DOLCI VARI E PIGNOLATA MESSINESE

Non è l’ eccesso d’amore che porta Romeo a uccidersi sul corpo della dormiente Giulietta ? Non è l’eccesso d’amore che spinge il Moro di Venezia a uccidere Desdemona rea di aver tradito il suo stesso amore. Gli eccessi non sono mai visti  come situazioni o eventi positivi. Essere golosi è un male perché l’eccesso di cibo o  dolci porta a disfunzioni nel nostro organismo. Lo stesso  vale anche per il sesso perchè l’eccesso di sesso può porta a decadimento fisico o morale esponendoci ai rischi di malattie innominabili . Non a caso, l’eccesso è visto come il sintomo evidente di un malessere interno, che non si riesce a comunicare e che per questo ci fa scivolare nella solitudine. L’eccesso quindi è sempre riprovevole anche se, a ben notare, la golosità o il sesso, o l’amore danno piaceri equivalenti in quanto portano tutti e tre al piacere fisico, prima ancora che emotivo o esistenziale. Pensavo questo quando mia moglie si è mangiata tutto il vassoio di Pignolata Messinese appena comprata perché, come dicevo, la golosità è un eccesso molto simile al sesso e se ci si butta su uno dei due eccessi, è perché forse manca l’altro o non è abbastanza soddisfacente. Che mia moglie volesse dirmi qualcosa? Non lo so. Nel dubbio ho comprato un altro chilo di pignolata e l’ho messa sul mio comodino del letto, se la vorrà dovrà passare sul mio corpo e allora vedremo se vorrà soddisfare l’eccesso carnale lasciando la pignolata al suo posto o viceversa. Non si sa mai di quale eccesso siamo spinti a saziare, ma l’importante è essere pronti a soddisfarlo perché senza quell’eccesso d’amore che Romeo e Giulietta hanno mortalmente soddisfatto, sarebbero solo una delle solite coppiette di illusi e banali adolescenti.

Isn't it the excess of love that leads Romeo to kill himself on the body of the sleeping Juliet? It is not the excess of love that pushes the Moor of Venice to kill Desdemona, guilty of having betrayed his own love for her. Excesses are never seen as positive situations or events. Being greedy is bad because excess food or sweets leads to dysfunctions in our body. The same also applies to sex because excess sex can lead to physical or moral decay, exposing us to the risks of unmentionable diseases. It is no coincidence that excess is seen as the obvious symptom of an internal malaise, which cannot be communicated and which therefore makes us slip into loneliness. Excess is therefore always reprehensible even if, if you carefully note, gluttony or sex or love give equivalent pleasures as all three lead to physical pleasure, even before emotional or existential pleasure. I was thinking this when my wife ate the entire tray of Pignolata Messinese she had just bought because, as I was saying, gluttony is an excess very similar to sex and if you indulge in one of the two excesses, it is because perhaps the other is missing or not It's quite satisfying. Did my wife want to tell me something? I do not know. When in doubt, I bought another kilo of pignolata and put it on my bedside table. If she wants it, she will have to pass it over my body and then we'll see if she wants to satisfy her carnal excess by leaving the pignolata in her place or vice versa. We never know what excess we are driven to satiate, but the important thing is to be ready to satisfy it because without that excess of love that Romeo and Juliet mortally satisfied, they would be just one of the usual couples of deluded and banal teenagers

Eight desserts I ate in Palermo, Sicily. (If it fits on one plate, it counts as one dessert in my book.) Sweets like these can be eaten at any meal. The first photo shows cakes from a typical Sicilian breakfast buffet at my hotel.

Photos by Charles Reeza

If you can don't wait until 9pm to have your first meal of the day you will inevitably find yourself in a fever dream of pantry based cookery possessed by the ancestors and 'tism cravings

Made Biancomangiare last weekend, and it was a bit underappreciated in the community where I'm meant to share this stuff, so maybe it'll be more appreciated here. I infused it with fresh lemon peels and a cinnamon stick, added some garnishes and it went down fast in my household lol.

