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ROCKROSE RETREAT on the island of Pantelleria

MAY 5-10, 2025

Register by December 15th.

The windswept island of Pantelleria is ruled by its extreme elements. Chef Linda Sarris' newest ROCKROSE retreat embraces both faces of this unique place with food/wine explorations featuring the best local ingredients and a bit of introspection in wondrous natural spaces.

rockrose [cisto/cistus creticus] is a medicinal plant that has been used therapeutically since ancient times on the rocky coasts of the Mediterranean. It’s been used to treat stress/anxiety; to aid in calming and relaxation, and it was used on Mount Olympus to heal Greek warriors. Rockrose is a “fire-follower” with seeds that can remain dormant for many years then stimulated to sprout by wildfires. Their pink/purple and white flowers speckle the black volcanic landscape of Pantelleria in springtime.

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VINO VOLCANICO no.6 NATURAL WINE TRIP

MAY 18-24, 2025 -- MT. ETNA, SICILY

Vino Volcanico is back and we’re taking it to another part of the island of Sicily, the winemaking region of Mount Etna. This food/wine retreat is open to all (adult men/women)!

Register by December 15th

Chef Linda Sarris will lead a small group of guests through the wilderness of Mt. Etna. During the trip, you will be hosted in a gorgeous villa as we taste our way through wines/spirits produced by small artisanal growers. This 6-night retreat includes a fun-filled itinerary visiting friends on the volcano, who just happen to be experts in their fields. We’ll visit several small estates, dine out and have home-cooked family meals at the villa. I’m most excited about spending time at the table over long lunches at private vineyards and cooking for our group at our home-sweet-home for the week. 

I’ve wrangled my urge to over-schedule you with too many plans packed into the trip, so there will be free time to lounge poolside or take advantage of the glitz & glam of having your own private Sicilian villa.

For those who like to have a bit more structure, don’t worry we got it covered. Everything is reserved ahead of time and we have private drivers to help with transportation, but you can rest assured I will take care of everything for you and all meals/bevs/activities will be included. We’ll be sure to leave a little wiggle room in the plans for spontaneous Sicilian surprises.

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Polpette di Finocchietto

Polpette di Finocchietto

wild fennel fritters with pecorino

INGREDIENTS

6c. wild fennel fronds, picked from stems, boiled, squeeze-dried

1 large red onion, finely diced

2 eggs

3/4c. breadcrumbs

1/2c. grated pecorino cheese

1/4c. small dried raisins or currants

pinch of peperoncino

1T wild fennel seeds

sea salt and black pepper to taste

3c. vegetable oil to deep fry

PROCESS

Prepping the wild fennel is the most time consuming part of this recipe. Pick the soft fronds for the polpette, and discard the thick tough stems. Wash the greens thoroughly in a salad spinner then blanch in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes until softened. Squeeze all of the water from the wild fennel, blot on paper towels, or place it again into the salad spinner to remove as much moisture as possible. In a small food processor or with a chefs knife, chop the fennel greens finely and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the diced red onion, two eggs, parmigiano cheese, raisins and wild fennel seeds. Season with a pinch of peperoncino red chili flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Mix to combine and add the breadcrumbs as needed to hold it all together. You should be able to form small “meatballs” that are not too sticky but will hold their shape. Continue making your polpettine with the remaining mix.

In a wide sauce pan, heat at least 2-inches of vegetable oil over medium heat. There must be enough oil to deep fry. It will actually help keep them from becoming greasy if you use more oil and allow the food to float. When a small test piece sizzles in the oil, we are ready to fry!

Carefully place enough polpettine into the hot oil so they can float around without being too crowded. This recipe will make about 30 small balls and depending on the size of your pan you can probably fry 10 at at time. When they become a darker shade of green and you can tell by touching them with a metal spider tool that there is a crisp shell, they can be removed. Let the oil drain off over the pan before moving them to a paper-lined tray to blot off and absorb the additional oil. Continue with the next batch and let the polpettine cool slightly on the paper.

Notes from the Chef:

Finocchietto selvatico has a particular savory, earthy, anise or licorice-like flavor that screams “Sicily”. It’s found growing along the side of the road all over the Sicilian countryside during winter and springtime. Wild fennel is most commonly used in the “pasta con le sarde” dish with saffron and sardines. Fennel and wild fennel are different plants, although they come from the same family. Fennel is the more common white bulb that is served raw in salads while the wild fennel is a bright green flowering Mediterranean plant with fluffy fronds, similar to the little sprouts you usually see growing out of the top of a fennel bulb.

