Imagine preserving slices of Sicilian landscape. Imagine tearing a seal and being swept away by an explosion of Mediterranean aromas. Impossible? Not for Maestro Corrado Assenza. The challenge was to prolong the beauty and freshness of Sicilian citrus fruit without using preservatives. Needless to say, he succeeded. Ethereally soft and shockingly aromatic, these citruses are the…
Category: Caffe’ Sicilia
Corrado’s Canditi Capture the Flavors of Sicily
Italy has a reputation for growing some of the world’s best citrus and Corrado Assenza of Caffè Sicilia knows precisely which farmers are at the top of their game. We visited Corrado in Noto last summer during our Sicilia exploring adventure and finally had a taste of his extraordinary citrus candied peels. He makes his…
Apricots from Mr. Sicily
“If Nature creates simple and spontaneous jewels, it is up to us to bring them to the palate in the simplest and most direct way. Composing a harmonious and flavorful sequence is the purpose of our job.” Corrado Assenza Corrado is the pastry maestro and poetic soul behind the world famous Caffè Sicilia of Noto. In…
Hazelnut Amaretti with Candied Oranges
This recipe comes from our friend Viola Buitoni, an Italian chef instructor and food writer living in San Francisco. We feel these amaretti perfectly glorify the intoxicating scents of the Piemontese Alta Langa Hazelnuts and the Sicilian Pizzuta Almonds. Grazie per aver condiviso con noi questa ricetta, Viola! Amaretti is the rare Italian delight to…
Sicilian Traditional Candies
Caffè Sicilia nougats are a stellar creation by pastry legend Corrado Assenza. Nothing beats the texture of a soft Sicilian torrone. It’s slightly chewy at first, giving way to a silky mouthfeel as the luscious honey melts in your mouth. Then, the crunchy bite of Sicilian pistachios of Bronte or almonds of Noto strikes you. These are jewels of the Sicilian…
Pesto alla Trapanese with Busiate Pasta
Busiate and Pesto alla Trapanese are a match made in heaven. Pesto Trapanese is the Sicilian answer to the Genovese version, a recipe originally brought to Trapani’s port by Ligurian sailors on their way to the East and adapted to use ingredients easier to source on the island: almonds and tomatoes. Busiate is a traditional…
Roasted Cauliflower with Almond-Herb Sauce
This recipe is made to bring a spark of summer even during the coldest months of the year: the sweetness and tenderness of the roasted cauliflower are complemented by the brightness and crunchiness of this pesto. If you love almonds, anchovies, and caperberries, this is the recipe for you. It’s super easy, yet extremely tasteful…
Not Your Normal Sicilian Jams
Caffe’ Sicilia’s fruit in a jar Corrado Assenza’s jams and marmalades offer the unexpected. We like to think of these as the the “orange wine” of the marmalade world, full of sharp and surprising flavors. These jams and marmalades are made with no tricks: they have absolutely no pectin, no citric acid, or lemon juice. They…
Mandorla Means Almond
Almonds are a protagonist ingredient in Sicily’s culinary heritage. They have been cultivated on the island of Sicily for thousands of years. Sicily provides the perfect terroir for almonds to thrive and grow with intense flavors. Many of Sicily’s native almond varieties like Romana Almonds and Pizzuta Almonds were never hybridized. Why does it matter that…
Gustiamo on Rachael Ray Every Day
Our founder and president, Beatrice is in the Rachael Ray Magazine serving the very best Italian food pantry advice. As the wonderful Geraldine Campbell writes, “Beatrice Ughi, a native of Naples, Italy, and the founder of the online shop Gustiamo, shares five products from Italy that are worth the splurge.” First on Beatrice’s list is Faella…