In the tradition of Sicilian, sweets made with almond paste were offered at special occasions. da Barbara Bonanno BNNRRB Tramite Flickr: sweets made with almond paste

Cuisine - Sweet and Sour Sicilian Tuna Recipe

Sweet and sour pan sauce and caramelized onions are poured over seared tuna steaks.

Sweet and Sour Sicilian Tuna Recipe Sweet and sour pan sauce and caramelized onions are poured over seared tuna steaks.

Il Tabellone dei gelati è della mitica gelateria De Luca di Briga Marina

All’interno del bar del sig. Placido regnava il solito caos siciliano dove le regole del buon vivere erano non infrante, ma sicilianamente scavalcate, nel senso che erano accantonate, messe da parte, in quanto fare i furbi e lasciare agli altri leggi e regolamenti, fa parte del codice genetico siciliano . Così essere arrivati prima degli altri non aveva valore se gli altri vi si mettevano davanti richiamando rumorosamente l’attenzione del barista o se chiamavano un barista per nome in quanto suoi cugini, fratelli, compari amici o conoscenti. Per cui, nella bolgia che ne seguiva il sig Placido, proprietario della famosa gelateria, si comportava come un giudice della cassazione ricordandosi chi c’era prima o dopo malgrado i tanti millantatori di permanenze risalenti anche ad un ora prima. Il sig. Placido, serio e preciso indicava un cliente e con il volto freddo e professionale da croupier di casinò chiedeva “Cosa le faccio?” E qui partiva l’elenco di gusti che il sig Placido, rapido e preciso, disponeva ad arte su un cono. D’improvviso qualcuno si fece largo nella calca di golosi. Era un ragazzo alto e robusto che teneva in braccio una bambina che lo stringeva piangendo “No cori i papà non cianciri … scusati, …. la bambina … scusate … non cianciri u papà, chi ora ti cattu u gilatino …” Al suo passaggio la gente prima protestava poi, vedendo la bambina che piangeva si spostava presa a compassione dai lacrimoni che scendevano dai suoi occhi. L’uomo con la bambina in mano arrivò al bancone e il sig. Placido, vedendo il dramma in atto si avvicino chiedendo “Che ha questa bambina? Lo vuole un gelatino? Che gusto vuoi picciridda?” “dicci u papà che gusti vuoi? Senti, senti il signor Placido che gusti ci sono, glielo dica signor Placido” “C’è bacio, gianduia, stracciatella, nocciola, zuppa inglese, caffè, Babà, crema d’arancia, mandorla tostata, pistacchio, setteveli al pistacchio, Rocher, nero fondente, sette veli, fondente all’arancio, amarena, torrone, snickers, parfait di mandorle, caramello salato, nutella, Taormina, fiordilatte, cioccolato bianco, cocco, cedro, fragola, ananas, pesca, bergamotto, melone e gelso. Quale vuoi?” “Quale vuoi u papà, dicillu al signor Placido” La bambina lo guardò spaesata e poi puntò gli occhi annacquati sul sig. Placido. Ebbe un singulto del pianto “Diccillu o signor Placido chi gilatinu voi” Fece il vecchietto sulla destra del padre “prendi il cioccolato che è buonissimo” Suggerì il vecchietto sulla sinistra. Nella gelateria scese un silenzio denso e pieno d’attesa mentre tutti osservavano la bambina come se dovesse dare una terna vincente. Lei guardò il signor Placido e lentamente si strinse al padre e bisbigliò nell’orecchio “Va bene u papà signor Placido pi cortesia, ci pò mettiri un po' di panna su un cono”. Un sospiro di sollievo si allargò nella sala e tutti commentarono felici la scelta della bambina. Con la solita rapidità ed efficienza il signor placido riempi un cono di panna disegnando un riccio sulla punta e lo passo alla bambina. “se lo paghi” Fece il padre allungando cinque euro “lasciassi stare, un pensiero mio alla bambina” Fece il signor Placido rimettendo il coperchio sul pozzetto della panna e guardando la folla davanti a se chiese con la solita professionalità “chi servo?” Si udì un boato di voci e la bolgia nella gelateria incominciò nuovamente.

