Christmas Day will mark two months since TSAA was formed.

Much has happened in that time and a special thank you to

all of you who have become members. The committee has

been working diligently to develop an exciting program of

projects and events for next year and we’ll tell you more in

our next newsletter in February. We also have a new logo

and have secured some fantastic discounts from local

businesses owned by Sicilian Australians or that sell Sicilian

products. Membership cards will be issued shortly which will

allow you to access those benefits. On Sunday December 12

we held our pre-Christmas members’ picnic in Olinda.

Despite the rain, many members and friends enjoyed an

afternoon of Sicilian bonhomie.

Wishing you an enjoyable read and a safe and happy festive

season.

Rita and Massimo (Editors) and the TSAA Committee

Christmas in Sicily is a religious festival and a family affair. It is usually

celebrated with dinner on Christmas Eve followed by midnight mass.

Presents are exchanged on that night, brought either by Babbo

Natale* (Father Christmas) or il bambino Gesù (baby Jesus) for the

children.

The Epiphany on January 6 is also a day when presents are given to

i picciriddi (children), this time by la befana (the old hag) who arrives

on her broomstick. If children have been good all year they receive

sweets and other small gifts. If they’ve been naughty, she brings

pieces of coal (u carbuni) - a traumatic event for overly-indulged

children these days.

The food at Christmas time differs according to province. In the

villages of the Madonie mountains, (near Palermo) the meat dish is

usually roast kid, preceded by a pasta dish: lasagne, cannelloni,

anelletti al forno etc., followed by a slice of cassata alla Siciliana, a

cake made of sponge, ricotta, marzipan and candied fruit.

Alternatively, panettone, is served or cuddureddi and buccellato

made with almond paste, dried fruit and fig fillings (see our recipe on

page 3).

In Noto (near Siracusa), Christmas Eve dishes include: broccoli or cod

fritters; scacce (pasties) with spinach or with broccoli and sausage;

arancini and eel. For Christmas lunch there is a choice of ravioli with

ricotta or chicken soup followed by such dishes as pork chops,

gelatina (jellied pork), sausages or stuffed chicken. Nougat or struffoli

(fried honey balls) are served for dessert.

Each year parish churches compete for the best presepio (nativity

scene) in town; the overly-ambitious creating works of art with running

water and animated figures which are eagerly visited by all. Baby

Jesus is placed in the crib only after midnight on Christmas Eve. The

town of Custonaci in the province of Trapani has a famous live

presepio enacted by the locals.

Towns in Sicily have Christmas lights in the streets and every shop front

displays pots of red or white poinsettias. The Teatro Massimo in

Palermo features a magnificent staircase covered in hundreds of

poinsettias.

La passeggiata (stroll) on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, is an

opportunity to show off the latest designer fashions. The men wear

their best suits and a few older women wear fur coats, even if the

temperature in Sicily is mild. (“Che bedda sta pelliccia” – “nice fur”.

*Editor’s Note: The word babbo caused such distress as a young child with its two

meanings. Firstly it means “father”, and secondly, “moron” in Sicilian dialect

(scimunitu). A child would interchange the meaning at his own peril!

Marion Watson (Sant’Ambrogio)

www.sicilianexperience.com

Chr i s tmas in S ic i ly

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n

o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

December 2010 Edition Two

Bu n Natale

Teatro Massimo, Palermo

Photo: Galen R Frysinger

1. Favourite Sicilian expression?

Mangia e ingrassa e prega la morte ti

lascia, (Eat and get fat and hope that

death spares you.)

2. First memory of feeling connected to your Sicilian heritage?

It was after spending six months in Italy

as an 18-year-old alone, that I felt truly

connected. My mother is Australian; I

was therefore brought up very much in

two different worlds. The experience

played a large role in making me the

person I am today. I have been back

five more times since.

3. What represents Sicily on a plate?

Pappardelle fatte in casa, con ricotta e

scamuzza. The pappardelle are cooked

in the same water with the broccolini

and some of that water is left in the mix

when you add the fresh ricotta.

