Sicilian Diary

Our Gambas PilPil are going strong at the moment. Most of our customers have realised that tapas are not Mexican (they confuse them with tortillas, since we have of course, the Spanish potato omelette on the menu), and that they are nothing to be afraid of (Sicilians are most distrustful of any food other than Sicilian). Gambas Pil Pil are really easy to make, but as you will see in the photo, we have the advantage of having the wonderful pink Mazzara prawns freshly off the boat ... Just sauté the prawns (they need to be big, as they shrink in size in the pan) in their shells with some olive oil, white wine, garlic and fresh chili pepper. Our Garbuglie di Venere are a favourite too, and have been going strong since the summer. Fresh pasta (like linguini - which is dry pasta), with vongole (clams) tossed in the pan with fresh tomato, and a handful of rocket and slivers of parmesan to serve. The combination in delicious. Another favourite of the moment which goes well with a glass of Ner...

My favourite Aeolian island is Stromboli - no street lighting, at night you wander the streets guided by the white washed walls and starry skies with night-blooming jasmine perfuming the air. By day - swimming between black sand coves with crystal clear water, spotting Strombolicchio rising up out of the water 2km off shore, with the majestic Stromboli volcano always at your back. We were on Salina island at harvest time for the malvasia grapes - delicious dessert wine. The vineyards cover the lower slopes of the extinct volcanoes in between sprays of bougainvillea, caper bushes, olive groves and lemon trees.