A Pinch of Fennel, a Drop of Honey, a Hint of Nostalgia: Tales and recipes of a bygone era in Sicily Hardcover – February 26, 2026

This cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes, it’s a journey through time, into a bygone Sicily. A world that no longer exists, yet its recipes remain, written in fragile notebooks found in old, empty houses.A Pinch of Fennel, a Drop of Honey, a Hint of Nostalgia is an attempt to preserve those recipes before they vanish forever, dishes rarely found in restaurants, not even Sicilian ones, nor online.Step into an old Sicilian kitchen where, surrounded by the scent of orange blossoms and garden herbs, dishes were prepared on marble tops and cooked in copper pans over wood-burning stoves.Just to mention a few:Pasta with Almonds, pasta tossed with a tomato wine sauce, where Parmesan—too costly and often unavailable—was replaced with almonds, always abundant in Sicily;Tagliatelle Cake, made from thin omelets cut into ribbons resembling tagliatelle, mixed with honey, custard, chocolate, and other mouth-watering ingredients;Brioche, a spectacular pie with layers of ragù, peas, mushrooms, sausage, ham, and cheese hidden beneath a golden crust of pastry mixed with onion and parsley.Alongside these forgotten recipes swirl unforgettable Sicilian characters—eccentric, refined, and stubborn—whose stories are told with humor and affection.Blending irony, nostalgia, and authentic tradition, this book brings back the flavors, aromas, and characters of a Sicily that lives on only in memory—and in the kitchen.A perfect gift for anyone who loves Italian food, old family recipes, and timeless Sicilian stories. Read more