Come Christmas time, Sicilians get busy planning the feast they will be preparing and sharing with families and friends. They love their food and they are proud of their culinary culture. During the holidays is one of the best times to visit the place because the atmosphere is cheerful and you will find the aromas of food waffling through the air in every corner you go. Be prepared for your holidays in the island! Wishsicily.com offers trustworthy information for villas in Sicily, which can be the perfect, comfortable and affordable accommodations for Christmas.
As is the widespread custom, homes get spruced up in Christmas decorations starting from the 8th of December, during the Immaculate Conception. When you go to Sicily in this period time, you will notice that feasting usually begins on the 24th of the month, where tables are piled high with mouth-watering dishes for everyone to enjoy. This serious eating tends to last for 24 hours! You will also note that sweets are given much importance. Traditional winter foods are sold in shops and are expected during the traditional Christmas banquet.
If you are planning a traditional Sicilian Christmas dinner, rich flavours will play an important role. Pasta al forno is a typical dish served for Christmas Eve. Such example is Lasagna al Cacata traditional of Modica. Here are some other typical holiday foods, which you can try to make or are sure to find everywhere. Sfincione is a traditional Sicilian dish often served in Palermo which is made of pizza dough and covered with tomato sauce, sardines, onions, caciocavallo cheese, olive oil and bread crumbs. Buccellato is a kind of pastry that is stuffed with dried figs, almonds, raisins, pine seeds, walnuts, candied orange peel and sugar. Other recipes include grappa or Marsala wine. They come in large sizes and according to tradition, the bigger it is, the more luck is bestowed on those who eat it. Cosi Chini is a typical pastry that has dried figs and almond stuffing.
Torrone, while not a typical Christmas treat in Sicily, you will find these sold in supermarkets everywhere during winter months. They come out in the cooler months in Sicily when they are less likely to melt. It is a popular nougat confection made typically of honey, egg white, sugar, toasted almonds or other nuts. These come in either a round cake or the more classical rectangular tablet. Cobaita, a nougat made with honey and sesame seeds or almonds and walnuts is a popular type of sweet. Nugatoli cookies can also be found everywhere and they contain chopped dried nuts such as almonds and pistachios and flavoured with cinnamon. Zabaglione is either a beverage or a dessert made of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine. The dessert version has the characteristics of a light custard which is whipped to incorporate a large amount of air.
Spending Christmas time in Sicily would be a great way to visit the place and get to know the culture. You will enjoy the views without all the usual flock of tourists and you will get to experience the annual holiday traditions which are as old as time. If you planning to visit Sicily, a particular place you have to go is Pasticceria. There are many everywhere. And they sell typical sweets. The Best Pasticceria a Palermo is Cappello. You can´t miss it! Click here for its official facebook page.
