So, in Sicilia, during the summer, the image on the left is what you may have for breakfast: cappuccino or expresso, a brioche and a granita
which is, to the best of my ability to explain, a cross between an american slushy ( doesn't do it any justice) and a gelato which is far creamier and more delicious than the best American ice cream. It comes in many flavors but the Sicilians LOVE lemon. I am a pistacchio freak and mixed with chocolate, is d e v i n e !!!! The panna or cream on top is optional. Go for it! The tomatoes seen here are not altered or color enhanced but are rather real, like in... NATURAL!!!!! Chocolate granita ( again), Pistacchio and mandola (almond) gelato in Pace del Mela, Sicilia ( grazie Maria!) and a caffe (which I can smell) con biscotto in Furci. Have a great summer everyone!!!

Way up in the mountains where the Nebrodi and the Peloritani ranges meet lies the lovely town of Novara di Sicilia. While walking through town, I met these two gentlemen who swore they had relatives in NY! Where? Brooklyn of course! No where does one find Pistacchio nuts as delicious as those from Bronte. Just the aroma itself is magnificent! One of the things that is most fun during the summer is the outdoor markets which are part of the culture of most, if not all towns. One can buy anything form kitchen utensils to clothing to bar B Q's to all kinds of food and anything else you can imagine. They are an event not a chore. The prices are set only after the cat and mouse game of bargaining! This is the weekly Wednesday mercato in Furci, an otherwise delightful seaside village with a spectacular beach about half way between Taormina and Messina.