[Editor’s Note: Hi All – we are actually safely back in the USA. We just returned, but I have a few more days of posts. So keep traveling with us! We will update with more news of our future plans as we go along.]

Frank and I are at the agriturismo, Baglio di Pianetto, which is a fabulous place in the middle of nowhere about 30 miles from Palermo. Super peaceful and scenic overlooking the vineyards.

But today, we have a job – learning from the chef himself. We have a private cooking class – all in Italian! We made pasta, swordfish rolls, and cannoli – all from scratch!

I am breaking this blog into three parts so I can post the recipe from each dish – mainly so we can remember how to make when we get home.

FIRST COURSE (PRIMI PIATTI) – PASTA ALLA NORMA

Prep eggplant: 3 medium. Remove skins on 1/2 so looks striped. Cube and put in bowl with two pinches of salt. Shake so mixed up and let sit (to draw out bitterness). Later, rinse and fry until color of brown/blond hair (about 5 minutes) – alternatively, roast on 425 for about 20 minutes.

Sauce: Combine 1 minced garlic clove and 1 minced onion with olive oil. Add 500 g tomatoes (or jar), plus 1/2 jar of water. Add whole basil leaves. Cook on medium for about 15 minutes. Once eggplant is fried, add to mixture.

Pasta (Strangujet): Combine and filter 50 g semolina, 400 grams farina. Beat egg with little water and salt. Put flour on table and make a “hole”. Pour egg mixture inside and then knead, adding water or oil as needed. Should be “soft as a baby’s bum” – that is very loosely translated. Roll out in long round strings and cut into gnocchi-sized squares. Roll with thumb so rounds over on itself. Will take about 15-20 minutes to cook.

We actually made this on our own later (although we used store-bought pasta) – and was delicious!

Sadly, we are wrapping up our time in Sicily. We tearfully said good-bye to the Canicatti family and headed to an agriturismo to spend our final few days before flying home to the USA.  We needed a few days just to rest! Not only had we hosted Frank’s son and family from Maryland for 10 days, but in the last week, we had stayed out to well past 1 am at all the family dinners. (These dinners start around 9 and go into the wee hours.) We had had amazing and fun time, but needed to re-charge.

And it turned out that Bagio di Pianetto was the perfect place. Italy has these agriturismos all over. They are working farms that also offer rooms. They get a stipend from the government if they can show they truly are a farm, which helps the farms stay in business. They range from an extra room in the farmhouse to full-blown inns.

Baglio di Pianetto is a working vineyard that measures 88 hectares (220 acres). It is 30 miles from Palermo and in the middle of nowhere. We thought it would be fun to take backroads to get there and travel through Corleone (of “Godfather” fame). It was scenic, but soon we were lost and going in circles – this is uncharted territory on the GPS. (The guidebook also called it “Bandit Country,” which made us a little nervous – we weren’t exactly sure what that meant.)

But we finally found the place. And what a place it was! It turns out the “farmer” here is a count whose family owns the Valentino and Hugo Boss fashion labels. This is not your average agriturismo. They have about 15 spacious rooms with king-sized beds and Frette linens and a 33 meter pool, complete with a pool boy, Alfredo, who will bring you grapes on ice and wine. Wow.

We are here for 3 days and plan to do (almost) nothing but relax and think back on the wonderful memories we’ve made in Italy.

Next Up: Sicilian Cooking Class!

For our last night in Canicatti, another of Frank’s cousins, Emanuele, invited us to dinner. Since we had an early check-out the next morning and still had packing to do, Frank asked if we could make it a little earlier than usual – as these dinners typically start late around 9 and go all night. The family said sure – come at 6:30.

They instructed us to be outside of Savio and Cettina’s apartment at 6:30 (Salvio is one of Enza’s sons and the owner of our favorite dog, Kiko). We double-parked on the busy street, and they ran down with Kiko, and their cat, Gattina, so we could say a last good-bye.

Then they hopped in their car and beckoned us to follow – we thought to our early dinner. But instead, they stopped at a gelato shop, where Enza was sitting out waiting. We parked and joined her. Salvio ordered gelso gelato for the table, which was made with fresh mulberries and amazing. But Frank and I were puzzled – why were we having gelato when we were supposed to be at dinner?

Soon, Johnny and Monica (Enza’s other son and wife) joined us for gelato. We were happy to see them so we could say one last good-bye to them also. Then, through Google translate, they asked if we’d like to see their apartment. We said of course. So – off we drove for a grand tour. Their apartment really is spectacular – two floors and perfectly decorated overlooking hills that remind me of Tuscany.

By this time it was around 8:30, so Enza declared it was finally time to go to Emanuele’s for dinner. I think something had been lost in translation and the family thought, “We have no idea why Frank wants to come early for dinner, but we’ll do our best to entertain him!”

