Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 4: Avola to Etna-Nicolosi

 
Where are we? After a rest day, Italy! Sicily, to be precise, traveling from Avola to Etna-Nicolosi. 

Avola: The Giro says: The town of Avola, which nestles comfortably between the Ionian Sea and the gentle slopes of the Hyblaean Mountains, is the ideal place for travellers in search of multisensory experiences. Every year, our sea and beautiful beaches are crowded with thousands of tourists.
Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve, with its lakes, the necropolis and wild orchids, is a unique experience for nature lovers and archaeological enthusiasts coming from every part of Europe. The carnival of Avola is particularly well-known, as one of the best among others in Sicily and Italy, and attracts thousands of visitors every year. 
But, I am perhaps more excited about the almond museum! 

The food:The Almond of Avola has ancient origins and, together with its vineyards and lemon orchards, characterises its territory. During the first half of the 20th century, almond cultivation was the leading economic sector of the town. By the 19th century, the botanist Giuseppe Bianca (Avola, 1801-1883) had already studied the local varieties and encouraged the production of hard-shell cultivars such as Pizzuta, Fascionello and Romana.
In early February, the almond trees in full blossom are a spectacular sight. The variety most cultivated is Pizzuta, resulting in a quality product appreciated all over the world, chosen for its incomparable organoleptic properties. Nowadays, the processing and commercialization of the almonds of Avola take place in qualified local companies. Undoubtedly, Pizzuta is the most employed variety in confectionery, too. Its oval shape was praised by the writer Leonardo Sciascia, who compared it to the Annunziata’s perfect oval visage painted by the Sicilian Antonello da Messina. On such type of almonds, sugar assumes a flawless shape, without needing the addition of other ingredients. Thanks to the notable organoleptic properties of the almonds employed, the resulting confetti (sugared almonds) are a top-quality product, in high demand on the national and international market. Furthermore, if you happen to visit Avola, you must try almond granita and milk. Sicilian cuisine also combines almonds with local seafood in order to enhance its taste. To find out more about its history, you can visit the Museum of the almond and other typical products of Avola, in viale La Pira.

Etna-Nicolosi: Volcano time.  And now here we are at the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The Smithsonian Global Volcanism project tells me that: Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second largest city, has one of the world's longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BCE. Historical lava flows of basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano, whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. The Giro says: Nicolosi, a town on the slopes of Etna, was built around the twelfth century by those who lived in the areas surrounding the monastery of S. Nicolò La Rena, now the seat of the Etna Park Authority. It has been rebuilt several times. We remember the terrible eruption of 1669, which originated the Monti Rossi, reaching the city of Catania and the sea and the subsequent lava flows of 1776 and 1886. Despite the damage caused by the numerous lava flows and earthquakes, the city was able to be reborn and to offer visitors the extraordinary natural beauties and modern services, hotel facilities, typical restaurants and becoming a source of pride in the Etna area, so much so that it deserves the nickname of “Porta dell’Etna”. The healthy and temperate climate even in summer and the luxuriant pines make your stay enchanting. Nicolosi hosts events and events throughout the year that attract crowds of visitors. A pleasant holiday resort, the town has linked its name to tourism and excursions to Mount Etna. Today it is a town that, thanks to the will and initiative of its administrators and its inhabitants, represents a driving force for tourism in the Etna area.

The food: Nicolosi stands out in the Etnea area for a typical bread made with rye semolina: the black bread of Immanu which during famines, due to the rustic nature of the species, still managed to feed the population. Probably the first seeds were introduced from Germany by the Benedictine monks themselves who around the fourteenth century had founded the monastery of S. Nicolò. The traditional Nicolosita gastronomy draws its origins from the peasant culture and is based on “poor”, simple and genuine dishes based on local agriculture. Among the first courses, therefore, the pasta with legumes (pasta cch’i cicira, pasta with chickpeas, for the feast of San Giuseppe), with wild fennel, broccoli (vrocculi affucati), cauliflower, asparagus wild. Among the latter we mention the “aggrassato” veal (cooked slowly with onion and wine), ‘u fassumauru (meat rollé), roasted lamb and sweet and sour wild rabbits. Obviously, dishes based on mushrooms found in the woods surrounding the town are prepared. Typical almond and pistachio desserts, nougat and soft nougats, copper (a biscuit with a soft cocoa heart, covered with a dark chocolate glaze, delicately spiced) and skiers (sweet “cca liffia”: a chocolate), the substantial biscuit preferred by hikers departing or returning from Etna. The fried raviole stuffed with ricotta, cassatele, prickly pear mustazzoli, stuffed mustazzoli are linked to the Christmas tradition. Always typical of the Etna villages ù ciciliu or “cuddura” (probably from the ancient Greek κολλύρα (kollura) which means crown and originally emphasized the shape of toasted bread), linked to the Easter festival. In ancient times it was given to children as a sign of the risen Christ. In addition to traditional foods, Nicolosi boasts a huge variety of pizzerias and restaurants where you can enjoy excellent pizzas, and many varieties of fish and meat dishes, sushi, Mexican foods etc. etc. all accompanied by the excellent wines of Etna.


The stage: Always exciting to have an Etna stage. A likely doomed break? Of course. They would dangle out front for most of the stage. That group was:  Valerio Conti (Astana Qazaqstan), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Villella, Rémy Rochas (Cofidis), Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Gijs Leemreize (Jumbo-Visma), Mauri Vansevenant (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo),  Diego Camargo (EF Education-EasyPost), Alexander Cataford (Israel-Premier Tech), Erik Fetter (Eolo-Kometa), Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix), Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën).
In case things would not be hard enough on the day, there was also a crash involving a motorbike. 
Plus cannoli: We also had the departure of a big name.
On they road, approaching the hardest parts of the stage.
Twenty five kilometers to go and an attack fro Oldani from the break. Time gaps were oddly challenging to find, but he was about five minutes ahead of the main bunch and about forty seconds on the rest of the break, which was rapidly growing smaller. At the front of the peloton, the Indeos team, clearly with plans. Way behind, the sprinters and others were out the back, including, as expected, our race leader.
Attacking from the break, Juan Pedro Lopez, who would catch and quickly pass Oldani. Under ten kilometers to go and he had a solo lead of about 31 seconds. 
Behind, it was a surprise to see Dumoulin dropping. Also dropping from the bunch, Nibali. Sigh.
Setting off in search of Lopez was Kamna, many's pre-stage favorite on the day. Even if Kamna were to catch him, Lopez was a very possible new race leader. A bit of a chat when they connected made one wonder if they were discussing you can have the stage, whereas I will have the jersey. Going into the final kilometer, they had about thirty seconds over the closest chaser.
Indeed, stage to Kamna, pink to Lopez.





The wine: Girolamo Russo Etna Rosato
Each year I say that I am going to do an entirely pink Wines of the Giro. This is apparently not that year, but it remains a goal!

From Dig: Russo is a favorite producer of Mount Etna reds, those elegantly smoky beauties made mostly of the Nerello Mascalese grape. Russo's rosato (or rosé) is equally delicious. Bright aromas of cherry, orange peel, and red flower unfold to a vibrant, high-toned wine with plenty of acidic snap and smoky earth on the finish.

The food: Had to be the almonds!
There is a lot more info to be had here, from Visit Sicily. 
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