« Back The biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is also the largest region of Italy. Due to its location bridging the gap between North Africa and the Italian mainland, it has been home to a number of civilizations throughout the years, from Spaniards to Normans and Greeks, all of whom have left their mark on both the architecture and culture of this beautiful island. Temperate in winter and red hot in summer, the beaches along its beautiful coastline and picturesque towns such as Taormina on the eastern coast are well worth a visit. The most famous Sicilian landmark for visitors though remains Mount Etna, which is still the biggest live volcano in Europe. Sicily’s cuisine is big on freshly caught fish (particularly swordfish, tuna and sardines), lamb, freshly made pasta, the best Sicilian olive oils, locally grown fruit and vegetables, breads, cheeses and, of course, pizza.To the west of the island, couscous is also widely on offer thanks to historic links with North Africa. The islanders take their food and the ritual of eating seriously, and are also big fans of desserts – ice cream is rumoured to have originated here - and cakes and pastries produced with locally grown almonds or creamy ricotta cheese abound. Indigenous (native) Sicilian grapes include the red varietals of Nero d’Avola and Frappato and amongst the best local whites are Grillo, Catarratto and Grecanico. A number of international grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay are now also being grown there and some interesting native/international blends are now being produced such as our delicious Grillo Chardonnay, two grapes which complement each other beautifully.       Click here for recipes originating from Sicily.