Ever been to a restaurant and ate a delicious meal but forgot about the detail a week later. Many of us "true foodies" remember most of the highlights of the meal but still too this fades as time advances. What if you went to a dinner and the the true story behind the food you were eating was told to you by the Chef while he was creating it - for you?
Think of a dinner where the Chef was not only preparing an authentic dish direct from the southern Italian heartland of Sicily, but he was also describing the history of the produce he was preparing, where he was explaining how it is made, where it comes from, the secrets, the scandals, the myths and the rumours. Sicilian food has an amazing history with strong influences from all the major Mediterranean powers over millennia. Each of the dishes that survive today do so for one reason - they are addictive. A true Sicilian dinner is indeed, Dangerously Addictive.
There are many restaurants that call themselves Italian or Southern Italian or Mediterranean. But how many of these restaurants are actually authentic? The authenticity of Italian cuisine lays in the choice of the ingredients and above all in the menu. Little importance is given to the fact that the majority of the restaurateurs who claim to be Italian are actually third generation Italian or not even Italian at all. Personally, I have nothing against a foreigner deciding to open or manage an Italian restaurant, as far as certain rules are to be religiously followed.
Sicilian cuisine is better described as a blend of global influence. The melting pot of the ancient world, Sicily's rich legacy was shaped by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and Italians who occupied it throughout the millennia. Each one of these ingredients comes from a different ethnic heritage. For instance, the use of raisins and pinenuts comes from the Arabs, breadcrumbs come from the French, olive and capers from the Greeks, tomatoes & eggplants from the Spanish, No wonder Sicily's tourism slogan says, 'Invade Sicily: Everyone Else Has!'"
My name is Don Vincenzo Clemente and I am from Corleone, Palermo. I will be your vessel for a night of true Sicilian authenticity. During a night with me, you will learn, eat and travel to Sicily.
Antipasti - Caponata
We may start with the famous Caponata. The Sicilian antipasto relish known as caponata is said to be of Spanish origin. The dish is derived from the Catalan word caponada, meaning a similar kind of relish. It first appears in a Sicilian etymology in 1709, but the root word, capón (a kind of fish; Eng: Cathead; Italian: Capone) indicates that originally this specialty
Primo - Pesto Ericino
Then comes the all-important pasta. Pasta to the Italians is like tea to the Japanese. It is a ritual, and as such it must always be respected. When with an Italian family you hear the famous yelling "Calo la pasta!" (Literally, I throw the pasta) you will notice the entire family interrupting every activity to run and wash their hands. Everyone must be ready at their place on the table when the pasta arrives: His Highness the Pasta must be "awaited", and must never "await".
Then comes the all-important pasta. Pasta to the Italians is like tea to the Japanese. It is a ritual, and as such it must always be respected. When with an Italian family you hear the famous yelling "Calo la pasta!" (Literally, I throw the pasta) you will notice the entire family interrupting every activity to run and wash their hands. Everyone must be ready at their place on the table when the pasta arrives: His Highness the Pasta must be "awaited", and must never "await".
Secondo - Sarde a Beccafico
As the story goes, Maria Carolina, the wife of Ferdinand I and the sister of Marie Antoinette imported French chefs to the royal court in Palermo in 1805. These chefs became known as Monsú, a corruption of the word monsieur. Gradually the Sicilians, who had served their apprenticeships under the French cooks, took over the kitchens and continued to bear the prestigious title. Monsú were able to produce magnificent flavours in the kitchen: The quintessential baroque opulence expressing its art in food and in sophisticated presentations. The Sicilians creatively replaced the austerity of previous Norman dishes and filled their specialities with the exoticness of a southern land bathed in sunshine combined with all the virtues and vices of the east. They used spices, marinated the meats in lemon juice and used breadcrumbs, pine nuts and raisins fillings. Sarde a Beccafico originally consisted of roasted quail-like small birds, some even believe robins. While the poor people could not afford such an expensive delicacy, their ingenuity made them think of a cheaper alternative by using sardines. The choice of the sardines is not without meaning. This fish's tail resembles a bird or even a robin's tail.
As the story goes, Maria Carolina, the wife of Ferdinand I and the sister of Marie Antoinette imported French chefs to the royal court in Palermo in 1805. These chefs became known as Monsú, a corruption of the word monsieur. Gradually the Sicilians, who had served their apprenticeships under the French cooks, took over the kitchens and continued to bear the prestigious title. Monsú were able to produce magnificent flavours in the kitchen: The quintessential baroque opulence expressing its art in food and in sophisticated presentations. The Sicilians creatively replaced the austerity of previous Norman dishes and filled their specialities with the exoticness of a southern land bathed in sunshine combined with all the virtues and vices of the east. They used spices, marinated the meats in lemon juice and used breadcrumbs, pine nuts and raisins fillings. Sarde a Beccafico originally consisted of roasted quail-like small birds, some even believe robins. While the poor people could not afford such an expensive delicacy, their ingenuity made them think of a cheaper alternative by using sardines. The choice of the sardines is not without meaning. This fish's tail resembles a bird or even a robin's tail.
The
Half Dinner/Half Show, "Dinner with the Chef" is an interactive and unforgettable dining experience.
Sample Menu :
was prepared with fish. The name Capone also suggests that Caponata was the favourite dish of Al Capone! When the French Monsu arrived in Sicily, in their attempt to refine the rough and ready local cuisine, they replaced the "poor" Catfish with the more refined Octopus and other shellfish and sprinkled the whole dish with freshly grounded cocoa powder (that was back in those times used as spice). Yet the aptly-named, poor man's dish discarded the expensive fish portion of the dish but maintained and enriched the vegetable part. I prefer to make caponata according to the authentic Baronal cuisine-style in the way that my ancestors taught me.
Dessert - Cannoli Siciliani
the most famous Sicilian dessert ; with sweetened ricotta flavoured with chocolate chips and orange peel and served on a crispy biscuit.
the most famous Sicilian dessert ; with sweetened ricotta flavoured with chocolate chips and orange peel and served on a crispy biscuit.
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