Thanksgiving in Sicily!
2006 October 29
Thanksgiving is an American holiday, not celebrated in Sicily.
That didn’t stop me from taking my daughter Jennifer and her husband JR, my son Matthew and his wife Lindsay, and my other daughter Catie to Sicily two years ago to celebrate “Thanksgiving in Sicily”.
What a remarkable time we had, and a memory that I will cherish forever.
First of all, try buying a turkey in Sicily! Impossible!
“Turkinos” are virtually non-existent in supermarkets there.
Fortunately, one of my friends from the America base in Catania bought one for me at the Base PX……you know…one of those frozen in nitrogen birds that need 7 days to defrost.
The bird, once defrosted, was too big for my European oven!
Thus, we ate turkey Sicilian style, cut up into pieces liked baked chicken,with rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper as garnish!
We loved it!
Cranberry sauce? Forget it! Cranberries are grown on Cape Cod. Impossible to find. Sweet potatoes ? Forget it! Apple pie? ya,right..that too..impossible to find!
Thus a quick “Sicilian Substitution” of white potatoes,mushrooms,salad, and ricotta pie rounded off the best Sicilian Thanksgiving” ever!
The highlight of the trip was a visit to our ancestral home in Trecastagni. A retired judge named Mr. Messina now owns the house, and he was gracious enough to let us tour the house and photograph the interior and exterior.
What an emotional experience.
The house originally belonged to my grandmother Gangi…my mother’s mother…and my kids’ great grandmother….and was in pristine condition.
My grandmother told me stories of the Camilla tree that she planted as a child..now a full grown behemoth…and I stared at it in wonder.
The most treasured possession that I have now though is a photo of me and my kids leaning against the front wall of my grandmother’s house, arm in arm.
It hangs in my living room now..as it does in the living rooms of my kids.
Every day, when I walk by that photo, I think about the best trip to Sicily that I ever took.
The following year I took my 80 year old mom to visit the same house…but that’s another story!
Just wanted to say thanks just got back from a tour of Sicily way overdue and way to short of a visit. I loved it and can’t wait to get back. Have been on the internet ever since I have to say your site so far was the most interesting the family and love you share.