The Sicilian Cookbook™

Come to Modica and meet Chef Accursio, who leads our southern Sicilian cooking in a unique opportunity to learn traditional recipes with modern touches from a Michelin Star Chef. Discover traditional flavors made with the simple, fresh ingredients grown and produced locally that celebrate the custom of families circled around the table to enjoy moments together.

Your week includes incredible trips around the area to visit a local cheese maker with lunch included to sample the fresh delights, a local vineyard with tasting, visits that will reveal the artisan treasures of the area and of course, visits that will uncover the history and architecture of these ancient cities. So, join Chef Accursio on this gastronomic journey through southern Sicily’s flavors, traditions and life.

Cooking Classes

Classes are held in the Palazzo’s professional kitchen under the guidance of Michelin Star Chef Accursio and his expert team. Learn how to make focacce and prepare regional vegetable toppings that locals use to flavor them. Or, spend the afternoon picking up the skills needed to turn out delicious handmade cavatelli, local homemade egg pasta, and discover some of Accursio’s favorite Sicilian sauces such as Spaghetti Con Spremuta di Sicilia, a fresh orange sauce with almond & chili pepper. Chef Accursio’s favorite recipes are those that bring back out the flavors of the land, such as sugo di maiale, pork with tomato sauce, pasta con i ceci, pasta with chickpeas, scacce, a traditional baked dish, and pastizza, traditional broccoli pie. You will also have the sweet pleasure of working with Chef Accursio to prepare delicious endings to your cooking class meals, dedicated to traditional recipes and desserts that, though part of their Sicilian heritage, are disappearing from modern menus. Whatever it is you’re cooking, Chef Accursio and his team bring a special touch to even the simplest of dishes and ensure it becomes a miniature ‘capolavoro’.

Sicily

Sicily has a fiery passion about it, a vivacity and spirit that extends from the top of Mount Etna, to the waters that surround the island and to the hearts of all of its people. Sicily is the melting pot of the world, a great marriage of civilizations and cultures. The island is Asia, Africa, and Europe melded into one spectacular place; it was once home to a Greek colony, a Roman province, an Arab emirate, and a Norman kingdom. Each group left behind remnants and traces of itself, adding to the island’s rich tapestry of eclectic history. Sicily is at once complex and simple, a land like no other; a world and entity unto itself. Orange and lemon orchards color lush hillsides, vineyards and ancient olive groves line the rugged lands, and almond orchards and wheat fields embellish the rolling hills.

Sicilian cuisine is often described as del sole e del mare, of sun and sea, and it’s something of a magical symphony, combining elements of Arab, and Greek spices with Spanish and French influences, creating some of the world’s tastiest seafood and most delicious vegetable dishes. The people of Sicily are genuine, passionate, and friendly. They are always willing to help or stop to have a conversation, and it is not uncommon for visitors and tourists to receive invitations to a local’s house for dinner. All who encounter Sicily and all her charm, diversity, and beauty are reluctant to leave.

Modica

Set on a gorge just south of the Iblei Mountains, Modica is the city of 100 bells and 100 churches. It is split into two sections, Modica Alta and Modica Bassa, which are connected by an intriguing labyrinth of steps and narrow winding streets. Modica is the ideal way to experience authentic Sicily, far from the droves of tourists that often characterize other popular cities, yet able to offer the visitor all he needs for an unforgettable stay: elegant Baroque architecture, with its breathtaking Cathedral of San Giorgio, one of Sicily’s finest churches; history, as Modica was dominated in turn by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantium empire, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards, all of whom helped shape the city and make it what it is today; tradition, with the Days of San Giorgio and San Pietro celebrated enthusiastically by the whole town; and lastly its gastronomic culture which reflects the city’s history and offers an enticing fusion of scents and tastes.

Accommodations

Immersed in the history and antique traditions of Sicily, your beautiful 4-star palazzo is the ideal base for visiting Modica, a town that has charmed travelers and poets for centuries, and that today is still one of Sicily’s most precious ‘pearls’. Situated in Upper Modica, all the town’s important monuments can be visited on foot. The inside of the palazzo retains its original atmosphere of Sicilian nobleman’s residence: from the use of materials like beautiful ceramic floor tiles and wrought iron to hand painted ceramics and period furniture, everything is designed to envelope guests in a warm and elegant atmosphere. Every detail has been chosen with the intention of offering guests an unforgettable stay in an atmosphere where traditional grandeur melds with modern comfort. Each room is unique, with its own color scheme, and is decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles, period furniture, some with liberty lamps, and walls and ceilings with hand painted frescos.

Personnel are friendly, attentive and focused on taking care of your every wish, from breakfast time with its homemade treats and award-winning coffees and cappuccinos to organizing excursions to Noto, Siracusa, or Agrigento with its Valley of the Temples. They can give you advice and tips on where to shop and what local specialties to look out for, or even book you a ticket for the theatre. Quite simply, they will make it very difficult to leave!

