain in 2005 - I had only had it for a year so deemed it worth transporting - and it served me mostly well. The only problem was that it hated watermelon - it really did! At first I thought it was the weight of even a watermelon of modest size that was upsetting it but no, even when I bought ready-sliced anguria in small quantities the fridge temperature (which was displayed on the outside of the appliance) would shoot up in seconds. I swear that fridge could see, smell or otherwise sense anguria as I came through the kitchen door, even though this was long before the advent of smart fridges! 

The last straw for me with that fridge (after ten years or so of its histrionics) came on the eve of one Ferragosto when I caught my foot in the door and the nail of my big toe got detached from the nailbed. Talk about agony! I know I should have gone immediately to the Emergency Department at the hospital but I just coudn't face it and, probably consequently, my toenail has never grown back properly. Now my fridge not only had a tantrum whenever I bought anguria but it had kicked me, so it had to go. I am glad to say that the two fridges I have had since then have shown no signs of rebellion against the lovely, refreshing red fruit.

All things considered, I have had a pleasant Ferragosto at home with my dog, my books and - dare I say it? - anguria and I have not been kicked by a fridge!

BEHOLD, THE FERRAGOSTO BUNNIES!

I'm not a "Rise and shine, sing in the morning" type of person. I'm more, "Light, go away!" first thing. Nor do I normally gaze out at the view from my bedroom window at that time of day, as it's all I can do to open the shutters and stumble to the bathroom. But yesterday, perhaps because it was the Ferragosto holday, I did and - still being a bit dopey, you will understand - I thought there were some whacking great bunnies coming to greet me! It was only the shape of the fichi d'India (prickly pear) bush in the field out there, but it cheered me up:

Ferragosto, or the Feast of the Assumption, is when Italy virtually closes down and everybody except grumpy old me heads to the sea. For the past two years, during which we have been in and out of various lockdowns, my local bar closed only for the 15th, not for a week, as before, presumably to try and recuperate some of the takings lost during the Covid emergency but this time they have closed for the full week again. There is a quiet in the streets reminiscent of the lockdowns but happily that backdrop of fear in the air is absent and today I had an aperitivo and a plate of stuzzichini in another local bar with a friend, which helped dispel the memory of those grim times.

In the absence of a celebratory breakfast out yesterday morning, I made myself a granita all'anguria (watermelon granita) and very refreshing it was, too. I had bought a traditional Sicilian brioche for the occasion and Bertie the dog enjoyed a doggie gelato.

I hope you all had a good Ferragosto and look after those August bunnies if they come to visit!

BUON FERRAGOSTO 2018

I wish all Italians, and all who, like me, are Italian in their hearts, a happy Ferragosto evening, wherever you are.  I am also thinking, tonight, as I'm sure you are, of those for whom this will be an unimaginably sad Ferragosto following the terrible tragedy in Genova on the eve of the holiday. Please know that our thoughts are with you.

Left to right: Tempio della Concordia, Agrigento; a somewhat pregnant pesca tabacchiera; us; Ragusa Ibla at dusk.

Oh, and I thought you'd like to see my seasonal anguria (watermelon) nails as well:

CHIGNON AND PIZZA

I'm a bit sad at the moment, but I cheer up when Margherita fixes me a summer chignon:

Seeing friends is always good, especially with a backdrop of Modica by night:

And this original way of serving pre-pizza chips, a spiced pork pizza and gel all'anguria with a foam all helped no end!

WATERMELON APPETISER

Italians, look away now! I know anguria is usually kept for the end of a meal but why not try to be different for once?

Here is a very quick and cooling watermelon appetiser which also looks pretty. You will have to assemble it just moments before serving, but you can cut the watermelon and keep it in the fridge, grill the courgettes [if not using frozen ones] and make your own pesto [if you wish] and chill it in advance.