Eight of the many desserts I enjoyed in Catania, Syracuse, and Noto, Sicily

1 Cassata (ricotta filled torte with marzipan sheath); 2 almond cake; 3 chocolate mousse; 4 raspberry custard crostata; 5 gelato; 6 custard pie; 7 pistachio torte; 8 deconstructed cannoli

Photos by Charles Reeza

No restaurant wins me over quite like a place with a charming wait staff that makes an effort for special occasions, throws in a bunch of free treats, and doesn't charge you for cocktails

[ID: Diamond-shaped cake slices arranged into a layered star shape, topped with powdered sugar, with dates and prunes placed around the edge of the plate. Two plates of Italian Christmas cookies are in the background. End ID]

Whole orange cake with sumac and pink peppercorn

This moist, flavorful cake is inspired by Sicilian torta all’arancia (orange cake) and Moroccan مَسْكُوتة‎ ("maskūta"). There is no peeling, zesting, or juicing of oranges required; oranges are added whole, and lend the citrus oils in their peels, the sweetness and flavor of their juice, and the tenderness of their pulp to the final cake.

Maskouta is a wheat-flour-based cake that often comes in orange or yoghurt varieties—this recipe combines both versions. The addition of yoghurt makes the cake incredibly tender, and adds a smooth tartness that perfectly balances the brightness, robustness, and slight bitterness of the citrus oils that infuse the cake. Cardamom and orange blossom water, both occasional additions in Moroccan orange cakes, add delicate aromatics that further round out the flavor of the cake; sumac and pink peppercorn add a sour, fizzling touch that draws the brightness of the orange to a head at the front of the palate.

Recipe under the cut!

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Ingredients:

2 whole organic oranges

1 3/4 cup (210g) flour

1 1/2 tsp sumac

3/4 tsp pink peppercorn

6 green cardamom pods

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp orange blossom water

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup non-dairy yoghurt

1/2 cup non-dairy margarine, softened

1 cup vegetarian granulated sugar

Sicilian and Moroccan orange cakes do not usually include butter; however, I find that a creaming method, which incorporates air into a solid fat such as margarine, helps replace some of the leavening power of whipped eggs.

Instructions:

1. Scrub oranges thoroughly. Submerge them in cool water (weighing them down with a plate) and soak overnight.

This step removes some of the bitterness of the orange peels. If you don't have time for soaking, or if you very much dislike any amount of bitterness in sweets, zest the oranges by taking off just the orange layer of the peel with a microplane or vegetable peeler; set zest aside. Remove as much of the white pith as you can and discard. Use the zest and the peeled orange slices in place of the whole oranges.

2. Remove oranges from water. Blend them, along with orange blossom water, until homogenous. The mixture does not need to be completely liquid.

3. Toast cardamom pods and pink peppercorns in a dry skillet on medium heat until fragrant. Grind in a spice mill, or with a mortar and pestle. Combine dry ingredients (spices, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) in a mixing bowl.

3. Cream margarine in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer for 30 seconds, until fluffy. Add sugar and cream for 2 minutes, until aerated.

3. Gradually add pulverized oranges and fold in. Add olive oil and yoghurt and fold to combine.

4. Slowly add dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. You should get a fairly thick batter.

5. Prepare a 9" x 13" (about 22 x 33 cm) glass cake pan with oil or margarine. Pour in batter and flatten with a rubber spatula.

6. Bake in the bottom of an oven at 350 °F (175 °C) for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cake comes out clean.

