So today was kind of a bust.
We went to a family farm outside Noto. The family has been working the farm for about 12 years, although the farm itself is at least 150 years old. It was quite small, and unfortunately, the gardens looked like they were well past their prime. The family also had chickens, turkeys, and a couple of pigs.
We toured the gardens and then had a cooking lesson where we made scaccia ragusana, a traditional stuffed flatbread. We used flour made from ancient grains and mixed it with salt, olive oil, and water to make the dough. We rolled it out, spread tomato sauce over it, folded it into a square, and then baked it in a wood-burning oven. I thought it tasted awful.
After the cooking class we had a tasty lunch—except for the scaccia, of course. It was also one of our trip mate’s birthdays, so the family had made a cake for him, which was a nice touch.
Overall, the farm visit just wasn’t one of the highlights for me. I think the tour company was trying to give us a glimpse into traditional Sicilian farm life, but I was hoping for more of a sense of how the family actually works and lives on the farm. Instead, the visit focused mostly on the gardens and the cooking class. I’ll probably mention that in the tour questionnaire as a suggestion for future groups.
After lunch—which, as usual in Sicily, was served quite late, around 1:30 or 2:00—we returned to the hotel. I took a short nap, and then Anne and I walked to the main square to visit a traditional cart-making workshop.
Like the cart maker we met earlier in the trip, this workshop is trying to keep the craft alive. There was a painter, a woodworker, and an apprentice working in the shop. It was nice to see people who are so passionate about working with their hands and preserving a traditional craft.
Afterward, Anne and I did what we seem to do best when we have free time: we got gelato. Then we walked back to the hotel and relaxed for the rest of the evening.
Not every day can be a highlight. Fortunately, there’s always gelato.