So, we all know that everyone loves a meatball! Polpette — or small polpettine in this case, are perfect bite-sized snacks to serve when you have friends coming over and need a little something to nosh on. They are always a hit with the kids as well! Try this simple vegetarian recipe for wild fennel meatballs or feel free to substitute any leafy green like Tuscan kale, frozen spinach or chopped swiss chard if wild fennel greens are not available.

Like most meatballs, there needs to be something added to the mix that will help hold them together. We are using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and egg to bind them. It could even be made gluten-free with rice/cornflour breadcrumbs. Like many traditional Sicilian recipes, we’re playing with sweet and savory flavors here. The addition of the dried raisins helps to balance the savory and salty notes of the fennel and parmigiano. With a little dash of freshly grated pecorino on top, you’ll have that snowy feeling even if the sun is still shining wherever you may be this winter.

Read the original recipe on MHz Choice network’s website. Photos by Alberta Cuccia. ©2019 MHz Networks and Linda Sarris. All rights reserved. Intended for personal use only. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution or reproduction punishable by law.

[thecheekychef]

venti-venti come and get it 〰️ we’re waiting for you in Sicily . . . . .
#lifeinsicily #snacksicily #travellingthroughtheworld #igerssicilia #sicilytravel #travelsicily #thediscoverer #traveldeeper #whatsicilyis #sicilyinfood #entirelifestyle #ilikeitaly #discoveringsicily #wildernessmakesyoubetter #itsawildworld #exploremore #lifestyleblog #thehappynow #SUITCASEtravels #sicilia #sicily #visitsicily (at Sicilia, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ykB2MhkcU/?igshid=winxv3ldcf8j

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Melograno Gin + Tonic

Melograno Gin + Tonic

a fresh pomegranate juice, gin + sage cocktail

INGREDIENTS

Sage Simple Syrup Ingredients: 1c. white sugar 1c. water 1c. sage leaves, loosely packed

Cocktail Ingredients: 2 oz. gin 2 oz. pomegranate juice 1/2 oz. sage simple syrup splash of tonic sage sprig garnish

PROCESS

Make the sage simple syrup ahead of time and give it plenty of time to cool. In a small sauce pot, bring water and sugar to a boil. Make sure the sugar dissolves completely then set aside off of the heat. Let the syrup cool for the first ten minutes before adding the fresh sage leaves. The light green color and sage aroma will be fresher if you do not add the herbs while the liquid is still boiling hot. Allow it to cool down to room temperature then keep in a glass jar or plastic squeeze bottle until needed. It can last in the refrigerator for 1 month.

For the cocktail, use a short rocks glass or a tall Tom Collins cocktail glass. Combine the sage syrup, pomegranate juice, and gin in the glass or a cocktail shaker. Stir to mix thoroughly then finish with a splash of tonic and garnish with a fresh sprig of sage. This festive drink can be served on the rocks or straight up.

Notes from the Chef:

Eating seasonally doesn’t just refer to food. The way we drink follows along with the time of year, the weather, and the special reasons to celebrate. This winter, we are stirring up a fresh spin on a gin and tonic cocktail made with a herbaceous sage simple syrup and freshly squeezed tart pomegranate juice.

Plump, juicy, dark red pomegranates are cracked open to press the juice for this melograno gin + tonic . There are many methods to get those beautiful little red aril pearls out of your pomegranate, whether you whack it with a wooden spoon or carefully make incisions with a pairing knife to separate each section of seeds — the most important factor always being the need to keep the red color off of your clothing since it stains very easily. In this case, I split the pomegranates in half and pressed them down on an electric citrus juicer…et voilà! You’ll get as much juice as possible with as little mess as possible.

The word aperitivo can describe the drink itself or the “happy hour” period at the end of a work day and before dinner begins. Wine or beer are not the typical choice for aperitivo’clock but more commonly a liquor-based cocktail like an Aperol spritz or the amaro and gin negroni will be served to awaken your senses and get yourself ready to eat! The pomegranates in this recipe are naturally super-rich in fiber, vitamin c and have a high anti-inflammatory effect. This fruit, and specifically a sexy little cocktail mixed up with the juice, are the perfect fix for the winter blues. With friends coming over this winter, serve up this recipe to buzz up a little extra holiday cheer.

