Ciao, Sicilia!

We ended our Sicilian road trip with 6 mellow days at a farmhouse near Marsala, on the west side of Sicily.  The sunsets were stunning, the driving was slightly more sane, and we were both thrilled to slow down. 

sunset over Trapani salt flats

The 20 miles of coastline between Marsala and Trapani are peppered with salt flats (see what I did there?!).  The conditions for salt harvesting are ideal here -- breezy yet sunny weather, and shallow, smooth seabeds.  Believe it or not, the Museo del Sale (salt museum) was fascinating.  Salt harvesting is a complex and labor-intensive process.  Once harvested, the piles of salt are covered with terracotta tiles and left to dry for a year. 

freshly harvested salt

We were surprised to learn that most Marsala wine is nothing like the sticky sweet wine that we know as Marsala.  Here's the scoop --  John Woodhouse, a merchant from England, visited Marsala in 1773 and tried the local wine known as vino perpetuo or "everlasting wine".  Vino perpetuo ages for decades in wooden barrels in which a fraction of wine evaporates and new wine is added each year.  Woodhouse saw the commercial potential for this wine and looked for ways to produce the same exquisite taste, but quickly and cheaply.  He worked with local farmers and ultimately developed a sweet fortified wine which became wildly popular as a sipping wine in the 1800s.

Fortunately, there are also winemakers in Marsala who are producing more traditional and typical wines for this area, but we rarely see these wines in the US.  We tasted several produced at Baglio Donna Franca that are more true to the original style of Marsala wines -- unique and delicious!

vino perpetuo from Marsala families

In recent years, the winemaker at Donna Franca has been entrusted with barrels of vino perpetuo from geriatric local farmers who are no longer able to maintain their barrels.  Some of these wines have been in the same barrel for generations!  We would have loved a sample, but they are being preserved and maintained as historical treasures.  The winemaker has now started his own vino perpetuo, but it takes at least 30 consecutive years of adding new wine until it develops the desired qualities.  I guess we'll just have to return when it's ready.  

abandoned tuna boat houses

We took a ferry to Favignana, the largest of the Egadi Islands.  Tuna once thrived in this area, and Favignana's claim to fame was tuna fishing and canning.  At one point in the 1800s, this small island had 21 canneries.  That all came to a screeching halt in the 1980s when Japanese fishermen began using high-tech equipment to track and net schools of tuna in the open seas.  Despite the collapse in the island's industry, there is still a sense of pride here. 

 

Eric at work

our last Sicilian sunset

The week at the farmhouse was perfect, even with the eager rooster crowing outside the bedroom window at 3:30 every morning.  I enjoyed cooking and wandering around the farm, and Eric got some work done.  We never made it to Palermo, Cefalu or the Aeolian islands on the north side of Sicily.  It's hard to believe that 4 weeks wasn't enough time on this incredible island!!    

happy & relieved to turn in the car

Ciao for now ~ 
Peggy