Eggplants were first introduced to Europe by Arab farmers in Spain and Sicily. The anonymous Cordoban Calender of 961 mentions eggplants. In Sicily the word for eggplant, milinciana derives from the Arabic word for the plant bādhinjān. It was not at all popular at first. As for the combination of pasta and eggplants which is […]
Apricots, Nectarines, Peaches Make “Moon of the Faithful” Syrup for Crêpes
August 8, 2017 by Leave a Comment
This Sicilian sweet syrup is part of what is known folklorically as being part of cucina arabo-sicula, the cooking influenced by the long ago Arab presence in Sicily. In some Muslim countries, the apricot is known as the “moon of the faithful.” The apricot belongs in the same family as the peach and nectarine, all […]
Using History to Create Inventive Dishes–Stuffed Lamb with Amaretti
November 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I first became fascinated with the role of the Arabs in Sicily after a trip to that island in 1983. There were noticeable Arab influences in everything from palaces, to bridges, to woodwork, to architecture, as well as a curious feeling to the local Sicilian food—not all of it, but some of it—which felt “Arab” […]
for 
Recent Comments