Read the original recipe on MHz Choice network’s website. Photos by Alberta Cuccia. ©2019 MHz Networks and Linda Sarris. All rights reserved. Intended for personal use only. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution or reproduction punishable by law.

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greenmarket morning

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in the kitchen #lostudiosfacciato (at Bushwick, Brooklyn)

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a bag of tomatoes on my doorstep. summer is the best! #laultimagiorno #CHEEKYtravel #thecheekychef #italiacalling #toscana #tuscany #grosseto #lamaremma #italy #italia #igerstoscana #igersmaremma #igersgrosseto #igersitalia #capalbio #italysummerchef #igersitalia #pomodori #pomodorigram #growyourown #tomatoes #🍅 @thetuscantimes @tuscanypeople @igerstoscana @igers_grosseto @igersmaremma @turismoinmaremma @turismoinmaremma @igersitalia (at Villa Pinciana - Capalbio)

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don't call it a dream; call it a plan. @

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vineyards on mt. etna in sicily #CHEEKYtravel #sicilia #Sicily #italia #italy #southernitaly #terronia @ssilvestori @tenutaterrenere #mtetna #etnadoc #etnawines #vinosiciliano #vino #thecheekychef #cheekybici

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Inspiration for a Seafood Feast

One of our favorite things about summer: the beach.

We can’t wait to hit the surf, work on our tans and eat (and drink!) in the sun. Until we can skip the city for the coast, though, we’re channeling our best coastal vibes with meals that spotlight fresh seafood, straight from the shores.

So grab some friends, your Beach Boys playlist and a cooler of beer and book one of these beachy menus.

Seattle: The star of this meal from chef Logan Nile is wild-caught salmon. Enjoy it first in a chowder thickened with sweet corn and, as a main course, try it crusted with mustard-coated breadcrumbs and roasted.

Los Angeles: Cooking lobster at home can be daunting for even the most enthusiastic chefs. Let chef Sam Goldman do the dirty work with this menu, featuring a rich seafood stew followed by Maine lobster with drawn butter and boiled potatoes.

New York: For a special occasion, this formal feast from chef Linda Sarris will satisfy the most devoted seafood-lover. Crudo sprinkled with Sicilian bottarga and peekytoe crab salad lead up to the ultimate centerpiece, cioppino. This Italian fish stew comes teeming with calamari, mussels and clams.

Boston: Chef Sean O'Brien’s menu offers surf and turf with a spin: countneck clams are stuffed with spicy chorizo and topped with herbs and breadcrumbs for a briny and bright snack. Then round out the meal with a tarragon-roasted halibut, doused in hazelnut brown butter. []

Washington D.C.: Focusing specifically on the Mediterranean sea, chef Bradley Curtis’ menu fulfills both our wanderlust and our beach-bum yearnings. Sumac provides a compelling edge to whole branzino, while baked orzo is studded with ocean treasures, mussels and shrimp.

Chicago: Perhaps the most beloved way to enjoy seafood is the fish fry. Bring the tradition home with this menu from chef Molly Laatsch, centered around beer-battered cod. The night ends with another beach favorite: watermelon snow cones spiked with booze.

[thecheekychef]

all female line at Andrew Carmellini's restaurant @locandaverde in NYC! ・・・ I met Chef Dez Lo in 2009 when I was working in book publishing and thinking of changing careers to cooking. Although I didn't take the same route as Dez, she inspired me, supported me, and gave me the push to go for it. She is one of the hardest working Chefs I know. I look up to Dez and I was so happy to see her post today so I wanted to share it. #bossbitch #inspireandbeinspired #chefdezlo ・・・ "All female line. Girl power. Times have changed people. We run the world." #regram @miss_dezlo (at Locanda Verde)

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Linda fends off pervy shepherds while Silvestro feels the wind in his hair: Marsala + Mazara del Vallo

The core muscle-building biking days of the CHEEKYbici Sicilian bicycle trip were along the route to Menfi. I call these the "Kardashian-booty-training days". We were riding up to 70km per day from Trapani through Marsala to Mazara del Vallo on the first day and Mazara, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano to Menfi on the next. This was pretty much the same route on the way back as well. We started along a country road near the salt pans that line the coast from Trapani to Marsala, stopping to take photos and change flat tires (Silvestro's, not mine). At the halfway point, we took a break for a quick lunch in the main piazza of Marsala and shared salami sandwiches, a container of buttery green olives and a bag of sesame cookies called biscotti regina before taking a little cat nap in the sun. It was Palm Sunday when we first stopped in Marsala so there were little kids learning how to braid palms to sell in front of the church. 

