We spent our last day in Canicatti with Mirella and Benedetto at their beautiful home for lunch. Enza (Mirella’s mom) made grilled fish and the most amazing fried calamari I’ve ever had. It was even better than Southern Fried Chicken (and as a South Carolinian that is saying something)!

We were all a little tired from the previous night’s big banquet, so it was a laid back afternoon of talking and visiting.

On To Siracusa

And now we are on the road to see more family – to Siracusa, which is on the eastern coast. We have an apartment in the old town area and have an extra bedroom. So we are kidnapping Enza and taking her with us! Another one of the “first cousins” (Tina) lives there, so we will all catch up.

But we are not going empty-handed. The Canicatti Family is sending us off plenty of provisions. Mirella sent a huge tin of olive oil made from the olive trees in their backyard – they press the olives every year to make their own olio. She also packed homemade orange marmalade made from their orange trees. Wow. And Salvio and Cettina presented us with a giant jug of Nero D’Avolo wine made at Cettina’s family’s vineyard. We love Sicily!