loveSicily

Spring nature's gifts: Sicilian wild herbs

We are right in the middle of our spring culinary and cooking tours right now and I have little time to devote to the blog, but I just could not wait any longer to share with you the pictures of wild herbs which are essential ingredients in my cooking classes.

These pictures where taken on the hills around Noto Antica, a wonderful archaeological site, where you can find wonderful wild herbs: from fennel, which I often use in fish based recipes, to sage and rosemary which are fantastic on meat, to thyme which is simply great on anything, especially my lemon meat balls, and wild rocket, perfect for my rucola, carrots, currants and pine nuts salad. You find also catnip, wild oregano, ipericum, capers and many, many other fantastic herbs.

Usually, the day before a spring cooking course begins, I love going to our small cottage up the hills, our Monti Iblei, to relax and collect all the herbs I am planning to use during the week.
I must admit that when I look around and see all these gifts of nature growing amidst colorful wild flowers, I feel priviledged to be able to enjoy them and share the experience of cooking with them with other people.

Written on
May 17, 2010