Aranciata

The Aranciata, which should not be confused with the well Known drink, is an ancient dessert that has Arab origins and is prepared  in the area of Modica for the Christmas holidays.
These are small orange zest sands candied in honey with nuts and almonds and arranged to form a small basket.
For the known digestive properties, as well as aromatic, of oranges, this dessert was served, precisely, at the  end of the abundant christmas meal to facilitate digestion.

Despite the simplicity of the preparation and the ingredients, we assure you that this dessert will d be sure a worthy closure of your Christmas lunches and will leave the palates of all your guests happy.

There are several variants of this preparation that replace oranges with other citrus fruits that are equally widespread on the Island, such as cedars, lemons, mandarins and clementines.

First, peel the oranges, removing the peels in slices, which you will place in a pot with plenty of water and salt.

When the water has started to boil and the zest has been placed, drain it, leave it to cool and finally place it in a container with cold water.

Let them rest for 72 hours, but take care to change the water at least twice a day.

After soaking, drain and let them dry well. When they are dry, cut them into strips, not too thin.

Now start chopping not too small walnuts and almonds.

Take a quantity of sugar equal to the weight of the peel and place it in a pot with high sides, add honey and cinnamon. Melt the mixture over a low flame and mix until the aspect is that of a golden caramel.

At this point, dip the zest and cook over low heat, stirring the dough.

Slowly add the dried fruit, then remove the dough, place it on greased parchment paper (preferably almond oil) and give it the shape of a basket.

Let everything cool.

The dessert can be prepared a little in advance, thus recovering precious time to dedicate yourself to the other delicacies you will bring to the table during the holidays.

We advise you to use all quality products for an optimal preparation result and to accompany this dessert with good sweet island wines.

Happy holidays to all !!!!

Doses for 4 people:

- 8 oranges

- 2 tablespoons of honey (we recommend using orange honey, but with a liquid consistency)

- sugar (the quantity must be equivalent to that of orange peel)

- 4 teaspoons of cinnamon

- 2 tablespoons almonds (preferably peeled)

- 2 tablespoons of walnuts (preferably peeled)

A-18

"Deserted highway on the edge of the sea"... here, friends of the east coast of Sicily, follow the words of Venditti and put on your comfortable car, drive down the famed highway Messina-Catania and come in my beautiful Messina.

In Midtown, inside the recreational harbour, you can admire an enchanting place lain down to surface of the Strait of Messina, almost suspended between sky and sea and from which you  enjoy a breathtaking view: the Marina of the Neptune Yachting Club.

The Bartender Christian Costantino has celebrated the motorway section just travelled to arrive at shore of the Strai with wise hands and a good dose of originality, creating a cocktail inspired to the perfumes of Sicily: A18.

The elements, in fact, are all totally made in Sicily: a mix of carob syrup, red oranges, Limone Interdonato, bitter "Amara" produced on the slopes of the Etna, white wine "Secca del Capo" and a lemon foam aromatized to the Passito wine.

The look is well groomed and elegant.

The cocktail, clear and orange light coloured, is served, in a glass "Old-fashioned" (of cylindrical form, low and rounded) and we recommends to appreciate it to the best to taste as appetizer, before dinner.

On the top of the glass, to embellish the mixture, a dried orange slice and some colored floral decoration are placed on the foam to the Passito.

The aromatic nuances of the Passito wine of the Aeolian islands, no doubt, enrich the aromatized lemon foam and give to taste a first effect sweet and fresh at the same time.

In fact, the Sicilian citrus aromas break the important taste given by the Etnean bitter and a light aroma of Campari and they good marry with the delicacy of Sicilian raw materials, fancifully mixted inside this savory drink.

A cocktail certainly succeeded and refreshing, valued ally to fight the heat of the Sicilian summer evenings.

Well done to the inventor of the A18 for this magic love dedication to our beautiful Sicily.

Cheers!

LadySirah

Marina del Nettuno  Yacthing Club, Messina, Viale della Libertà, Batteria Masotto
https://www.marinadelnettuno.it/

Cetriolino ("pickle")

<<you never tasted the "Cetriolino" prepared by Master Mike?!? You do not know what you're missing !!! >>

A resounding chorus of stunned grimaces mocked my gap.

And so, pointing in pride, I decided to try this famous cocktail on the banks of the Strait and to know its equally well-known panormita creator, now firmly established in Messina for decades.

The refined "studio" where Maestro Michele expresses his talent is at the gates of Torre Faro Village, in the Municipality of Messina, and bears the name of the light breeze, which in the summer refreshes the inhabitants of the Strait from the bites of the heat : the Grecale.

