Weekly Posts

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It has happened again. I am confronted with this immense landscape, enormous generosity of people and rich scents. And I feel all these descriptions are even cliches in a way, I can’t capture it in words. Or photos. Every day was filled with a new process (shelling almonds, jarring tomato sauce, making estratto (tomato paste). I realize and feel I need to clarify that this estate is especially unique in that there are a lot of people employed to do this work for the family. (To that point, we were welcomed into the winery by the wine maker to taste a very young (10 days old) and still fermenting sauvignion blanc and we were able to walk under the trellis’ of the table grapes that are grown for the family) But even walking in the small villages you see these same processes going on outside their doors in small alleys. There is, do I even need to say it, a connection to the land and food that is so engrained it is just part of the life here. So, another small offering of photos of this place,Regaliali, which we are leaving today.

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It has been a busy week of shooting so tumbling was not on the top of the list. Here are a few photos from Adam. Our first night back at Case Vecchie was spent sitting outside with Pampao, Giovanna, Salvatore and his wife Paula and their bambino Giuseppe. Also the new apprentice, Linda is here. Lovely night. Lots of shooting and a bit of sightseeing over the last few days. I love sharing my favorite places with Adam and Tony and Linda. This place feels like home in many ways.

It was especially nice to reconnect with Tony and easily fall into our late night conversations. I like the picture of the three of us because I actually look taller (for once) because I am on the uphill side! It is from Valledolmo, a wonderful old town where many people who work at Regaleali Vineyards live. We also met a man names Salvatore Ricotta. Really. More on that later…

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At some point we decided that we can sleep when we get back to the States. After landing in Palermo, we drove to Scopello, with a quick stop at a bar for Campari, arancini and insalata di polpi (one of the freshest salads we have had). Scopello was a tuna fishery and now is the most amazing place I have ever swam. From there to Palermo for more eating and wandering. We ate a delicious dinner of roast chicken and also a pizza  (I know, odd, but it was right at the time!) We then wandered the Khalsa neighborhood and had to stop for these gamberoni. Basta. Until the next day…

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It has been almost two years since we first came to Sicily. This is a picture from our first trip to Palermo. I will be arriving there today to start a 10 day whirlwind to make pictures for the cook book for Case Vecchie!