1. Cultural Food Presentation
Sicilian Cultural Food Habits

2. Sicily Family. Friends. Food. Culture.
History of Sicily and its people have been heavily influenced by food
Socializing is one of the main part of the Sicilian lifestyle which is also applied to the food culture in the country

3. Eating Habits - Influences
Geographical Location
Government
Education
Social Values & Culture
Economy
Seasons

4. Geographical Location
Sicily

5. Tradition
Traditional food practices that originally were a trademark of specific regions of Italy have merged overtime due to the migration of people within Italy

6. Speciality Southern Regions
Pasta
Pizza
Olive oil
Southern Italy has plantations protected by government legislation. Warmer weather produces longer growing seasons benefiting olive tree growth.

7. Social Values & Culture
Food is a large part of Italian tradition.
Many social or festive occasions have a huge culinary component.
Italians often spend hours sharing a slow paced meal with friends and family making of it a social occasion.

8. Economy
Italy is considered one of the world’s largest market economies.
The agricultural economy is generally characterised between the north and south and their specialised products.
Italy’s farming workforce consists of approximately 1.4 million people.

9. It also assists the economy as it encourages purchasing
Seasons
Almost all cooking in Italy is done so with seasonal production providing:
Highest quality
Healthiest food
Peak flavour
It also assists the economy as it encourages purchasing
fresh local products

10. Food Traditions
Food traditions and cooking styles reflect the ingredients that are locally and readily available
The dishes that became characteristic of a certain region were based on the lifestyle of the people that lived there

11. Food Traditions Quality rather than quantity
3 meals a day are eaten, with the lunch being the most important and the largest of the day
However these meal traditions are being replaced due to the modern busy lifestyle

12. Specific Foods Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
Pasta, bread, pizza dough, rice (Arborio, risotto)
Fruit
Tomato, lemon, plums, apricots, kaki (persimmon), pomegranate, pears, apples, dates, cherries, grapes
Vegetables, legumes
Mushrooms (morels, mauves, chanterelle), nettle, asparagus, spinach, rocket (rucola), peppers, broccoli, peas, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, potatoes, squash
Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes
Chestnuts, beef, pork (including cured pork cuts), veal, seafood (scallops, shrimps, fish, eel etc.)
Milk, cheese, yoghurt & alternatives
Cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, Cheese (made from cow’s milk, sheep’s milk and goat’s milk). Yoghurt
Fats & oils
Olive oil, butter
Beverages
Wine (red or white), black coffee, range of liquors (grappa, limoncello), still or sparkling water (frizzante)
Other (e.g. dressings, herbs/spices)
Marjoram, mint, rosemary, parsley, sage, dill, basil, bay leaf, catnip, pimpernel, luperi, garlic, oregano and wild thyme. Wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar

13. Recipes
Recipes are passed down generations creating strong emotional ties which is so special to Italians and their cultural relationship with preparing food

14. Typical Daily Eating Plan
Breakfast
Caffee en Brioche. Breakfast is generally a pastry and an espresso coffee. Mineral water is also served to accompany the coffee and brioche.
Morning Break
Coffee
Lunch
Panino (sandwich)
Or Pasta
Or meats and salad
Dinner
Antipasti – small servings of cured meats/seafood
Il Primo – pasta/rice/soup with a meat or cheese sauce, raw vegetables may be added to the pasta, olive oil or butter are used in the cooking process
Il Secondo – a serving of meat or fish, with a side plate of accompanying vegetables
Insalata – a serving of green leafy salad mix, accompanied by olive oil or balsamic vinegar
Dolce – a sweet style dessert
Evening Snack
Fresh fruit or cheese.
Beverages
Black coffee, sometimes followed by a digestivo (Italian liquor believed to aid digestion)

15. Breakfast
It has become quite the trend in Italy for breakfast to be served at a bar.
These breakfasts take place in all regions of Italy. It is usually a quick meal, with customers not hanging around longer than what is needed to consume their breakfast.
Typically…
- Caffee en Brioche.
- Breakfast is generally a pastry and an espresso coffee. Mineral water is also served to accompany the coffee and brioche.

16. Dinner
Typically…
- Antipasto: A starter meal, generally very simple ingredients, simply prepared.
- Il primo: Generally a starch based dish i.e. pasta, rice of noodles.
- Il secondo: Typically meat or fish is served.
- Insalata: A salad. This is generally just leafy greens with a simple dressing of olive oil or vinegar.
- Dolce: Sweet Dessert

17. Beverages
Typically…
- Wine is also an important part of the evening meal, with each course having a matching wine. As with every other meal in Italy, coffee is served at the end of the last course
- Black coffee, sometimes followed by a digestivo (Italian liquor believed to aid digestion)

18. Sicily: Magic island Sicily: a mountainous island
Tuna and swordfish, and other all kinds of fish, shell fish; anchovy is a favor.
Sheep, wine, beef, pork and lamb (not much meat in Sicilian’s diet though).
Pasta con sarde (pasta with sardines), farsu magru (beef or veal roll stuffed with hard broiled eggs and spices), caponata (eggplant with tomato sauce

19. Tradition: St. Agatha and Catania, a typical Baroque Festival
Three days of cult, devotion, folklore, and tradition, that stand almost alone in the world.

20. Tradition: St. Agatha and Catania
The 4th and 5th of February stand out among the three days of festivities, when St. Agatha passes through then eigh bourhoods on her silver carriage (Catanians call it, specifically, "fercolo" or, more commonly, "vara").

21. Candlemas, a baroque feast
Ten huge "candelore" and a smaller one, now lead the procession.