A craft that has always been valued
From time immemorial and until today, manual work is valued in Sicily and of high quality. Know-how is passed on from one generation to the next. And tradition cements the family. If you like handicrafts, go to via Calderai in Palermo, you will discover many craftsmen who make everything: chairs, pottery... For arts and crafts (ceramics, wood), you'll have to walk to via Bara All'Olivella (in front of the Massimo Theater). Antique shops and flea markets are located in the northern part of the old town near the cathedral in piazza Domenico Peranni. In addition to the famous pupi, the giant puppets that the manipulators make themselves, disguise and paint down to the smallest detail, even in the scenery, the most remarkable handicraft production of the island is undoubtedly the ceramics.
Painted ceramics, an age-old art
The artisan tradition of Caltagirone is still very much alive, but also in many Sicilian villages, where santons are used to create giant nativity scenes at Christmas time (contests are even organized). The city, once called "the hill of the vases", owes its reputation to its ceramic production. Visit the Ceramics Museum: a real treat! Countless stores, and even a ceramics supermarket, celebrate the city's production. There are more than a hundred artisanal companies that continue the tradition.
Giacomo Alessi, a master of ceramics, has dedicated his life to this art. At a very young age, with a passion for ancient ceramics, he dedicated himself to reviving the centuries-old craft tradition of his town. In fact, Caltagirone has been producing ceramics since the third millennium BC. After the clay vases of the prehistoric period, the tradition of the cheerful Faenze della Sicilia decorated the Arab patios before the city walls. Then there were specialists, such as the Bongiovanni family in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, who reproduced popular scenes with figurines. Inspired by models in museums, books on ceramics and private collections, Giacomo Alessi recreated objects from another time, in ancient colors. The production, entirely handmade, covers a long period, from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the 20th century, the richest being the period of the Arab, Norman and Swabian occupations. Here, each object has its own history, from the hand-warmer book to the figurines used to serve alcohol or preserve oil. The company now employs about 15 people and supplies selected stores throughout Italy. You can recognize an Alessi ceramic by its style and... its signature, of course. You can find artisanal ceramic stores in other Sicilian towns, especially in Monreale, for example, where interesting juicers to screw directly into the fruit are decorated with painted ceramics, as are decorative corks to close your wine bottles. But also in Erice, the village perched above Trapani. Here, the most colorful and detailed tableware of rare finesse can be found in the stores of the historic center. Don't forget to pack your objects well to put them in your suitcase: ceramics are fragile!
Very famous local products
Not to be missed: Palermo's markets (the Capo behind the cathedral, the Ballaro and the Vucciria), Catania's daily market and, of course, the Sunday market, where producers come to sell their products directly. It's a good idea to pick up a few specialties to treat your family and friends on your return! Sicilian products with the slow food label include : sardinette from Lampedusa, anchovies from Magghia, lentils from Ustica, pistachios from Bronte, almonds from Noto, capers from Salina, " a badda " beans from Polizzi Generosa, peaches from Leonforte, minuta olive oil from the Nebrodes valley, salt from Trapani, ham from the black pigs of the Nebrodes and Madonie mountains, plums from Monreale, Vastedda del Belice cheese, bread from Lentini, tiny olives, " porceddu " melon from Alcamo, " masculine " anchovies, onions from Giarratana, Agrigentine goat, red garlic from Nubia, Sicilian black bee, " cuddridedda " from Delia, lemon interdonato from the Ionian coast and chocolate from Modica. You're spoilt for choice!
The rare almond of Noto
Almonds from Val di Noto are a basic ingredient of Sicilian pastries. Among these, Pasta Reale (or marzipan) is processed raw; the dough takes the shape of fruit or vegetables and coloring agents are added: the finished product is called "fruit of martorana". The almond is also used for the preparation of nougat and crunchy. The taste of the fruit is enhanced by the honey of Iblei (orange, carob, lime, Mediterranean wild flower). This delicious almond nougat from Noto is still pressed by hand in wooden molds, for a sweetness guaranteed without additives or preservatives. The almond milk is prepared with sweet almonds and sugar, and is used to prepare the granita that can be found all over the island. You can also try cookies decorated with a caramelized almond or a cherry and the famous cookie called cassata. The almond is covered with white sugar icing, surrounded by royal pistachio paste and inside, between two layers of sponge cake, ricotta cheese with sheep's milk. All these sweets can be found in the island's artisanal pastry shops, and we recommend them in many places.
The famous Bronte pistachio
You will find them on your plates in restaurants, especially in desserts such as ice cream and granita. But above all, don't forget to buy these precious pistachios in the local markets. They have an aromatic taste, an elongated shape, an intense green color, a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and a truly unique softness. Considered the tastiest in the world, these pistachios have been cultivated since the Muslim occupation in the eighth century around the village of Bronte, located between 400 and 900 meters above sea level in the foothills of Mount Etna in the province of Catania. The Bronte pistachio is both a variety of pistachio(Pistacia vera) and a PDO designation. Because only pistachios grown on the slopes of Mount Etna produce a quality fruit, thanks to the volcanic soil on which the trees grow, but also thanks to the know-how of Sicilian farmers for centuries, and the subtropical Mediterranean climate that prevails there.
Sicilian wines increasingly in demand
Today, 3 million hectolitres of Sicilian wine are produced in the region, and there are still almost 200 wineries. In May and September, the Mediterranean Wine Fair is held in Marsala, the best-known Sicilian wine, made from Muscat and Malvasia grapes. You can visit the town's main wineries, taste their production and buy their products on the spot. Each major winery has its own enoteca, a tasting room and boutique. Wines to take home well-packed in your suitcase are mainly white wines, which are straw-colored, some with a slight green tint. This is particularly true of alcalmo. Other wines include catarratto, insolia, grillo and moscato (dessert wine). The rare pearl remains a wine from the Aeolian Islands, where rare vines are grown. But Malvasia wine is being lost: it's becoming harder and harder to find.
The other great name in Sicilian wines is the Nero d'Avola grape. The island's most famous grape variety is found almost exclusively here. It originates from the town of Avola in the south-east of the island. It is part of the AOC cerasuolo di vittoria. A rare, acidic wine that ages remarkably well, historically grown around Ragusa (where Avola is located), but mainly in the Trapani region. Among the reds, apart from Nero d'Avola, the grape varieties grown here are Syrah, Nerello Mascalese and the cherry-red Corvo Rosso. Visit www.vini-sicilia.it to find out more.
Italian brands are omnipresent
In the shopping streets of Sicily's main cities, led by Palermo and Catania, fashionistas will find all the must-have brands - particularly the big Italian labels - that embellish their wardrobes. Clothes, shoes, sunglasses (to be worn indoors, just like in Italy!), watches, perfumes and other Italian fashions are less expensive here than in France. The shopping district is located in the modern part of Palermo. Big names and renowned international labels can be found on via della Libertà, while more affordable boutiques can be found on via Maqueda, Roma and Cavour, as well as on the outskirts. But it's hard to sum up the shopping possibilities. Among Italian couturiers and designers, five big names stand out: Gucci, Prada, Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. Although they were born in Northern Italy, their influence extends throughout Italy, Europe and beyond...
Because kitsch doesn't kill anyone
If you really want to come back with Sicilian T-shirts, key-rings, pens, beach towels - and maybe even Christmas ornaments - don't deprive yourself. The pedestrian lanes of every town are full of this type of tourist store, where everything is practically " made in China ", but who cares? If you're not too shy, you can even buy mugs, key-rings and kitchen aprons bearing the godfather's image, even if the locals don't take kindly to this kind of publicity and take a dim view of the mafia.
