My Balcony is Ready For Canada Day !!!!!

Happy Canada Day everyone!!!!  Thanks to Warren Greenhouse for the lovely geraniums and million bells flowers!  Enjoy your week-end!!!!!

Strawberry Jam With Strawberries From The Market !!!

When strawberries are plentiful at the St. Jacobs market, I love to make several batches of this simple preserve and then store the jam in the refrigerator.  I find the whole process of canning a lot of work and this jam is the perfect solution and it also makes a fresher tasting jam! The jam will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator as long as it is securely covered, but it usually doesn't last long. The recipe is 1 pint of strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. lemon juice. In a small enamel pot combine quartered berries, sugar and lemon juice.  Boil for 10 minutes and then with a slotted spoon remove fruit to a clean jar. Continue simmering juice until it is reduced by half and then fill jar.  Allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate. Enjoy!!!!!!

Low Carb Pasta Alternative

Spaghetti squash makes a great low carb pasta alternative!!!  Halve a medium size spaghetti squash and remove seeds.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Bake cut side up in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes.  When cool using a fork, scoop and separate the squash strands. You can then use with any of your favourite pasta sauce recipes..  In the photo below I used a fresh tomato sauce with garlic, basil, mozzarella,and shaved parmesan! Enjoy!!!!!!

Macarons from Paris France!!!!

My Grandson Tyler had the opportunity to visit Spain and France on his way home from his first year at university in the Netherlands. In Paris he purchased authentic macarons to bring back home to Waterloo!  Paris is known for its mouth watering little round macarons with a light, crisp, fluffy shell with a perfectly tart or sweet ganache filling!!!!  Thank you Tyler for this special treat!!!!

Grow What You Love!!!!!

 My favourite Summer salad is Caprese ( named after the island of Capri ). The key ingredients are vine ripened tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and olive oil with just a touch of balsamic vinegar!!!  Having fresh basil on hand can be a challenge but not if you have a basil plant!!!  I have mine on my balcony and it will continue to give me basil all Summer, as long as I keep it well trimmed ( that is not a problem for me as I use it several times a week ).  I also like to have fresh chives, rosemary, thyme and oregano as well.  On this first day of Summer enjoy the taste of fresh herbs at your fingertips!!!!

Wine Tasting at the Gambino Winery

The Gambino Winery is located on the side of Mt. Etna.  It affords beautiful views of the mountain as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Our host was amazing and we had a delicious lunch accompanied by their delicious wines.   Visiting this exquisite winery was  a highlight of our trip and a fitting farewell to an awesome trip to Sicily!!!!  Arrivederci Sicily until we meet again !!!!!!

Mt. Etna, the Tallest Active Volcano in Europe

it was an exciting morning taking the cable car part way up Mt. Etna and hiking from there!! Mt. Etna is an active stratovolcano situated between the cities of Catania and Messina. Some of our fellow travellers made an inukshuk just to put a Canadian memento on this majestic peak!!!!

Magnificent Taormina

Taormina is all about the view!!!  The fabulous view from the beautiful Metropole Hotel and the most breathtaking view from the backdrop of the ancient Greek Teatro Antico (they were setting up the stage for a concert when we were there). You can even see Mt. Etna in the distance!  I would absolutely love to see a see a stage presentation at this site that was built in the 3rd century BC. Some of the famous celebrities that have graced this amazing stage are Sting, Elton John, James Blunt as well as many operas and ballets!! The day after we were in Taormina they closed the entire area except for residents as the G7 was being held there later that week.  There were soldiers everywhere!  I had to have my photo taken in front of the Grand Hotel where many of the dignitaries were staying!!!!!

Relaxing at the Il Piccolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa

Enjoying a glass of wine and nibbles at the Il Piccolo Golf Resort while listening to live music in their beautiful lounge.  The view of Mt. Etna is from our balcony, a great way to end our day!!!!

Catania Street Food

We next had a gastronomic food tour of Catania, including a food passport that our guide Aureliano stamped for us at each of the food stations.  Including tumozzu, a typical Sicilian cheese served with olives, homemade bread and wine,  Anciova, a salt cured anchovy,  Cipollina, a puff pastry stuffed with tomato, onion, mozzarella and ham,  Arancino,  Sicilian rice balls deep fried with various stuffings ( my favourite )  Seltz, a fizzy fruit flavoured drink and last of all Catania's famous Pistachio Granita!!!!

Catania's Colourful Market

The fresh ingredients of Sicilian food is the key to their deliciousness and its markets are overflowing with fresh, seasonal produce especially their seafood.  Catania's fish market, La Pescheria is one of the biggest in all of Italy. I have never seen so many varieties of seafood, many were new to me!!!
The vendors wielded dangerous looking cleavers, slicing steaks from huge tuna or cleaning fish that were just caught that morning, calling out their deals of the day!!!

The Ancient Port City of Catania

Catania sits at the foot of the active volcano, Mt. Etna. The city's central square features the whimsical Fontana dell 'Elefante, created in 1736 it is reminiscent of Catania's long and varied past!
Our excellent tour guide Aurelian Garozzo explained to us the amazing history of this historical city!
I enjoyed watching the pensioners sitting in the beautiful surroundings of Catania telling their stories and watching life happening!!!

The Picturesque Town of Ragusa

The view of Ragusa with its Baroque  architecture is amazing!!! It was mostly destroyed by the great earthquake of 1693 but has been rebuilt on higher ground.  If you look closely through the fence of their beautiful park and gardens you will see our tour guide Lorenzo!!! After a stroll through their lovely streets we had another amazing lunch of grilled vegetables, caponata and my favourite cannoli.

Love Sicily Chocolate Making in Modica

We had a wonderful class in the making of the famous Modica chocolate by Katia Amore in her
beautifully restored family home!  The view from her balcony was breathtaking!!!! Modica is famous for its Baroque architecture as well as chocolate.  We tasted a large range of flavours, including cinnamon, sea salt and chilli pepper as well as several baked treats. 

Piazza Armerina a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Villa Romana del Casale was originally built by a powerful Roman family in the 4th Century AD. It is most famous for its beautiful mosaics, considered to be the best preserved of their kind. Archaeologists excavated this amazing site n the mid 18th century, uncovering many rooms  depicting  life at that time.  One of the rooms included mosaics of female athletes seemingly wearing bikinis!!!!!  These amazing mosaics were most likely created by North African craftsmen who were renowned for their skill and artistry!!

Valley of the Temples in Agrigento

The Valley of the Temples is a famous archaeological site in Sicily, dating back to the 6th century BC.  This UNESCO World Heritage site also has an on-site museum.  I loved the lush olive trees laden with olives, growing wild amid the ruins!!!!