The restaurant, led by young and skilled entrepreneurs from Messina, can easily be defined as an emerald set in the string of the Strait coast, pierced by the turquoise rays coming from the mirror of water in front.

So, curious and full of expectations, on a warm summer evening, I found myself accommodated, in a green space, on a sea view sofa, immersed in a magical atmosphere in front of the shimmering lights of the Strait of Messina , cradled by the sweet sound of the waves that leaned slowly on the shore.

Enthusiastic and already enchanted by the location, I finally dedicated myself to the sensorial study of Cetriolino®.

It is a cocktail with a light alcohol base, which can be consumed indifferently before or after dinner (as an aperitif or digestive).

Its presentation is well taken care of and elegant: the drink is served in a crystal "asti" glass goblet that enhances the bright green color of the mixture.

The rim of the cup is sprinkled with a fine bronze-colored powder and a thin slice of cucumber is stuck to the edge for decoration.

The consistency brings to mind the famous Messina granita, even if the drink is slightly more liquid.

Considering that on the composition of the cocktail its creator maintains the maximum discretion (so much so that the ingredients are omitted in the menu), I have entrusted my taste buds with the burden of describing as best as they perceive.

The first sip reveals a mix of fresh and intriguing flavors: the predominant taste of the cucumber centrifuge is well amalgamated with lemon granita, with lime and mint flavor. The presence, on the edge of the cup, of cinnamon powder mixed with salt, gives the drink a spicy note absolutely pleasant and engaging.

The light base of the cocktail, given by the presence of vodka, means that this can also be enjoyed by those who do not like to drink very alcoholic beverages.

The Cetriolino® can definitely be called the summer cocktail par excellence and I do not find it difficult to have it elected as my favorite!

Beware, however, from imitations: around Messina you will find many variations, which have nothing to do with the cocktail prepared by Master Mike the panormita.

Needless to say that, since then, my sensory journey in search of the fifty shades of taste in the Cetriolino ® has been repeated countless times ... creating a sort of real addiction.

Just thinking, right now, I felt like ... and then tonight Cetriolino ® is, in the background the magical frame of the Strait.

Cheers!

LadySyrah

Grecale, Via Canalone 124, Messina

http://grecalemessina.it/

Dear friends, after a break we are back and we have for you a novelty that we hope you like: a new column "Mediterranean Sea to drink", a drinker's guide.

We have thought was right to tell you about the beauty, the scents, the colors and the flavors of the lands lapped by this wonderful sea, which skilled hands are able to work and propose us, even in a "liquid" version.

LadySyrah driving you on a journey among cocktails, wines and liqueurs will make you discover bewitching encounters and mixes, the result of ancient masteries and original creations, delight of sight, smell and taste.

We begin this new journey from Sicily and, particularly, from the first city that welcomes with its enchanting landscape those coming from the Continent: Messina.

Among the crystalline blue waters of the Strait and the green of the Peloritani and Nebrodi, LadySyrah, will talk about the excellence that you can sip in the city and its province, enjoying a view that has no equal and that, once seen, remains in heart foreve

Fried pumpkin flowers

Under the warm sun of Sicily, from March to August, blossom the pumpkin flowers, beautiful to see and equally good to eat. Below I propose you a typical dish of the Sicilian cuisine, very simple to make, which exalts their delicious flavor. To prepare it for the best I recommend using fresh pumpkin flowers and strictly extra virgin olive oil. Of this fast plate there is also a more delicious variation, made by the housewives of the island, which includes a filling of chopped mozzarella or mozzarella and anchovy fillets. I will show you both, your palate will suggest to you what to cook. In any case, you will not regret your choice.

After buying the pumpkin flowers, preferably choose the ones still closed, deprive of the stems and pins and wash them gently under cold water. Take care to open them and clean them with water even inside. With the same delicacy, wipe them with a cloth. Now start preparing the mixture for the batter. In a large bowl pour durum wheat flour and 00 flour, beer and salt. Mix everything well, until the texture of the batter is sufficiently liquid.

Now place a large frying pan on the fire, pour oil and heat it. One at a time, put the flowers in the batter and bake them well on both sides. Drain the excess of batter and put them in the pan with  the hot oil. When the flowers are golden, gently wrap them over the other side and when they will be ready remove them from the frying pan and put on a platter lined with absorbent paper to catch the excess oil.