From Marsala, the next stop was Mazara del Vallo a main port city on the southwest edge of Sicily. We rode into Mazara del Vallo over a long high bridge just as the sun was setting; wind blowing in our hair (well, not Silvestro's), sun on our faces, with a feeling of peace and complete open mind and heart. Of all of the breathtaking views on the trip, all of the rolling green hills covered in tiny white and yellow wild flowers, all of the baroque cities built like little wooden carvings into a mountainside...the moment we rode over that bridge into Mazara will still be one of our shared favorites of the trip. 

After a night in a rented apartment (in let's call it the shadiest of our hotel choices), we said arrivederci to Julio (a made-up name that I gave him) the skeevy groundskeeper, and took off verso Menfi to finally hit some vineyards! As we rode along the sleepy flat roads through Campobello di Mazara and Castelvetrano, we stopped to take photos of a sweet contadino (farmer) named Vincenzo pruning his grape vines and a shepherd with a flock of sheep and a flock of dogs to match. Silvestro's pro-tip is always stop and talk to people. There was a great encounter with Vincenzo as he showed us how he dry prunes and twists the branches along wires to train them to grow how he wants. On the other hand, my girly intuition to stop and take photos of the fat old shepherd and his fluffy white sheep was quickly put in check by Silvestro's warning to "stai attento" because these lone shepherds are stereotypically the horniest guys we'll meet on the road. Sicilians will take one finger and pull it down under your eye as a sign to be careful and keep an eye out. That's pretty much the vibe I got but I wasn't afraid of an old pervy shepherd; he couldn't catch us on the bikes anyway.

Here's some photos from the west side of the island and a quick video of Vincenzo explaining his pruning process on the Catarratto Lucido vines.

[thecheekychef]

Linda fends off pervy shepherds while Silvestro feels the wind in his hair: Marsala + Mazara del Vallo

The core muscle-building biking days of the CHEEKYbici Sicilian bicycle trip were along the route to Menfi. I call these the "Kardashian-booty-training days". We were riding up to 70km per day from Trapani through Marsala to Mazara del Vallo on the first day and Mazara, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano to Menfi on the next. This was pretty much the same route on the way back as well. We started along a country road near the salt pans that line the coast from Trapani to Marsala, stopping to take photos and change flat tires (Silvestro's, not mine). At the halfway point, we took a break for a quick lunch in the main piazza of Marsala and shared salami sandwiches, a container of buttery green olives and a bag of sesame cookies called biscotti regina before taking a little cat nap in the sun. It was Palm Sunday when we first stopped in Marsala so there were little kids learning how to braid palms to sell in front of the church. 

From Marsala, the next stop was Mazara del Vallo a main port city on the southwest edge of Sicily. We rode into Mazara del Vallo over a long high bridge just as the sun was setting; wind blowing in our hair (well, not Silvestro's), sun on our faces, with a feeling of peace and complete open mind and heart. Of all of the breathtaking views on the trip, all of the rolling green hills covered in tiny white and yellow wild flowers, all of the baroque cities built like little wooden carvings into a mountainside...the moment we rode over that bridge into Mazara will still be one of our shared favorites of the trip. 

After a night in a rented apartment (in let's call it the shadiest of our hotel choices), we said arrivederci to Julio (a made-up name that I gave him) the skeevy groundskeeper, and took off verso Menfi to finally hit some vineyards! As we rode along the sleepy flat roads through Campobello di Mazara and Castelvetrano, we stopped to take photos of a sweet contadino (farmer) named Vincenzo pruning his grape vines and a shepherd with a flock of sheep and a flock of dogs to match. Silvestro's pro-tip is always stop and talk to people. There was a great encounter with Vincenzo as he showed us how he dry prunes and twists the branches along wires to train them to grow how he wants. On the other hand, my girly intuition to stop and take photos of the fat old shepherd and his fluffy white sheep was quickly put in check by Silvestro's warning to "stai attento" because these lone shepherds are stereotypically the horniest guys we'll meet on the road. Sicilians will take one finger and pull it down under your eye as a sign to be careful and keep an eye out. That's pretty much the vibe I got but I wasn't afraid of an old pervy shepherd; he couldn't catch us on the bikes anyway.

