Earlier this year, in May, I went on a father-daughter trip to Sicily for the first time. Finally, I went to the homeland of half of my heritage!
Surrounded by ocean and mountains, with wildflowers scenting the air, Sicily is magical! And full of history. Now, when one thinks of Sicily, they don't usually think: "vegan-friendly place", but I was surprised to find that there are a few traditional foods that are already "naturally" vegan! Here is what I came across....
Caponata
While we were there, my dad had Caponata with practically every meal. It's a dish that reminds him of his childhood. An appetizer (or side dish), it is made with eggplants and celery and sweetened vinegar. The sauce has a "sweet and sour" taste, and it sometimes also has capers and olives. If you're an eggplant lover like me, you'll appreciate this Sicilian staple.
Panelle
Panelle, pictured above, are chickpea fritters that have been a popular street food in Palermo. They can be eaten between bread or on a roll as a sandwich, or as is. It is delicious-especially with some fresh lemon juice!
Granita
Granita is a frozen dessert that can be found all over Italy, but it is originally from Sicily! It is made very simply of ice, sugar and fruit or almonds. While traveling in Western Sicily, I unfortunately did not find the good quality granita I know they have on that island, but apparently there are definitely places in Eastern Sicily that serve it up proper. Check out this link I found, and drool over the pictures!
Marzipan
And lastly, there's Marzipan! Traditionally eaten during Easter, beautiful fruit-shaped marzipans are usually made with just almond and sugar. I bought a bunch of them at a shop in Erice, pictured here.
More to come soon.
xo,
Ellie
No comments:
Post a Comment