If you want to prepare the version with the filling inside, after washing and drying the flowers, open them carefully and introduce a cube of mozzarella and, if you like, also an anchovy fillet. I suggest you to serve the flowers  still hot and accompany them with a good glass of fruity white wine, firm or slightly sparkling. Ideal for a lunch with your own vegetarian friends and if you prepare them in the non-filling version for vegan ones too.



Doses for four people:

- 16 fresh pumpkin flowers
- 50 grams/2 oz of durum wheat flour
- 50 grams/2 oz of 00 flour
- 150 ml/ 1/2 cup of blonde beer
- 1 mozzarella chopped into cube (if you prefer a more intense taste you can use tuma or provola cheese)
- 16 anchovies in oil:
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons of salt


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"Sciusceddu"

As during all holidays, Sicilian tables are a riot of flavors and beauty for the palate and the sight of everyone, young and old, even on Happy Easter. Among the principal dishes of the period, there is the "sciusceddu" a recipe prepared throughout the island but whose origins are strictly of Messina.

About this rich soufflé, based on meatballs, ricotta and broth, there are several variants that affect the method of preparation and ingredients, but I propose the city of the Strait housewives's recipe, where it is prepared, in particular, the Easter Sunday. Typical of the Messina area is, for example, the cheese used for the dish: the Maiorchino, a ewe's cheese of the area of ​​Peloritani mountains. Even of the name "sciusceddu" exist variants: "ciusceddu" or "trusceddu", which however must be traced to, according to various interpretations, the Latin word "juscellum", which means soup, or the Sicilian verb "ciusciare" or the French "souffler", both meaning blow.

Start by preparing a beef broth. Pour into a saucepan 1 litre of water and add the pieces of meat, tomato, onion, celery and carrots. Simmer until all the broth will not be well thickened. Now prepare the dough for the meatballs. In a generous bowl pour the minced meat, finely chopped parsley, minced garlic thin, breadcrumbs, grated cheese (150 grams) and 3 eggs. Knead the dough with your hands to form the balls slightly larger than an olive. When you are done, strain the broth and add, instead, the meatballs, leaving them to cook for about 5 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the cream that will cover them. Open the eggs (6) and separate albumen and yolks. In a bowl pour the ricotta with the remaining cheese (150 grams), yolks, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix together the ingredients. Now whip the egg whites, then pour over gently othe ricotta and mix well together with movements from the bottom up.

Arrange on the bottom of a baking tray with high sides the meatballs with the broth, then spread on the cream prepared with ricotta. Bake the whole at 200 degrees and let it cook until the surface will form a golden crust. Shortly before leaving the baking tray from the oven, I suggest you sprinkle with other cheese and finish cooking. Serve hot.




I suggest you serve the "sciusceddu" accompanied by a good white wine with a dry taste. If you prefer more delicate flavors, you can prepare the broth without the meat and use the Parmesan cheese instead of ewe's cheese.


Doses for 6 people:

1 kilogram of veal cut into pieces to prepare the broth
600 grams of minced beef or veal
800 grams of fresh ewe's ricotta
9 eggs (3 for the mixture for the meatballs and 6 for the cream with the ricotta)
300 grams of Maiorchino cheese or, alternatively, another ewe's cheese
100 grams of bread crumbs
2 carrots
1 celery
1 onion
1 ripe tomato
a thinly sliced bunch of ​​fresh parsley
1 very thin chopped garlic clove (the garlic is optional)
1 and a half tablespoon of salt
2 teaspoon of pepper
the tip of a teaspoon nutmeg

Schiacciata or "scacciata" with broccoli and sausage

In Sicily, as in the rest of the world, it's around the dinner table that friends and family gather together to spend Christmas among laughter, stories, games and lavish dinners. The island housewives, even the younger ones with less and less time available, divided between work and family, spend whole days to prepare delicious dishes, which are the real stars of this holiday season and whose recipes are handed down from mother to daughter by generations. Among an incredible variety of delicacies, this year I decided to proposer you a typical Christmas recipe from Catania but now widespread throughout the island. It is, in practice, a stuffed savory pie: the "schiacciata" or, as they say in dialect, "scacciata". There are several variants of this recipe: some stuffed with tomato, anchovies and tuma (a typical cheese of the island's north-east), others with cauliflower and sausage. I have decided to follow the traditional recipe, the one at Christmas and New Year's triumphs on the tables of the whole island.

The recipe is a bit 'long and complex, especially the preparation of the dough requires a bit' of practice, but I will guide you step by step and also, to shorten the time, I suggest you start preparing the day before some ingredients that will serve for the filling: potatoes, sausage and broccoli.

