We did the easy ride today. We met on the nice patio overlooking the valley for the bike briefing, then headed to the beach!
The ride was about 19 miles, mostly downhill, although it seems we go up just about as much as down. The destinations are a beach resort followed by lunch in Marzamemi, an ancient tuna fishing village.
From the book: "Marzamemi: this village was developed around the ancient tuna fishery, the second largest in Sicily and now a national monument. The tuna fishery was the property of the Princes of Villadorata and their 1600's summer palace is right on the main square. We will stop there to have a buffet lunch with local organic specialties."
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| Sheep |
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| Looks like water, but those are greenhouses on the right. |
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| Sandro met us with a snack at about 10:30 |
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| The snack table |
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| Definitely warm enough for sunbathing |
After wading in the Ionian sea (still cold, only got in waist deep), we left on our suits and flip flops for the last 3 mile ride to Marzamemi.
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| Panorama, click to enlarge |
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| Part of the lunch buffet, lots of tuna and mackerel. Free wine! The tomatoes were astoundingly good. |
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| Angelo |
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| On the right is the lady who provided the nice lunch. |
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| Delicious! I even went back for more tomatoes, and I don't really like tomatoes. |
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| The prettiest girl in the group. |
After that big feast, Lisa and I skipped the afternoon ride and took the van back to the hotel and a nice nap.
We met up with some of the others on the hotel patio for beer and wine, then at 7:00 we all went into the hotel restaurant for a cooking demo -- eggplant parmesan and cannoli.
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| Making eggplant parmesan |
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| Lisa isn't drinking that heavily, I just needed two hands |
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| That's going to be dinner |
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| Gary gives it two thumbs up |
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| Joyce and Dana with our chef |
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| Darlene made a cannoli |
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| Somehow I ended up with it. It was very rich and delicious. |
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| And finally we get to eat. |
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| We all made our own cannoli for dessert. Here's my second of the day. This is better than GOD. |
The hotel gave us recipes:
Eggplant Parmegiana
Eggplant
Fresh tomato sauce
basil
Parmigiano cheese
mozzarella
prosciutto cotto (ham)
boiled eggs
Cut an eggplant 1/4 inch thick slices and fry them in olive oil. Then let them become cold. Cover with blotting paper to absord the excess of oil. Spread a baking pan with olive oil and breadcrumbs.
First layer:
1. place the slices of eggplant on the base covering all the baking pan
2. cut by hand the ham and spread it
3. spread also little slices of mozzarella and boiled eggs
4. put the tomato sauce and some leaves of basil (do not exaggerate with basil, because the parmigiana could become bitter)
5. spread some parmigiano
Second layer:
Repeat the same process for the second layer
Finish with abundant tomato sauce and parmigiano
Cook it in the oven at 300 F for 15 - 20 minutes.
Cannolo Siciliano
Precooked cannolo wafer
ricotta cheese
confectioners sugar
sugar
cinnamon
grated pistachio/chocolate/nuts
For the cream:
Mix 1 kg of ricotta with 250 g of sugar and some cinnamon and let it in the fridge several hours.
Filling and decoration:
Fill the cannolo with the ricotta cream with a spoon or a "sac a poche"
Decorate the cannolo with some confectioners' sugar and the grated pistachio/chocolate/nuts
VERY IMPORTANT
Don't forget to have fun !!!
Day 8