7. Once cake has cooled, cut into slices and arrange as desired. Top with powdered sugar.

Spider Family Immigration Headcanons:

(A lot of this is based off of stories from my grandfather about his experience as a Sicilian American immigrant – minus the mob stuff because my family never got involved in that shit when the Spiders canonically did)

They’re Sicilian because I said so

If not Sicilian, definitely Southern Italian

They moved when the twins were fairly young, 5 or 6 years old

Arackniss and the twins have a big age gap, and he spends the whole time protecting and comforting his little siblings

12 year old Arackniss giving grown men on the boat and Ellis Island The Sicilian Stare™️ if they so much as look at Angel or Molly funny

Holding them when they get homesick or seasick on the boat

Even though he’s homesick, too

Arackniss holds his breath when Angel and Molly get their inspections done because he’s afraid they’ll get sent back

But all 5 of them pass and get their papers

Everyone gets their names Americanized on their documents

Angel and Molly don’t really understand it, but Arackniss is pissed

That’s probably why so many of them chose new names after they died. Every spider has three names: one chosen by their parents, one chosen by Ellis Island staff, and one they chose for themself

Henroin learned some English before coming over to prepare to join the work force, but didn’t bother to teach his kids

The twins pick it up pretty quick since they’re so young

Arackniss struggles with it a lot more, and gets bullied in school

Their mom just never learns

They all speak Sicilian at home for the first few years, and eventually move to a mix of Sicilian and English (except for their mom)

Angel and Molly also pick up a lot of other Southern Italian dialects from other kids in school when the teachers aren’t paying attention

Henroin does not approve of this

Not because he wants them to focus on learning English or stay out of trouble, he’s just very set in his ways

They didn’t plan to start running mob opperations in the US, but money was tight and old habits die hard

So Henroin found some old contacts and got the gang back together

They sell moonshine during prohibition, run numbers, and when their operation grow, they get into arms dealing and extorting local businesses for protection money

The kids get recruited for a lot of it

Molly’s great for getting messages or small packages delivered because she’s a sweet innocent little girl and no one suspects her

When Angel gets older, he has way too much fun smashing shit when people are late on payments (vandalism is his passion)

Arackniss gets into a lot of fights at school because of the bullying, and because he throws hands with anyone who messes with his little siblings

When they’re old enough, Angel and Molly return the favor

Art masterpost: Fall For Me story by: raths_kitten (@rathskitten ) art by: sidewinder (@hawkland )

I'm posting today from on the road in Italy—it's the last of my three @deancasreversebang collaborations for this year! My thanks to @rathskitten for claiming this submission of mine. Like my fantasy bang submission that became Bleeding the Divine, it was based on an original photograph by Wilhelm von Gloeden of a Sicilian fisherman with a guitar on a boat. For some reason the pose and everything gave me vibes of Cas as either some kind of pirate!angel or water-spirit, and that turned into this artwork:

I'm also including these two variations of the art, as I used colorshift/metallic paint on the wings which make them look very different depending on the angle of the lighting.

Be sure to go read the delightful story that now goes with the art! It's a really sweet and fun AU, thank you to my author for writing it!

“Her mouth was sweet and he gently pulled her down on the bed. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to make love to her and Michael felt an enormous happiness. He had spent the war years fighting in the Pacific, and on those bloody islands he had dreamed of a girl like Kay Adams. Of a beauty like hers. A fair and fragile body, milky-skinned and electrified by passion.”

“He was surprised to find himself so secretive with Kay. He loved her, he trusted her, but he would never tell her anything about his father or the Family. She was an outsider.”

“Michael often thought of Kay, of her smile, her body, and always felt a twinge of conscience at leaving her so brutally without a word of farewell.”

“…it was nothing like the love he’d had for Kay, a love based as much on her sweetness, her intelligence and the polarity of the fair and dark.”

“Kay was silent for a long time. ‘Why do you want me to marry you after never calling me all these months? Am I so good in bed?’ Michael nodded gravely. ‘Sure,’ he said. ‘But I’m getting it for nothing so why should I marry you for that?’”

‘You are the only person I felt any affection for, that I care about.’

“But Kay was grateful. She knew that Michael had done it against all his own inclinations. Had done it because she had asked him to, and that she was the only person in the world who could make him act against his own nature.”

“Kay put her hand on Hagen’s arm. ‘He didn’t order you to tell me all the other things?’ Hagen hesitated a moment as if debating whether to tell her a final truth. ‘You still don’t understand,’ he said. ‘If you told Michael what I’ve told you today, I’m a dead man.’ He paused again. ‘You and the children are the only people on this earth he couldn’t harm.’”