Here's some photos from the west side of the island and a quick video of Vincenzo explaining his pruning process on the Catarratto Lucido vines.

[thecheekychef]

roadtrip from Puglia to Sicily

 How do you pick a partner for a 20 day roadtrip? We were finding someone to spend 24-hours a day with, eat every meal together, sleep in the same room, exercise/sweat/stink together, and only have privacy when the bathroom door closes or when we're fast asleep. It's not easy. 

Most people know I'm pretty low-maintenance (as any girl would like to think she is) but ask my nearest & dearest and they will be a bit worried I'd get sick of someone very quickly.  Other than best friends and boyfriends, I've only successfully spent a week with one other guy so far without going mad. It was one week in June of 2014 at the seaside with my best italian friend Alessandro on what we called our faux honeymoon. For this year's biking adventure, Silvestro Silvestori asked me to join him for almost 3 weeks on the road, just the two of us, and I couldn't have found a better partner. We were both lucky I think. 

Silvestro owns the cutest regional food and wine school in the south of Italy. He started The Awaiting Table about 12 years ago in his home in Lecce, Puglia. The school focuses on the food of the Salento, a special section of Puglia, surrounded by two seas at the bottom of the boot's heel. I feel like I've known him for years thanks to blogging and social media but we finally met in July 2013 when I visited his school for a cooking course. 

When I arrived in Lecce, we packed up saddlebags for the bicycles and did a test run to make sure I didn't pack too much stuff. To think the only things I actually left behind in Lecce were a bathing suit and a couple extra lipsticks, I think I packed quite well. We loaded up Silvestro's car with two bicycles, our bags, my Spotify account packed with killer jams for the ride and a small wooden box with two wine glasses and a bottle opener (in case of emergency). We were ready to roll. 

Driving through Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria I was falling in love with the south. Silvestro is a true cheerleader for the south of Italy and repeatedly told me that the things I am so in love with about Sicily are also true of the whole south. I think he's finally cracked through my tough candy shell. Puglia is filled with olive groves and fields of artichokes with no rolling hills to block your view for miles and miles. Basilicata had orchards of breathtaking purple flowering trees (maybe apricots or peaches) that got me so excited to see Sicily's almond blossoms but actually the timing was not right. The coast of Calabria had bright blue water like the Caribbean and we stopped at a lookout point to see a beautiful castle on the sea with a veg vendor parked in front with a truck full of dried chilies. It was like a postcard. 

This was probably Silvestro's 9th biking trip, having done this before with other female partners whether they were long-time friends, work acquaintances or girlfriends. I guess we both took a risk when I booked my flight to Brindisi without much of a plan for our cycling trip to visit Sicilian wineries. He tried to keep me calm and trust that he's done this trip before and it's not easy to make a plan for wine tours, hotels or meeting up with producers and friends. We never know how long it will take to bike from city to city, if there will be rain or if we have bicycle trouble - so to ditch work for 3 weeks and take off across the ocean without a plan wasn't exactly comforting for me. The  capricorn ex-project manager in me was about to freak out but having someone as patient and smart as  Silvestro on my side through this adventure was really my little rabbit's foot. 

 The Awaiting Table Cookery School

www.awaitingtable.com

@ssilvestori @awaitingtable

[thecheekychef]

salt pans between Trapani + Marsala in Sicily Mulino Maria Stella WWF Nature Reserve "Saline di Trapani e Paceco" #saltpan #lesaline #saltlakes #wwf #wwfitalia #salt #trapani #marsala #saltflats @gustiamo @ssilvestori (at Salina Maria Stella)

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@ssilvestori teaching me how to change a flat tire on our bike trip. trapani|marsala|mazaradelvallo 🚲🚲 67km #CHEEKYbici #CHEEKYtravel #marsala #trapani #mazaradelvallo #sicilia #sicily #biketrip #bici #cyclingsicily