It REALLY does exist!!

Homer Simpson's legendary brew ...  a fine German brew (or so I am told)

Fresh orange juice!

Freshly squeezed tarocco (related to blood oranges) juice!  Good stuff!

The first year I was stationed here before, DS was only 8 that year.  He strolled into the kitchen while I was squeezing orange juice and asked what I was doing.   I told him I was making orange juice.

Instant response ... "No you're not!. I know what orange juice looks like!!"
Took some convincing ... but he finally tried the juice .... and liked it.

Birra ?

this is why I generally carry my camera ...
the tray was just sitting on the counter, waiting to be used ...
I like the glasses and bottle of wine in the background

Store shelves on Saturday

Cold shelves in a local store ... trucker strike is having quite an effect.

CHESTNUTS

Picking chestnuts last fall.... (yup, I'm wishing for cool weather)

Yum ... roasted chicken!

Generally cooked on a brace over a wood fire .... good stuff!

DH and I could eat this just about daily.

Italian zodiac

It's been miserably hot lately here ...

DH picked up a pizza on the way home from the poker tournament.

The local pizza place has a new logo ...

haven't seen this version of the zodiac before.

Maletto Strawberry Fest

The main street in Maletto ...

 flag performers have finished one performance and are off to another. 

Yum .... Italian Ice!

Some of the best specialty ice I've had ... my favorite is jasmine flavour.
They make all sorts of flavours on-site ... chocolate and pepper, various wines...lots and lots more.
Hey honey.... let's go to Ragusa Iba!

Carnivale Cookie

Saw these during Carnivale at a bakery DH and I frequent.

Bear Bologna!

DH and I found this at a local super-market ....

got some just for the fun of it.

PRICKLEY PEAR LIQUOR FROM MITELLO

These bottles of Prickly Pear Liquor (Fichi d' India) were at the Mitlello Prickly Pear Festival this year.  Looks like liquor can be made from just about anything ... not a clue how it tastes ... DH and I don't drink alcohol.

Pretty bottles though ... pretty colors ...

 I can easily picture one in my kitchen with a sunny window behind it.

PRICKLY PEAR FESTIVAL POSTER & OFFERINGS

This year's poster and the offerings from one of the small vendors ... something that Mitello does that I haven't noticed other towns doing, is that many of the vendors are set up in the doorways of their homes.

GARLIC ROPE

Garlic rope commonly found in homes and the markets ...

LA TROTA RESTAURANT (The Trout Restaurant)



Toward Siracusa is a wonderful place to eat ... The Trout Restaurant.  It is built into a series of caves and has fish ponds outside where you can wander around looking at the fish.  DH remembers going to there with his parents and sister when he was a kid (many, many years ago).  As you can guess, it features fish ... but non-fish meals are served as well.  

The main dining room ...



Fresh trout



Closing note ... freshly made ice cream

FALL'S HERE AND IT IS THE SEASON OF FESTIVALS

October seems to be the month of festivals here in Sicily ... last weekend DH and I went to both the Pistachio Festival in Bronte and also the Octobratta Festival in Zafferana Etnea.  Octobratta is held every Sunday in October and celebrates everything grown on Etna.  Each Sunday focuses on one specific item - last Sunday was grapes.  Other Sundays will feature honey, chestnuts, wine, apples and mushrooms.

Piggy heads in a Bronte butcher window ... just thought it a funny display

Another store display ... my thoughts were why waste pistaschios glueing them onto the boots and why ruin the boots?

Stand in Zafferana Etnea

A DIFFERENT CHEESE

DH and I went for a drive this afternoon ....no real destination, just out and about.  Found the Wine Festival going on in Piedamonte Etnea (a small town on the northeast side of Etna) this weekend .. so we stopped there for a few hours.   This cheese was being sold by one of the vendors -- the peppers add just a touch of heat to the cheese.

SLOW FOOD?

Found this sign while wandering around Ragusa Iba ....

BREADS AND GRAIN IN ART

Saw
this
 poster
in a
window ....

MANIACE FESTIVAL POSTER