Page 180 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

EATING AND DRINKING

A line of appealing cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces lies between the
castle and Piazza Margherita, while yet more places are hidden away in the
surrounding alleys. Pork, beef and especially wild mushrooms are typical menu items

in this mountain region.

A TASTE OF HEAVEN

“And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round
thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to
another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the
Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man
according to his eating.”
Exodus 16:14–16

Famous for the sustenance it gave Moses and the Israelites, manna is the sap of the
south European flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), cultivated uniquely in several

plantations around Castelbuono. The sap is obtained by making incisions with a
knife in the trunks of the trees, between July and September. The liquid sap is at first
bitter, but it sweetens as it solidifies on the trunk. As well as being a mild laxative
and purgative, it is also a cough sedative, an expectorant, a sweetener, and can be
used as an eyewash and for softening boils – and according to locals in Castelbuono,
it can even bring the dead back to life.

Chewy and tasting like a mixture of honey and maple syrup, manna is put to rather

more pleasant use by the pasticcerie of Castelbuono, most notably Fiasconaro, who
use it in their unforgettably delicious panettone, nougat and ice cream.

Antico Baglio Piazza Ten. Schicchi 3 0921 679 512. It’s a couple of hundred metres
off the beaten track, but this restored old baglio (warehouse) has both a cool interior
and shady outdoor deck, where you can sample things like home-made pasta with a
sausage-meat and mushroom ragù (pasta dishes from €7–9, main dishes from €8–15).

At night there are pizzas too. Follow the signs from Piazza Matteotti at the end of Via
Umberto I. Tues–Sun lunch & dinner.

Fiasconaro Piazza Margherita 10 0921 671 231. Known throughout Italy for its
gourmet panettone and other goodies made with locally grown pistachio ad manna
(the latter unique to the area), this is a must for foodies. A seat here in the charming
old-town square and a home-made ice cream or a dish of strawberry granita takes

some beating on a hot day. Daily 9am–1pm & 3.15–8pm.

Nangalarruni Via delle Confraternite 5 0921 671 428. The best place in town for