- Mario Puzo, “The Godfather”

“Michael loved her when he met her and he loved her throughout his life and he loves her to this day, even though their relationship was surrounded by a lie. He not only loves her, he admires her.”

- Al Pacino, (x)

“And consequently, as we see him even in his commendatory finery receiving the highest award the Vatican can bestow he…his face is a mirror of his soul that’s ravaged and sickly, and very very heartbroken because what he values the most is the thing that he has lost… but he has his children, and his children at this point, I would think to Michael mean everything, his daughter and his son.”

“Although to me, what is about to happen here is the beginning of rebuilding of what really means most to him…I have no doubt that Michael despite the limitations of his Sicilian-American upbringing, and how men were supposed to be, how women were supposed to be, and wives were supposed to be, he really loved Kay, much as Diane and Al really love each other or loved each other, or probably will always love each other… I felt we were dealing with real things in the context of this romantic novel.”

- Francis Ford Coppola’s DVD commentary, (x)

“He would do it for his children, this boy and this girl that was all he had left of his marriage with Kay, which obviously meant a lot to him but which she basically pulled the plug on. She was not going to be married to a man who murdered people and stuff.”

“I saw what Michael had, and thereby understood what he had lost. He loved Kay, you know. Kay represented to him this dream that one day he would be out of it. He would have achieved the goal, which was to one day be totally legitimate. He had promised her that he would do that and somehow he was not quite able to just pull it off.”

- Francis Ford Coppola, (x)

@godfat-her

The Guy

You meet Melissa in a bakery and hit it off right away. This idea is based off of the bakery Pane Pasta in New York.

It’s a gorgeous day when you head into work. Unlocking the bakery you flick on the lights and get everything ready in the back getting started on the pastries and treats for the day. You’d inherited the Sicilian style bakery from your uncle when he passed, so now you run the place keeping the legacy alive.

After a couple hours you turn on the open sign and begin to bring all the fresh food out to the displays. Your head is in one of the coolers getting the Italian ice ready when you hear the door chime.

“Good morning, what can I get for ya?” You ask, coming up and your jaw almost dropping at the gorgeous red head over the counter.

“Where’s Eduardo?” She asks almost as if you’re an imposter and not supposed to be there.

“My uncle passed away two weeks ago.” You explain gently. Ever since you took over you’d been explaining to his regulars at least once every single day.

The red head brings her hand to her chest in shock. “I’m sorry, hon. He was a great man. I’ve been coming in here once a month for years.”

“Thank you, I’m y/n, the new owner. it’s very nice to meet you.” You smile reaching out to shake the woman’s hand.

“Melissa,” she nods shaking your hand.

That was almost a year ago, and in that time Melissa’s kept your relationship quiet having only told Barb and her family. As far as the other teachers at Abbott you were her “guy” for everything delicious.

As Barbara’s birthday comes around, Janine goes into full planner mode planning a small party at the school.

“And all we need is a cake!” The hyper teacher beams.

Melissa lifts her phone up sending you a sweet text seeing if you had time tomorrow to bring a delivery. “I got a guy for that.”

The next day you meet Melissa outside the school at lunch with the box in hand.

“Hi, sweetheart.” She smiles taking the box from you, staying very close to you.

“Can I have a kiss to hold me over until later or will your cover be blown?” You tease.

Melissa rolls her eyes and leans in meeting your lips in a soft kiss.

“This is the guy?!” A voice yells from behind, forcing Melissa to turn around.

“Janine! The hell are you doing out here?”

“I was gonna get the balloons from my car! Why didnt you tell us you were in a relationship?!” She smiles walking over to you both.

“‘Cause you’re a loud mouth,kid.” She grumbles.

You smile gently patting her hip.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Janine. I have to get back to the shop, baby. I’ll see you at home.” You grin giving her a kiss on the cheek before you get back into your car.

Janine stands there with a ridiculously giddy smile as Melissa walks past her taking the cake back inside.

“Not a word, kid.”