Cousins’ Dinner

So – at about 9 pm, we pulled into Emanuele’s country villa, which is a huge house set in an olive grove. This final dinner was reserved for Frank’s first cousins – Enza, Emanuele, and Franco. They are brothers and sister, and it was their father who accompanied Frank’s mother to Naples to board the ship that took her to America. So all of them had heard stories of the others through the years and kept in contact. Rosario was there, too, whose wife was another first cousin (she passed away a few years ago). So the whole gang was together again.

We started with apperitivo in the garden while everyone gossipped, drank wine, and the men grilled sausages.

Then we moved to a long table on the terrace for a delicious dinner with much story-telling and laughter.

At the end, Mirella (Enza’s daughter) showed up with (more) gelato, so we could say good-bye to her, too. She has been one of my favorites, and both of us got teary-eyed knowing it was our last night. Enza sat by me and kept reaching over and squeezing my hand. Frank and I both kept looking around trying to memorize each person. Soon, it was time to say good-bye to everyone. There was much hugging, tears, smiles, hopes of visiting America, and promises to return soon to Sicily. (I also gained several new Italian Facebook friends.)

It is hard to express how special this place has been to both of us. Frank’s family has been welcoming, gracious, warm, and loving. It has been fun to see him re-connect with them and hear stories of his grandparents and parents, some for the first time. I could just picture Anoinetta, Frank’s mother who started all this with her sail to America at the age of 19, looking down from the stars and smiling. Sicily, you are in our hearts now, and we will be back.

 
This has been a week of family – introducing our US family to our Sicily family. One of the Sicilian families that has been very good to us has been Enza’s family. They have invited us to countless dinners, showered us with gifts, and even let us stay with them. We wanted to say thank you. So we asked if we could take them to dinner. With all the kids, it would be 17 people. We weren’t exactly sure how to pull this off, so asked Mirella (Enza’s daughter) to help us. She conferred with the siblings and they decided on a beach restaurant that had the best seafood. She would make reservations.

Mirella told us we were to all meet at “Molly Club” on Mollarella Beach at 8 pm on Monday night. We looked it up and only found a Facebook page for Molly Club. It had an address that was not on the map and not recognized in our GPS. So the day before, Frank and I decided to do a scouting trip. And good thing we did. We drove around in circles for 2 hours before stumbling upon the Molly Club down a one-lane track. It turns out the Molly Club is a snack bar by day, a disco on weekend nights, and a nice seafood restaurant on week-day nights. I really wish I had snapped a picture of the outside.

The Big Night

So the next day, we set out in our little Jeep caravan. We drove toward the beach, down the one-lane track, and right to the spot. But no one was there. Oh no – could there be two?! Frank called the family. Well, it turns out nothing in Sicily ever starts on time, so they were just leaving their houses, which gave us plenty of time to check out the place.

That’s when we encountered our next dilemma. It turns out the Molly Club only takes cash. Oh no!  We had no idea how much a dinner for 17 people would be but figured we probably didn’t have enough. (Thank goodness the family was late because this gave us time to negotiate in Italian with the staff to work out a payment plan – a little tonight and come back with the rest tomorrow – whew. When the family arrived, they’d be none the wiser.)

We had a fabulous time. And they were right – the seafood was excellent. They are known for their pasta and lobsters, both which were delicious. Everyone had a very merry time.

AND – the bill came in just under the exact amount Frank and I had when we pooled all our money. A lesson learned in Sicily – bring lots of cash!

We have settled into a nice life at our San Leone villa by the sea. We have a few family dinners planned and also some down time for the beach and sightseeing. But our favorite moments have just been hanging around the villa.

Life here is much different from home. We have no access to TV (at least in English) and not too many toys. But it has been fun to see both girls really just enjoy themselves making up their own games and elaborate shows. Their latest venture is to create potpourri out of leaves they have found in the yard, with an eye to selling these Italian home fragrances back in America. They have created a business plan, named their company “Smell Well” and been very industrious wrapping their creations in magnolia leaves for easier transport. (Sadly, they will have to leave their creations here since it is doubtful US Customs will allow this import.)

And I know they do miss their TV. One morning I found both girls sitting on either side of Frank in rapt attention. He was watching a lecture on his ipad on some advanced mathematics topic. He even went to take a shower, and both stayed and finished the lecture. I guess if you are desperate, you’ll take math TV over no TV!

Enza Arrives!

Just as we were running out of things to do at the villa, we added another guest who is like Mary Poppins bringing her own entertainment with her. Enza is Frank’s first cousin – her father and Frank’s mother were brother and sister. Enza’s father is the one who traveled with Frank’s mother to Naples to catch the ship for America and to whom Frank’s mother wrote many letters home. Enza remembers the excitement of receiving a letter from Tia Antoinetta. Frank and Enza have remained close, and she has traveled with us through some of Sicily.