Start to prepare broccoli. After washing, cut the tops: sliced ​​the bigger ones but leave the smaller ones whole. Boil a pan with water plenty of salt (2 tablespoons), when the water bubbles soak the broccoli for a few minutes (max 5 minutes). Then remove them and drain in the colander, where you will leave them to cool. Now started to peel the potatoes, wash and cut into slices. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C and let preheat. In the meantime, take a baking dish and arrange the slices of potatoes, sprinkle with the tomato puree (4-5 tablespoons), add water (100 ml), 1½ tablespoon of oil, 3 teaspoons of salt. After mixing everything, bake the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking, take care to turn the potatoes but gently, to prevent them grinted. Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool in a colander. Repeat the same operation for the sausage: after having peeled and crumbled, put it in a baking pan by adding 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce and 1 glass of water. Bake, always cook at 200 °
 Cfor about 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Then, remove from oven and let cool. Finally, now that broccoli are very cold, put on a frying pan with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and one clove of garlic. When the garlic is golden, remove it and add the broccoli. Brown them for a few minutes, turning them with extreme delicacy. Remove them from the pan and let cool in a colander.


Now let us dedicate ourselves to the final part of the recipe: the preparation of the dough, which I suggest you make the day after cooking the potatoes, sausage and broccoli. First you dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water (80 ml) and sugar (2 teaspoons). Now in a bowl or on a pastry board the flour and give them the shape of a fountain, topped with a recess in which you will add the lard and the water in which you have dissolved the yeast. Mix with your hands and gradually add the water required. Only at the end add salt (2 tablespoons). I recommend you add salt only at the end, so that it does not come into contact with the yeast, which would block the leavening. Knead the dough until its appearance is smooth, elastic, but mainly dry: should not remain stuck on your hands and give it the shape of a ball. Now oil a bowl and arrange inside the dough, cover with a tea towel. Let rise for around 1½ hours, until the ball has doubled in volume. In the meantime, prepare the onions: wash, remove the skin and cut into thin strips, and the olives: cut them in half, remove the core and cut into small pieces.

At this point, take the dough and divide it in two parts. Roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured work surface giving it the shape of the pan you wish to use: round or rectangular and high about 1 cm. I suggest you leave a puff pastry slightly larger than the other, it will need to close the side of the schiacciata. Now grease the baking dish with oil and arrange on top of one of the puff pastry, raising the side edges, they'll need to close. Now add the filling you will place in layers: first the Tuma cheese (I suggest you use the Tuma at room temperature), then the potatoes, the broccoli, the sausage, finally again Tuma cheese.

Sprinkle all with onions, olives and freshly ground black pepper. When you place the ingredients, let the free edges, about 2 cm. Now cover with the other puff pastry and try to seal the edges well, rolling them. Perforated with a toothpick the surface of the puff pastry, so as to let out the water vapor during cooking. Cover your pan with a cloth and let stand for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile make preheat the oven to 200 ° degrees static. Spent half an hour, bake the pan and cook for about 40 minutes. After you come out the cake from the oven, brush with oil, further cover with a cloth and let stand for 20 minutes.

For those with limited time, you can buy at the bakery a loaf of already leavened dough. I advise you to taste the pasta lukewarm, but cold is absolutely exquisite too. You can serve it as an appetizer or a main dish and it is ideal for the palates of everyone: young, children and vegetarians. Hence a Christmas in the spirit of  the riot of taste and also with an eye to saving, which never hurts. To enhance the flavor of crushed I recommend a delicate white, well chilled, or totally counter to that a good red full-bodied but not too fruity


Doses for 8 people:

 For dough:
1 kilograms/2½ lb  of flour of durum-wheat semolina (if you want a dough less "rustic" I recommend you use 500 grams of durum-wheat semolina flour and 500 grams of flour '00)
25 grams/1 oz of yeast
sugar (2 teaspoons)
lard (1 tablespoon)
salt
lukewarm water to taste


For the stuffing:
http://cocciudamuri.it/index.php/selezionati-da-cocciu-d-amuri/vini-e-spumanti/giffaro-cabernet-sauvignon-syrah.html
4 potatoes
1 kilograms/2½ lb of fresh pork sausage
800 grams/1lb 12 oz of broccoli tops (small ones whole, the larger ones sliced)
600 grams/1 lb 5 oz of Tuma cheese (to be used at room temperature, in case take off it from fridge 2/3 hours before use)
2 white onions tender, cut into thin strips
tomato sauce (8 tablespoons)
50 grams/2 oz of black olives
1 clove of garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil

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