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Itinerary: 8 days, 7 nights

Friday to Friday, or check in and start your program on any day of the week.

Friday: Arrival & Welcome Dinner

• Arrival transfer from Catania Airport or Train Station to Hotel.
• Check in and Welcome cocktail.
• Welcome Dinner featuring a wonderful menu featuring local Sicilian products. (Drinks not included).

Saturday: Cooking Class 1 & Modica Tour

• Breakfast is served.
• Cooking Class 1 featuring Sicily’s treasured recipes and local farm-fresh produce. Get ready to prepare excellent Sicilian recipes with prized produce with Chef Accursio. Lunch follows with the foods that were prepared in class. (Drinks not included).
• In the afternoon, set our for your Modica Baroque Tour: Tour the wonderful land of Modica and see the sites & landmarks, experience the culture of colorful Sicily.

Sunday: Cheese Maker & Focaccia

• Breakfast is served.
• In the late morning, visit a local country farm. You will see the making of ricotta, a traditional fresh cheese and focacce, flat bread pizza. A traditional lunch is served at the farm.
• In the afternoon, visit of Ottavia Failla’s Atelier. You will be able to see the making of hand-made fashion accessories.
• Dinner on your own, suggestions provided upon request.

Monday: Tour UNESCO’s Val Di Noto

• Breakfast is served.
• Tour of Noto & Vendicari Noto, in the province of Siracuse, the architectural capital of the Baroque cities of the Val di Noto, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is mostly famous for its grandiose Sicilian Baroque monuments and particular town planning. The Vendicari reserve comprises 3 Pantani and is a true oasis of peace and rest for many species of birds including, herons & pink flamingos. Along the paths of the reserve you can admire beautiful landscapes and many historic buildings such as the tower of Bufatu, an 18th-century fortified building.
• A traditional Sicilian lunch is served, including local delicate fish. (If you do not eat fish we can substitute).
• Return to the Hotel hotel after lunch and time on your own or for a relaxing treatment in the Hotel’s spa.
• Dinner is served featuring a wonderful menu of local Sicilian products. (Drinks not included).

Tuesday: Ragusa & Cooking Class 2

• Breakfast is served.
• Tour of Ragusa Ibla and the castle of Donnafugata Ragusa, famous for beautiful palaces and churches that still constitute the main architectural profile of the city. These are the treasures that make the Ragusa of today worthy of UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Site. Ragusa Ibla is indeed an open museum of Baroque architecture. The magnificent Duomo di San Giorgio with its slightly asymmetric staircase, the rich Baroque facade, and a Neoclassic dome amazes each visitor.
• Traveling through the province of Ragusa, one place that deserves a visit is the Castle of Donnafugata, which is located in typical Sicilian countryside and treats visitors to a taste of the area’s history.
• Cooking Class 2 featuring Sicily’s treasured recipes and local farm-fresh produce. Get ready to prepare excellent Sicilian recipes with prized produce with Chef Accursio. Dinner follows with the foods that were prepared in class. (Drinks not included).

Wednesday: Winery & Market Visit

• Breakfast is served.
• Visit Cava d’Ispica & Winery. Cava d’Ispica is located between the towns of Forsyth and Modica. This visit takes us back in time to the era that saw the first human settlements in this area. It is full of troglodyte dwellings, small shrines and necropolis; the first human settlements in the area date back to Neolithic times. The caves that dot the walls of the quarry are naturally occurring, created by the karst phenomenon, and were further modified and adapted by ancient populations according to their needs.
• We visit one of the most important wineries in this area, with tasting including wine and typical products.
• Next stop at the local marketplace to see works by local artisans & and food shops.

Thursday: Scicli & Cooking Class 3

• Breakfast is served.
• Tour of Scicli & Kamarina Museum. Scicli, another Baroque city of the Val di Noto, is noted for its wonderful churches and palaces, which were built between 1700 and 1800. In this area are the Church of Santa Teresa, the Church of San Giovanni, the Church of San Bartolomeo and Palazzo Beneventano, all of which are part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
• Visit of Kamarina Museum: the museum is home to all the archaeological finds from the city, the necropolis of Kamarina and other finds from the area.
• Return to the kitchen in the afternoon for your Cooking Class 3 featuring Sicily’s treasured recipes and local farm-fresh produce. Get ready to prepare excellent Sicilian recipes with prized produce with Chef Accursio. Dinner follows with the foods that were prepared in class. (Drinks not included).

Friday: Departure & Arrivederci!

• Breakfast is served.
• Check out & departure transfer from Hotel to Catania Airport.

*Note: This schedule may vary due to inclement weather, saint days or festivals. All activities, in the event of rescheduling, are always included during the program.