First cut as many watermelon wedges as you have guests plus a few extra. Leave the rind on what will be the outside edge when the pieces are on the serving plate, as they will be easier to pick up that way. [In Italy, a greengrocer will cut the watermelon for you.]  With a very small coffee spoon, scoop out all the seeds you can see, on both sides.  Arrange the slices on a plate and top each one with a slice of grilled courgette, then add about 2 teasp pesto. [I do usually make my own but this time I didn't and sorry, Masterchef UK people - I don't do quenelles.] Top with a datterino tomato or half a cherry tomato and decorate with basil leaves.

Buon appetito. 

YOU KNOW IT'S HOT IN SICILY WHEN ....

You know it's hot in Sicily when...

1. British-style, the hot weather makes the front page of the local newspapers, though the headline is not "Cor, what a scorcher!" but "Afa!" [heatwave].
2. There are power cuts throughout the morning as everybody hits their aircon buttons.
3. There is absolute silence in the afternoons.
4. You hear cicadas at noon.
5. The older women carry fans.
6. Everybody is buying anguria [watermelon] and....
7. .... the greengrocer provides a parasol for his angurie.
8. You walk into your hairdresser's and find him and his staff sprawled out on the various sofas, fast asleep!

EVERYTHING COMES.....

I don't have many photos of Mario, my first Italian boyfriend from 1969.  Several of them were spoiled, you see, by the developers and, for those of you too young to remember the pre-digital era, I'll explain:  we used to take our photo film to the chemist's to be developed and not often, but sometimes, the chemist would make a mistake and ruin some or all of the exposures.  Then you'd get an apology and a free, new roll of film but of course, they couldn't give you the occasion back.

The other day, however, I found a picture of Mario and me standing together as we bade a tearful farewell at Malpensa Airport [Milan] and I decided to see what I could do with the photo editor.  It is a strange thing indeed to see someone's features reappear before your eyes after 42 years and of course, they brought back with them memories of my days with this Romeo from Bergamo.

With Mario I ate my first watermelon, a fruit unheard of in Britain then, and it was so cool and refreshing that I thought I was in heaven.  When it was time for me to return home, I naively asked him if I could get a small one to show my Dad and he roared with laughter at my stupidity.  

But now, caro Mario, my pazienza is rewarded for this year Sicily brings us the mini-anguria!

"Everything comes to those who wait."

SIMPLY RED

Rosa, arriving yesterday morning and finding the "no water" situation, insisted I go home with her.  And there, while I showered, she set out a delicious, red-themed lunch.  Well, I don't think she intentionally gave it a colour scheme but I thought it was very effective.  There was pasta with this year's tomato sauce, an Albanian condiment of tomatoes, minced veal, onions and peppers, veal in tomato sauce and anguria.

Grazie, Rosa!

TASTES OF THE SUN

I'd never seen a yellow watermelon before so I just had to get this one on Saturday!  Sometimes called the coco-ananas [cocomero is another word for anguria or watermelon and ananas is, of course, pineapple] I understand they are hybrids and not genetically modified.  Some sources say they taste sweeter than the red variety with overtones of pineapple and mango.  Well, this one didn't taste sweeter but it did taste divine!  There was, perhaps, a hint of mango.  Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised.

Recently I mentioned that this is the mini-fruits season in Sicily and they don't come any minier than these pears:

Here are some with a miniature pear and a full-sized pear:

Truly the tastes of summer.

UNA DOMENICA D'ESTATE

A lovely, relaxing Sunday at the sea today, with friends Marco and Giovanna who have a house at Sampieri.

As soon as I arrived, Giovanna put a dish of pineapple ice cream, which she had just made in a bimby [I want one!] into my hand. It was delicious and I think I had about five helpings at various points during the day.




The whole family were at home and that includes four lads and two grandmothers. "Insomma .... siamo qua" sighed the grandmothers when I asked how they were. If you are going to say "Insomma" ["in brief"] in this context, reader, you have to precede and follow it by long sighs to indicate that you are dealing with life's burdens as best you can and then you must say,"We're here" as resignedly as possible, rather in the way in which Welsh people say, "There we are, then". I've only ever heard these responses in Sicily.

