| Can you believe that an independent Sicily would | | | | Nouveau. It is available for a few weeks after |
| rank seventh in the world when it comes to wine | | | | mid-November. Don't make a special purchase, |
| production? Again and again I was forced to | | | | after all we're not talking about a main dish. |
| strike suggested wines off the list because they | | | | Falsomagro (Stuffed Beef Roll) is made from |
| aren't available in North America, at least not yet. | | | | ground beef, steak, and several cuts of pork |
| So maybe you should plan a trip to this lovely, | | | | including Italian ham and Italian bacon. You may |
| distinctive island and get local treats that just don't | | | | find it hard to get the ingredients as is the case |
| make it to North America such as Sicilian ices | | | | for many recommended wines. You should be |
| made from the snows of Mount Etna. Sicilian wine | | | | able to find a Valtellina Superiore DOCG which |
| is meant for food. I still remember bringing a $40 | | | | comes from Lombardy. |
| bottle to my wine class a few years ago. Nobody, | | | | Bollito Misto (Mixed Boiled Meats) is popular in |
| including me, was impressed. They didn't even | | | | many parts of Italy including Sicily. Every |
| finish the bottle, and so I had a single, small | | | | traditional cook and chef has his or her own |
| serving left. I brought the wine home and paired it | | | | recipe. This is one case where we can say the |
| with slow-cooked beef ribs. How do you say | | | | more the merrier. One of the many suggested |
| ooh-la-la in Italian? | | | | sauces is mostarda di frutta (preserved spiced |
| Caponata Siciliana (Eggplant and Tomato Stew) is | | | | fruit), and the leftovers are delicious. Among the |
| great as an appetizer or a side dish. My local | | | | suggested wine pairings are Barbera D'Alba |
| supermarket sells a so-so version, but obviously | | | | (Piedmont) and Rosso Piceno (The Marches). |
| homemade is the best. I haven't tried the sweet | | | | Like in so many parts of Italy and frankly just |
| and sour version that often includes raisins. That's | | | | about everywhere else, spaghetti and pizza are |
| not my way of consuming grapes. The wines that | | | | popular. Among the many local versions alla |
| are recommended for caponata are rarely | | | | Norma (tomato, fried eggplant, ricotta cheese, |
| available here, but one matche I liked was with | | | | and basil) is a real favorite. Variations abound, for |
| the Novio Mezzacorona produced from Teroldego | | | | example, the ricotta may be raw or baked. Serve |
| and Lagrein grapes native to the Trentino-Alto | | | | them with a Chianti Classico from Tuscany or |
| Adige region in northeastern Italy. This is a new | | | | with a wine based on Sicily's up and coming |
| wine, fairly similar to the French Beaujolais | | | | signature grape, Nero d'Avola. |