Royal Cooking Events
A Sicilian Experience
September 1 – 7, 2013
This Cooking Experience will take us back to 1860 when Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina, lived a troubled time foreseeing the decline of the “Reign of the Two Sicilies” and the forming of the new nation: ITALY!
(One of the most famous Italian novel “The Leopard” written by Prince Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)
Welcome in Sicily:
Land of sun, sea, history, tradition and…
good food!
First Day We will stay at the Centrale Palace Hotel, a magnificent aristocratic residence from the 18th century, with original frescos and statues that recreate a magical atmosphere straight out of the novel “The Leopard”. Lunch at Trattoria San Francesco, established in 1834 to taste the “street food”. A 10 minute walk will take us to Teatro Massimo, the second theater in Europe after L’Opera of Paris. Our first cooking class will take place at “La Casa del Brodo” 120 years now with its fifth generations’ experience…. Read more
Second Day A visit to St. Rosalie, Patron Saint of Palermo is a must. The church is on the top of Mount Pellegrino and is in a cave. The church and the view is breathtaking. We will then go to
Torre di Scrigno, a tower inside the Palazzo Conte Federico (1194), where Chef Peppe Giuffrè will demonstrate some of the dishes that will be served during the Gala Night. Chef Peppe has cooked for
Pope John Paul II, the President of Italy, Robert De Niro and Sting. The Gala Night at the Palazzo will be exactly like it is described in the novel The Leopard, with servants in costumes and the
Countess Federico singing opera for us, and after dinner we will waltz to the music of a string quartet… Read more!
Third Day The Cathedral of Monreale (1174) is a jewel almost entirely covered with mosaic on gold background. We will then visit the Temple of Segesta, the best kept Greek temple in Sicily with the Theater nearby. In the world, when you say cannoli you think of Sicily and we will taste the best cannoli there is… Erice, the “Town of Science” with its cobblestone streets and medieval churches and castles is an experience to remember, we will stay in Erice and dine were most of the Nobel Price for Science have dined. And more sweets at Maria Grammatico Café, the author of “Bitter Almonds”. Maria will show us recipes of sweets “stolen” from the cloistered nuns… Read more
Fourth Day What a view going down to Trapani from Erice with the cableway. A little taste of the best gelato in town and we will visit the “frantoio”, the oil mill where the Nonna Angelina’s extra virgin olive oil is processed. A stop to the salt flats of Marsala is a must. And now let’s go harvest the grapes… and are you ready ladies? Have fun stomping the grapes while the Sicilian Folkloristic music is going on, and at the end we will announce the best Lucy’s impersonator. We will then visit the winery where the Operetta wine and the Zibibbo are processed. The three generations of the Alagna family (mother, wife and daughter) will hold the cooking class at the country house of Princess Amelia Oneto Gordon, Vitiana’s great-aunt. We’ll go back to the hotel in Erice with cableway for the night view… Read more!
Fifth Day And off we go to the island of Favignana, Nonna Angelina’s home town. We will stay at the Hotel Tempo di Mare overlooking the sea and the island of Levanzo. A tour of Favignana with a street train is really fascinating, but Cala Azzurra will really amaze us and we will swim in the turquoise water. Stop at the 19th century Nonna Angelina’s country house for an aperitif and get ready for the fabulous dinner at the Palazzo Florio. We will dine in the same gala room where the Tsar of Russia, the King of England and the best nobility of Europe dined. Maria and Giovanna Guccione, famous chef and cookbook writers, mentioned in the New York Times, Harper Bazaar and many more, will demonstrate some of the dishes served in the last century by Baroness Franca Florio in her summer Palazzo…. Read more!
Sixth Day Stabilimento Florio, the largest food processor of the 18th century, is now a museum and we will visit this splendid factory where the tuna fish canned as we know it now was invented. We will then take a boat for a sea tour of Favignana, stopping for swimming in the best coves of the Island. A fisherman’s lunch will be demonstrate on board wile going back to Trapani and to the hotel. A promenade in Trapani is so pleasant and relaxing. Our “farewell dinner” will take place at the “Le Mura”, an elegant restaurant inside the ancient walls of Trapani, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Torre di Ligni and Erice. The chef will show us how to prepare the famous cous cous…Read more!
Seventh Day Depending on the departure time, the bus will take us to the airport.
The memories, experience and knowledge that we’ll take back will stay with us for years to come, producing a smile every time we remember those wonderful days in SICILY… Read more!
Stampa 