After quite a long morning dip Giovanna and I stopped off at the house of several of Giovanna's many cousins and there we were served antipasti of focacce and various savoury pastries.

Back at Giovanna's there was pasta al pesto to start. An interesting variation was that the pesto contained some tomato and this transformed it into pesto trapanese:




Next came cotolette di pollo and polpettone which Giovanna had filled with a ham and onion mixture:





Then there was more ice cream, anguria [watermelon] and finally this gel alla cannella [cinnamon gel].




When we could move after that lot, Giovanna and I sauntered down to a little market which has sprung up near the piazza and I found a cotton dress for 15 euros. [I do hope Rosa will approve when she returns tomorrow. She inspects the workwomanship on all my clothes very carefully and makes any necessary adjustments or reinforcements.]

Later we ventured into the sea again and I was introduced to yet another hairdresser! I do find it quite incongruous to be standing in the waves in next-to-nothing whilst greeting a new acquaintance with a [wet] handshake accompanied by all the formal forms of address and pleasantries that such an occasion calls for in Italian. "Oh," said he, giving me a professional once-over: "I knew you weren't Italian because you're so fair and you've got some red in amongst the blonde". Oh, well, in my opinion a woman can never be on friendly terms with too many hairdressers!

Here are some views of Sampieri for you to enjoy:





And, as I didn't post a "sabato musicale" yesterday [ what with all the excitement of Simi's new coat] I'll leave you with this tonight:

Seba - Domenica d'estate

FOODIE FRIDAY: GRANITA DI ANGURIA - WATERMELON GRANITA

I sort of created this yesterday and it was a lot simpler than I thought it would be. It was also rather good, though I say so myself:

500 gr [prepared weight] watermelon, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
250 gr caster sugar
250 ml water
juice of 1 lemon
mint leaves, ice and slices of watermelon to decorate

Put the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the prepared watermelon chunks to this mixture, stir, bring to the boil again and let it all simmer for 30 mins. Let it cool, then add the lemon juice. Chuck it all into a bowl and liquidise with a hand blender. Now bung it all into a plastic container and freeze. Some granita recipes will tell you to fork the mixture through every 20 minutes or so while it is freezing but that is quite bothersome. Anyway, I believe in freezing things overnight so that is what I did. So, about 20 mins before you want to serve the granita, remove it from the freezer and fork it through as soon as it starts to soften. Now, my mixture began to soften very quickly in the heat of a Sicilian afternoon but if you decide to make this on a freezing winter's day in Britain [and I've been mad enough to make similar dishes in those conditions] it will take longer! Put it back in the freezer and get your garnish ingredients ready. OK, now fork the mixture through again, pile it into serving glasses, decorate and serve. This amount should give you 4 servings.

Relax and enjoy!

A GOOD CUT

- Spotted whilst out and about today.

ROSES AND CAVATIEDDI

My "fairy godmother" friend, who always knows what to say and do, arrived today, bearing roses [the pink one at the back smells sublime] more grapefruits and lemons, the very thin, leafy celery that we get here and lettuces from her garden.

I love Cavatieddi pasta and this plate of the wonderful stuff, served with a tomato, cream and ham sauce was just what I needed at the Altro Posto at lunchtime. Somehow a dish of this pasta smells so inviting and homely. Such a pretty dessert again, too ; the arrival of anguria [water melon ] has always symbolised summer for me in Italy.

Sadly and shamefully, another kind of smell greets one in the streets these days; the refuse collectors are on strike - for the quite valid reason that they have not been paid - and so the bins are overflowing. Let's hope we avoid a Napoli situation!

This week - what's new? - the Water Office are not answering the phone again!

Here's hoping you all have a "fairy godmother" friend in your lives, readers.

TENDER LOVING CARE

I love this: the angurie on sale get their very own parasol!

And I wonder how much TLC it took to produce these giant white onions from nearby Giarratana?