Enza is also a former pre-school teacher and, as it turns out, a mean checkers opponent. She beat both CeCe and Sam, who were quite impressed with her. She also taught them their numbers in Italian and sang to them. She does not speak English, and we only speak “un poco” Italiano, but we all managed to understand each other – sometimes with the help of Google Translate.

The highlight of her visit was Enza’s cooking class. Enza named heself the “Grand Chef,” CeCe as the “Piccolo Chef” and Samantha as the “Piccollino Chef.” They closed the kitchen doors and went to work, boiling pasta, chopping tomatoes and garlic, and creating homemade sauce. We set up on a table on the terrace overlooking the water and had a wonderful lunch.

We ended Enza’s stay with a memorable dinner overlooking the Greek Temples – what an amazing view. We will really miss this place – and we will all miss Enza.

So the whole Volpe gang is here from the USA – Frank’s son, John, his wife Valerie, and their two daughters, Cecelia (age 10) and Samantha (age 7).

We had a pretty long day on our roadtrip from Taormina to San Leone, but we still had our family welcome dinner, set for 8:30 pm. (They eat much later in Italy.) So our little Jeep caravan headed up to Canicatti, where all of Frank’s mother’s family still live.

Our destination was the “casa di campanga” – country villa – of one of Frank’s cousins. Every family that we know here seems to have an apartment in town and a villa in the country, usually only about 5 miles outside of town. The apartments typically don’t look very fancy on the outside (I think so no one breaks in), but once you enter, they are huge – whole floors and sometimes 2 or 3 – with only the best furnishings and perfectly decorated. The country homes pass down from generation to generation but usually are set on lots of land, like an olive grove, with big houses with terraces, gardens, and very good views, like Tuscany. The one for this dinner even had a big swimming pool.

For Frank and me, it was a big reunion of the family we had seen earlier in our trip. For John, Valerie, CeCe, and Sam, there were lots of introductions. The family brought out plate after plate of Sicilian favorites. CeCe and Sam were game to try several of the dishes and said “non grazie” very sweetly if they didn’t want something, which impressed everyone. CeCe found a new friend (maybe even a crush) among the other kids – Gabriele is 11, and he and CeCe discovered a shared interest in soccer.  They spent part of dinner counting to 100 together, first in Italian and then in English.   After supper, the girls even performed a dance routine for everyone to much applause.

And one of the highlights of the evening for me and Frank – we were reunited with our favorite dog, Kiko! If you read the blog earlier, Frank’s cousin, Enza, Frank, and I took a roadtrip to visit more cousins in Siracusa. One night at their home way out in the country, a teeny little dog scampered up. After searching, it was determined that someone must have dropped him off. Enza, who is quite a character, decided to keep him and give him as a “surpriso” to her son, Salvio. Frank and I tried to talk her out of it – or at least into asking Salvio first – but she said, “No – surpriso!” For various reasons, our trip home was very long, so I sat in the backseat with tiny little Kiko in my arms for nearly 9 hours. Here are some photos from that trip (see Kiko in Enza’s purse?):

   
As you can imagine, Salvio was pretty surprised and not too pleased to be the new owner of a puppy. But I am happy to report that Kiko has won him over and settled into his new family very nicely. I think Kiko still remembered us – he greeted us with lots of kisses.

We will be here all week, with more family visits in store. So stay tuned . . . .

Taormina has been one of our favorite spots in Sicily, but it is time to move on. We are heading back to Canicatti, where Frank’s mother was born and all the cousins live. John, Valerie, CeCe, and Sam are coming with us, so we’ll have 3 generations of Volpes coming back to where it all started.

The Sicily family is super excited and has already planned a welcome dinner the night we arrive.

On the Road

But first – to get there. We have 6 people and LOTS of luggage (admittedly, much of it souvenirs that I have acquired), plus all the kitchen supplies, toilet paper, wine, and water. We are going from the Taormina apartment to a villa by the sea so need to bring our own supplies. Thankfully, our trusty driver, Salvatore, was available to take us to Hertz and could fit all of our bags – and us – into the van. We needed all the help we could get.

We have two Jeeps – one black, one bright orange – so will caravan across Sicily from Taormina to the southern coast near Agrigento.

Samantha is keeping a journal and wrote, “We drove a very, very, very long time.” (About 3 hours)

San Leone

We got to our beach house, which definitely is off the beaten path. This is where Frank and I stayed when we first arrived. I think the American Family was a bit surprised when we turned off onto a one-lane dirt road and then a little relieved when they saw the house.

