We will always say it: visiting a place means, even if not above all, discovering its culinary tradition. Will your next holiday be in Catania and its province? Then we can suggest an enogastronomic itinerary made of five things to taste absolutely in as many places to see.
- Arancino. Is it called arancino or arancina? In Catania, you would do well to call it in the first way. That would not even need presentations: the classic culinary specialty prepared with breaded and fried rice, meat, sauce, peas, cheese. We suggest you to taste it from the street peddlers of the historic center of Catania, where you will find, among other things to see, the Duomo, the Roman theater and the Elephant fountain.
- Granita. A thick and rich cream, with a slightly sour taste, which the real people of Catania eat for breakfast, usually accompanied with a brioche: here is the famous Sicilian granita. That should be eaten while walking through the central Via Etnea, always in Catania. Although, according to some, the true Sicilian granita would be eaten in Acireale (where, every year in spring, Nivarata, the international festival of Sicilian granita, is held).
- Wines. Under the imposing mass of Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, vineyards grow and give wine with a unique flavor. We are talking about Etna DOC and its three variants: white, rosé and red. You can taste them in Catania and in some of the countries that stand on the slopes of Etna, such as Linguaglossa, Castiglione, Randazzo and Nicolosi.
- Pistachio. Speaking of pistachio means, dutifully, mentioning Bronte, which is on the north side of Etna. The pistachio of Bronte is particularly appreciated for its unmistakable taste that is part of the preparation of different dishes, from pasta to ice cream through biscuits. Every year, between the end of September and the beginning of October, the Bronte pistachio festival is held, an event that is always eagerly awaited and followed.
And now that you have been corrupted, you just have one thing to do: book a ferry trip to Sicily and be ready to walk the food and wine route that we have just given you.
Image source: Flickr.com/photos/lricharz
