Maggie's Farm

The most recent dinner we had in Sicily was swordfish stuffed with herbs and pignoli nuts on a bed of couscous with a sweetened wine and raisin sauce. That was outside Agrigento on the southwest coast. To this day, western Sicily is "Arab" and eastern is "Greek." The local cuisines of Italy reflect the history.

The history of Sicilian cuisine is the history of beautiful, wonderful, and profoundly-corrupt Sicily. No problema - they only hassle eachother. Put it on your bucket list. They love Americans there.

For some dumb reason, I decided to look at the dominant carbs of Italy, which like Sicily still has large variations in regional cuisine, sometimes varying almost completely over 50 miles in terms of wines, cheeses, sausages, meats, carbs, etc. As readers know, in Italian tradition the Primi is generally a carb or a soup, and the Secondi is meat, with a veg on the side if you ask for it.

Bread? Everywhere. "North" and "South" roughly mean in relation to Rome. (Umbrian bread is terrible: they quit using salt after a salt tax argument with the Pope in 1540 and still don't use it.)

The North: Polenta, Rice and Risotto, Potato, Gnocchi, some usually-fresh-made egg noodles (eg Pappardelle) including ravioli and tortellini. Butter for fats, but more olive oil over time.

The South: Plain (no egg) dried pastas, beans. Pizza. Olive oil for fats.

Sicily: Couscous, rice, some plain pastas. Olive oil.

Now I expect arguments and exceptions from readers, but I think this is generally accurate.

Image is a very fine Umbrian Primi - Gorgonzola and Porcini Risotto. Nothing better. Arborio Rice only. Italian women have strong arms from stirring Risotto and Polenta. You can't stop stirring them until done.