A region’s culinary heritage, more often than not, is essential in establishing identity and pride among its people. Culinary tradition, in fact, serves as a map or chronicle of sorts, of that region’s cultural history that is incredibly compelling and easily digestible – literally and figuratively.

1. Pizzeria Vecchia
509 N Teal St, Janesville, MN 56048
(507) 200-3548
A Brief History
of Sumptuous Sicilian Cuisine

2. A region’s culinary heritage, more often
than not, is essential in establishing
identity and pride among its people.
Culinary tradition, in fact, serves as a
map or chronicle of sorts, of that region’s
cultural history that is incredibly
compelling and easily digestible – literally
and figuratively.
In this vein, traditional Sicilian cuisine
took shape due to its unique, storied
position as a cultural crossroad. In turn,
this heritage created its flavorful history,
which influences gastronomic culture to
this day.

3. A Confluence of Cooking Traditions
Sicily’s location in the Mediterranean made it an
attractive trade hub for Greeks and North
Africans. The influence of these people is
evident in Sicilian food, which carries traces of
Turkish, Arab, and Greek flavors.
The prevalence of exotic taste and ingredients
prove this: sweet and sour caponata, almond-
based pastries, oranges, watermelons, raisins,
pistachios, mulberries, eggplant, anchovies and
many others. Touring Palermo’s (Sicily’s largest
city) food markets will remind one of the
bazaars in the Middle East, filled to the brim
with fresh, seasonal, and diverse samplings of
various flavors.
Culinary Renaissance
Curiously, Sicily’s dishes were considered lower-class compared to the rest of Italy’s offerings
a few centuries ago. Its transformation into signature delights was a product of the artistic
cultivation of traditional food and their processes that Sicilians value to this day.
Sicily is famous for some things, which include the “Salt Road” between Trapani and Marsala,
producing sea salt by the tons. One of the more famous producers, Saline Ettore Infersa, has
produced sea salt since the 16th
century. Phoenician seafarers introduced the process as their
means of protein preservation during lengthy journeys at sea.

4. Sources:
http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/35/
http://pizzeriavecchia.com/24-hours-pizza-delivery/
http://www.umass.edu/journal/sicilyprogram/sicilianfoodhistory.html
Olive oil is another signature Sicilian ingredient, being responsible for 10% of production in
all of Italy. The ubiquitous growth of olive trees in Sicily gave birth to olive oil producers
like Manfredi Barbera & Figli, whose oils garner local and international recognition year
after year. Sicily’s particular mix of soil and humidity level allows olive trees to thrive as
they do.
The Gift of the Land
Sicily’s amazing flavors, textures, and fragrances are undoubtedly a product of its geological
makeup, apart from its people. Volcanic soils brought about by eruptions of Mount Etna
made the ground rich and fertilized, and the sub-tropical climate contributes significantly
to such diverse produce.
Ultimately, a miraculous combination of multiple elements – the land, the people – allowed
a culture to emerge that defined the region. A delicious and nourishing culinary culture that
never forgets its heritage creates its own for future generations to admire and incorporate
to theirs.