Welcome to Sicilian Girl, where food, family and faith come together. My name is Catherine and I’m of Sicilian decent. I was not born in Italy but have had the good fortune to visit many times. From her inspiring Italian lakes in the north to the sun-drenched island of Sicily, I have eaten my way through many regions and savored every bite. Each time I returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area I recreated the meals of my travels to share with family and friends.
As time passed I found myself missing the luscious local markets that seduced my senses with the sun-ripened tomatoes and freshly picked zucchini flowers. I yearned for the captivating outdoor cafes where an entire afternoon could be spent with just my thoughts and an espresso. Life in Silicon Valley was busy and I longed for the simplicity of la vita quotidiana, daily life in Italy.
Reading Francis Mayes Under the Tuscan Sun didn’t help either. Aside from remodeling a house, (been there done that), who wouldn’t want to chat with friends sipping cappuccino, have leisurely multi-course meals al fresco and enjoy the quintessential evening passeggiatta to the piazza?
So, I wrote this prayer and placed it under my pillow and every night I would read it before I went to sleep.
Dear Lord
Right here, right now, in this moment, in this breath, there is life and I am grateful. If it is your will and when the time is right, please let me live the Tucson life. Oh and by the way I’ll probably attend Mass more often too … just saying.
Well, folks, life is in the details, God has a sense of humor and apparently, I’m not that great at spelling. Home is where your life is and for the moment my life is in Arizona … under the Tucson sun!
How I got here is another story that is in my book:
Wondering about the southern recipes you’ll find on this site and their Sicilian connection? Both of my maternal grandparents and my mother (each 100% Sicilian) were born and raised in New Orleans. I am both proud and grateful for my Sicilian heritage AND my southern roots. I grew up on pasta, bruschette and biscotti and jambalaya, muffuletta and bread pudding, so you just know good eatin” is in my DNA!
Sicilian Girl is a personal blog written and edited by me. Any products I mention and provide you with a link, such as King Arthur Flour.com, I do so because I trust the company and have used their products for years. This might also be a book I’m reading and want to share with you. Providing you a link to locate a hard-to-find ingredient, called for in one of my recipes, such as, fiori di Sicilia, has been helpful to many. I love advocating a family farm that is worthy of a visit or a great family activity anything that I feel will add a sprinkle of spice to life. If at any time I have received compensation in any form, I will certainly disclose that information. Trust with my readers is of the utmost importance to me.
As an author, I earn my income from my books … all two of them, which I shamelessly plug by providing you with a link. On all purchases made through Amazon I may receive a small commission.
As a speaker, I am paid a fee. For each paid speaking engagement, I will donate 50% of this compensation to Share Our Strength.org, a national nonprofit that is ending child hunger in America. Their priority is to make sure every child in America gets the nutritious food he or she needs to learn, grow and thrive. It is my privilege to support such a worthwhile cause.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are purely mine influenced only by my experiences, beliefs and how many cappuccini I’ve had.
It is my intention to share my stories for informational purposes and if I’ve made you smile … well, that’s just icing on la torta.
