The Traditions of Christmas - Visions of Sugar Plums

And those visions of sugar plums and gingerbread are in every pastry shop in town.



12 decembre - Santa Giovanna di Chantal

Sicilian Sweets

Last Sunday – Agosto 26 San Italo – we headed down to the Feltrinelli International Bookstore just near Piazza della Repubblica. There are two Feltrinelli shops – the regular, un-air-conditioned branch for hardy Italians who could stand the reportedly 43c heat and the International air-conditioned branch for wimpy foreigners. Being in the later class we did a quick run through of the former and a long visit to the later.

Amongst the treasures we picked up for a mere 135 Euros (books are expensive everywhere): Gambero Rosso’s 1000 page 2007 guide to Italian wines, their 2007 guide to family run osterie and trattorie for Italy, Beppe Severgnini’s La Bella Figura – a very funny take on Italy and Italians, Ancient Rome on Five Dinarii a Day, some maps and a few guide books so we can sound moderately intelligent when giving friends the guided tour. By the time we had finished the store was closing to give the staff a lunch break – 1330-1600 – and we were getting a bit peckish ourselves.

Fortunately just around the corner in an (un-air-conditioned but trendy) arcade is Dagnino, a Sicilian purveyor of foods, wines, sweets and pastries. Two prosciutto-cheese toast, two glasses of real ice tea and two granitas (one almond-one lemon) later we felt up to seeing what goodies where on offer inside.




Aside from these incredible marzipan fruits, there were Turkish Delight of every possible flavor, mascarpone-filled cannoli, pastries, 35 types of gelato, Almond wine, a goodly supply of very expensive Sicilian wines and various preserves – sweet and savory. It was hard to resist buying, what are reputedly the best, cannoli to take home but in that heat it would have had to be eaten on the spot. Just wait until the car arrives next month - Sicilian cannoli for breakfast, lunch and dinner.