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Sicilian Cooking

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Cooking and History of the Sicilian Provinces

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Introduction to Cooking and History of the Sicilian Provinces

The Roman proverb Siculus coquus et Sicula mensa literally translated means: Sicilian cook and Sicilian provisions. ...

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The Province of Palermo

Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC. The old name Panormus originates from the Greek language meaning all port. Palermo is surrounded by mountains and by a green belt made of citrus trees, called La Conca D’oro (The Golden Valley) ..

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The Belice Valley - Partanna and Piana Degli Albanesi

The Belice Valley is an area in the Western part of Sicily between the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento. This area is situated between two rivers: the Right Belice and the Left Belice. These two rivers join into one Belice River that flows into ..

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The Province of Trapani

About sixty miles west of Palermo, on the extreme tip of the island, the Elymians have occupied and founded settlements since prehistoric time, in the area known as Trapani. They built a fortress on top of the nearby mount San Giuliano to defend themselves from the Phoenicians ..

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The Province of Catania

Almost halfway on the east coast of Sicily, encircled by lemon and orange orchards, the city of Catania was founded by the Greeks in the eighth century BC. They called it Katane (grater) because of the characteristics of the rock formation shaped by the lava’s eruptions of Mount Etna ..

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The Province of Syracuse

Fifty miles south of Catania, the ancient city of Syracuse is located on the small island of Ortygia. Because the area was covered by swamps, the Greeks called the city Sirako which means marsh. Syracuse had a brilliant historic period, under the jurisdiction of the Athenians ..

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The Province of Ragusa

The southeast corner of Sicily comprises the Monti Iblei, or Hyblaean Mountains, and the province of Ragusa. This city of over 70,000 inhabitants was founded by the Siculians and was called Hibla, meaning the land of flower and honey, and later called Ragusa ..

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The Province of Messina

Messina was founded by the Greeks in the eighth century BC and was called Xancle (scythe) because of the shape of its harbor. In the fifth century BC, it was renamed Messene after the Greek city of the same name ..

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The Province of Enna

The city of Enna accounts for about 30,000 inhabitants and is located on the summit of a mountain in the chain of the Erei Mountains. Enna is called “the navel” of Sicily because it is situated in the center of the island. The town is one of the most ancient settlements ..

The Province of Caltanissetta

This city started as a Siculians settlement in prehistoric times. Around the fourth century BC, the Carthaginian general Nicia built some fortifications and called it Nicia after himself. The Romans named it Castrum Nicia, and when the Saracens occupied the city, they renamed it Qualat al Nissa ..

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The Province of Agrigento

The province of Agrigento encompasses a large area and is one of the richest places in the world for archeological treasures. La Valle dei Tempi, Temples’ Valley is a territory south of Agrigento, gently sloping towards the sea where many temples and other monuments stand as ..