However, we are in a more remote area of Sicily, so things are a little more rustic here. There is air-conditioning in the bedrooms, but we pay by the kilowatt, so we try to use only at night. We cannot turn on more than one major appliance at a time or will blow the circuits. There is a washer, but the “dryer” is the clothesline out back. And, just like on a boat, we have to throw our toilet paper in the trash, not the toilet. (This almost created a mini-mutiny, but everyone seemed to settle in. When in Sicily . . . .)

But we have 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and an amazing view. Plus there is a ping-pong table, hockey table, and lots of games. So plenty of room to spread out and enjoy.

Next Up: Meeting the Sicilian Family

This is the last part of our big day of adventure – I broke down into three parts for the blog because so much to tell.

The first part recorded our hike through the lava fields of Mount Etna, while the second part had us rappelling down a volcanic cave. After all that action, it was time for lunch!

Agriturismo

We had lunch on a working farm that is also an agriturismo, which means they have rooms for guests as well. We sat at a communal table with people from all over the world, while they served us a mixture of typical Sicilian foods from antipasti (appetizers) to pasta to carne (meat). They had pitchers of red wine on the table and ended with an ice cream dessert.

The Gorge

We ended the day at the Alcantara Gorge, which was formed thousands of years ago by a huge lava flow. The lava cooled in very interesting geometric designs, and each spring the snow melts from the top of Mount Etna and cascades through the gorge.

So, as you can imagine, it is VERY cold. But we were brave and boldly stepped in (Frank forgot his bathing suit, but he rolled his pants up and waded in right with us). There was quite a current, so we had to really work to make it upstream – and then really watch ourselves as we were pushed back down. They even had a waterfall, and John and family were brave enough to take a shower under it, which they declared as “freezing.” But a fun way to end our trip to our new favorite volcano, Mount Etna.

This is Part II of our amazing adventure climbing the Mount Etna volcano. It was such an action-packed day that I’ve divided the blog and pictures into three parts.

We thought climbing through the lava fields was exciting. But we had an even bigger adventure yet to come. We were to visit a cave that was formed by hot magma lava flowing under the colder lava, creating a hollow space.

I had read on the website that we’d visit a cave and envisioned a small cave we peered into behind a rope. But we got there and found a hole in the ground with a rope leading into it – we had to rappel into the cave!

They handed out hardhats and flashlights to all – even to CeCe, who is 10, and Samantha, who is 7. And to everyone’s credit, we all just plunged in, holding onto the rope and lowering ourselves into the unknown.

Once down there, we were the only ones in the chilly, wet cavern that was formed by the lava flow. We had to exit out of a different hole, so had to make our way through the cave, ducking down low in spots. It really was very cool.

When we got to the other end, there was another rope, and we had to pull ourselves up and out. What an experience!

Next Up: Part III – Swimming in a Gorge!

We had a VERY adventurous day – a visit to the volcano, Mount Etna. In fact, our day was so action-packed that I am breaking the blog into three parts. We have so much to say and so many pictures. We will all remember this day forever.

Off Road Tour

We got picked up in our own off-road SUV and whisked off toward the volcano. Mount Etna can be seen all over eastern Sicily, with smoke billowing out of the top. It erupts about once a month, but our guide told us that the lava moves pretty slowly so people in its path have a chance to escape and even rescue their belongings. And we were going to see the lava up close.

But first we had to get there. There are regular tours on regular roads, but we are not regular people. Our guide turned off and we were suddenly on what appeared to be a wide path with huge ruts and lava stones scattered around. We bumped and careened around sharp curves before finally seeing the remnants of black lava up close.

Lava Tour

We started on a lower level – about 1500 feet – where we could get a good view of the lava field. We hiked up, picking our way through slippery lava stones, to reach a vista where our guide pointed out which lava fields had been from recent months – including June. We even saw a house where the lava piled up right under their windows. It was beautiful and a little awe-inspiring.

Hike at 6,000 Feet

Next, we drove up to 6000 feet for a more serious hike. The scenery really was amazing, with bright green plants and trees, surrounded by black lava fields, sometimes that had literally made a circle around a copse of trees.

As we walked on the pretty easy path, we spied tiny people up on a mountain. Our guide nodded and said this was our destination. (We almost lost a couple of our travel party at this point, but I’m proud to say everyone rallied.)

We kept at it and soon were climbing almost straight up. Even the kids kept up. At the top, we had amazing views and just rested and spent a few moments taking it all in.

The guide showed us lava rock of different ages, so we could start to recognize what we were seeing and determine if it was from a recent eruption or farther int he past. What a great experience.

We ended our morning at a rifugio, which is a rustic restaurant mainly for hikers. We ordered cafe and hot chocolate while we admired the view and regained our energy for Part II.

Next Up: Part II – Rapelling into a cave!