Sicily is well known for its delicious, unique desserts that make one crave for them every time one thinks of Sicily. It is the land of pastries and sweetmeats. Sicilian sweets and desserts are very different from those that are popular in Italy. Made with flavoured nuts, candied peel, fruits, almond paste and milk, have evolved with time but their roots remain firmly etched in Sicilian tradition.
Sicilian pastries and desserts are prepared for special occasions and for religious celebrations. They're associated with long standing traditions, folklore and rituals. The people of Sicily, in ancient times, celebrated feasts with offerings to the gods and prepared extraordinary, grand dishes and desserts for the occasion. Traditional desserts were made using flour, honey, almond paste and cheese, which were available in plenty. This is how Sicily's tradition of colourful and mouth-watering desserts came into being. With time, these desserts blended with those from different countries like Spain, Switzerland, France and Belgium.
It wasn't just Sicilian architecture that was deeply affected by foreign influences. The cooking, too, has had a great impact from Arabic, Greek and Spanish colonies. Much of the art of cake, pastry and dessert making in Sicily is borrowed from that of various countries. The ancient Greeks were the first to colonize Sicily and prepared toothsome dishes with honey and almonds. Subsequently, the Arabs introduced sherbets and savoury drinks. The Swiss and French contributed through their own creativity and tradition. When you visit a Sicilian shop today, you can find the long standing influences of these myriad cultures on the food.
The history of Sicilian desserts is incomplete without the mention of the nuns who played a part in their popularity and evolution. In the 17th century, they baked elaborate, extraordinary pastries with the help of old recipes, which they sold to support themselves financially. They were famous for their delicious sweets and each convent, like each home in Sicily today, had its very own specialty. The recipes were secrets of the trade and a lot of sweetmeats that are famous today were accidentally born during these years. During Christmas and other festivals of importance, the nuns prepared special sweets for the public and aristocrats. Today, a few active convents remain in Italy and sweetmeats are prepared almost entirely by bakers.
Some famous Sicilian pastries and desserts include buccellato, cacateddi, mustaccioli, pignolata and cassatelle. Every home in Sicily has its own special dessert with recipes handed down to every generation. The two absolute must-visit places in Sicily for pastry lovers are Noto and Erice. You'll find both traditional and modernized Sicilian sweets here. It is no secret that innovation and tradition have co-existed in the kitchens of Sicily for long.
Rate this ArticleA History of Sicilian Desserts and PastriesRating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)Ishan Sharma has published 1 article. Article submitted on May 29, 2014. Word count: 448Bananas are one of the most popular and versatile fruits in the world. Whether encorporated into sweet desserts and baked goods, making surprise appearances in salads and entrees, or eaten plain, bananas are delicious, no matter how you peel it.
Written by: Virginia ButtersThe history of the grandiose multi-tiered wedding cake is as interesting, if not more so, than the cake itself. Also, a number of traditions were tied to the wedding cake reflective of cultural beliefs of times long past.
Written by: Sophia JolieWhen it comes to Mediterranean cuisine, everyone knows about kebabs and humus, but few people know about Lebanese Baklava. Baklava is part of the platter of gourmet desserts of the Mediterranean such as Asabi, Bukaj, Kol Weshkor and Iswara, among many others.
Written by: Elizabeth J BanksBaklava is nothing but a rich and sweet pastry that includes the ingredients of various nuts like pistachios, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, sweetened with flavoured syrups and honey.
Written by: Allen MathewsSuperb Article about the sicilian pastries History
Written by Samrat Singh, Posted on June 02 2014 Displaying 1 - 1 out of 1 comments
No comments:
Post a Comment