la dolce Sicilia
I think I might have been Sicilian in a past life.
One lazy morning a few years ago, after a night of one too many glasses of wine, my now-fiancé and I decided to go on a holiday together—after knowing each other for just a few months.
We didn’t have many requirements: it should be sunny (early May), and there should be good wine and food, two things we connected over.
After some research, we landed on Sicily, and boy, am I glad we did.
We ended up visiting the charming town of Taormina. Stunning views over the Ionian Sea, an active volcano looming in the distance and an ancient Greek amphitheatre are just a few of the things you’ll find there.
The village recently got a lot of PR as the backdrop for the popular second season of The White Lotus (I have to admit, I still haven’t seen it). But before the show turned the world’s eyes to Taormina, we had already pledged to visit Sicily again. Why, you wonder? A glass of wine!
Specifically, a glass of “Cometa” by Planeta, which we had while dining at Otto Geleng in the iconic Timeo Belmond Hotel. That one glass made us want to visit the Sicilian vineyard at the foot of Mount Etna. So, this year, we returned in the first week of September.
You feel the influence of this large, active volcano when you’re on the island. Etna’s fertile, mineral-rich soil is the lifeblood of the surrounding vineyards, producing wines that are as complex as the landscape itself. The soil and the unique climate make the surrounding area perfect for grape growing.
Planeta has several locations scattered around the island. At the vineyard on the northern slope of Mount Etna, they grow the Nerello and Carricante grape varieties—typical red and white Sicilian grapes.
Sicily welcomed us with both stunning views and warm hospitality. And a love for the land and pride in both product and heritage.
This is a common theme. Sicilians are a bit loud; there’s a touch of chaos and great passion for culture, food and wine. Maybe that’s why I felt so at home, even only visiting for the second time.
One morning, we went out for breakfast to enjoy granita, a typical Sicilian treat. It’s a semi-frozen dessert made with sugar, water and fresh fruit, usually eaten for breakfast. You can only order a few specific flavours in the morning, and the waiter will definitely tell you it’s a breakfast dish—not ice cream!
Another sweet treat that reflects the spirit of Sicily is cassata, a rich dessert featuring green marzipan, candied fruit and ricotta cream. It feels like something straight out of a 1970s cookbook. Like Taormina itself, this dessert somehow manages to be over-the-top yet completely at home.
You might suspect that I have a sweet tooth, and you’re absolutely right. But hearty dishes are where the cuisine really shines. Take arancini, for example—a beloved street food of fried rice balls stuffed with ragu, mozzarella and peas. And I bet everyone has tried Pasta alla Norma at least once. It’s a simple dish with fried eggplant, tomato sauce, basil and salted ricotta. If you’re a fan, you’ll fall in love with caponata—a sweet and savoury dish of (ao) eggplant, bell peppers, pine nuts and raisins. It’s simple yet so full of flavor.
You can imagine we ate and drank our way through our days. On one of the last nights, we returned to Otto Geleng for a tasting menu and wine pairing. A little table overlooking the bay and its glimmering lights, with Mount Etna right in front of us. Just before the first course, my boyfriend proposed. It makes me very happy to realise that this is probably not our last time visiting Sicily.
Maybe he, too, was Sicilian in a past life.
Sanne Talmon
Work and pleasure seem to mix seamlessly for Sanne. And you know what? She's not mad about it. The head of Unfair23, a curated art fair in Amsterdam, and an agent for artists, Sanne lives and breathes contemporary art. Though most of her time is spent dreaming up creative programming for the fair or tracking down super cool emerging talent, Sanne always finds time for fantastic food and delicious wine (she even had her own natural wine label for a while!). Travel along with Sanne as she explores the world as the ultimate culture vulture.