4. What would you put on a postcard from Sicily?

A picture of my late grandparents’

house in Ragusa which represents the

history of the Sgarioto family and where

I’ve stayed on all my trips to Sicily.

My second choice is my wedding,

standing on the steps of the cathedral

(San Giovanni Battista) in 2006.

5. Worst thing you could say to a Sicilian?

“Pasta was invented by the Chinese.

Soccer is a terrible sport. Your mother

can’t cook. You look terrible in those

clothes. Motorini are banned. Smoking is

illegal. Let’s walk. We are going to

implement all day retail trading hours.”

6. Funniest thing you’ve heard someone say in Sicily?

“Where is Australia?”

7. One thing you’d change about Sicily?

Sicily is so beautiful and unique.

There’s a lack of regulation, a

questionable political system, limited

opportunities, high unemployment …

but without those hardships Sicily

would not be what it is today. The

constant grind is what has created

our culture and traditions. I wouldn’t

change that for anything. I do wish it

was a little closer though, so I could

go there more often.

8. Best meal you’ve had in Sicily?

For me it’s not about the food itself

but the love and generosity behind

the food. It’s observing the genuine

pleasure behind the preparation of

the food that is so profound. My Zia

Rosa and my eldest cousin Giovanna

from Ragusa, have given me

examples of such love. Whatever

they cook is brilliant, usually

traditional fare made with

tremendous love for their heritage.

9. Most misunderstood thing about Sicily?

It would have to be the Mafia

presence. Sicily, unfortunately,

cannot let go of that stigma. Sure,

they are alive and well and highly active

but unless you go out of your way to get

their attention, you are completely safe.

A close second would be the myth that

there’s nothing to see besides Taormina,

Palermo and Siracusa.

10. Sicily in three words?

Frustrating, passionate, unforgettable.

Sandra Genovesi

T e n q u e s t i o n s o f S i l v i o S g a r i o t o Manager and part-owner, Mezzo Bar and Grill, 35 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, Vic.

Page 2

Q u i z : S p o t t h e S i c i l i a n

True or false (don’t cheat and Google it first!).

Answers on the back page of the Newsletter.

1. Actor James Caan (Sonny Corleone in The Godfather) is of Sicilian ancestry.

2. Al Pacino (Michael Corleone in The Godfather) is of Sicilian ancestry.

3. Al Pacino’s maternal grandparents come from Corleone.

4. Marlon Brando (Vito Corleone in The Godfather) has a Sicilian great-grandparent by the surname of Brando.

5. Julia Gillard has a great-grandparent from Lipari.

6. Guy Williams (actor in Zorro, Lost in Space) is of Sicilian ancestry.

7. Steve Tyler (singer with Aerosmith and father of actress, Liv Tyler) is of Sicilian ancestry.

8. Mick Malthouse (coach of the Collingwood football team) has a Sicilian great -grandmother by the

surname of Baccala.

Sebastian Agricola

Silvio Sgarioto, Ragusa

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

500g self-raising flour

200g sugar

300g butter

4 eggs

100mls milk (warm)

10g bicarbonate of soda dissolved in the

milk

pinch of salt

150g mixed chopped hazelnuts and

walnuts

300g dried figs

100g sultanas

50g dark chocolate chips

150g roughly-ground toasted almonds

5g ground cloves

250g peach jam

pinch of ground cinnamon

few drops of vanilla

juice of 1 lemon and rind

juice of 1 orange and rind

½ cup Marsala

Pastry

Combine flour, sugar,

butter, 3 of the eggs, milk,

salt and bicarbonate of

soda in a bowl and mix to

a firm dough. Wrap in cling

wrap and place in fridge

for 90 minutes.

Filling

Roughly chop dried figs in

food processor and place

in a bowl with last egg,

sultanas, cinnamon, nuts,

almonds, orange and

lemon rinds and juices,

jam, ground cloves,

cinnamon, vanilla and

Marsala. Mix well and

place mixture in a

saucepan. Heat and stir

for 10 minutes. Remove

from heat and once

cooled, add chocolate chips.

Roll out pastry to a long rectangular

shape (8cm wide x 1cm thick) and cut

into 10cm strips. Place mixture in the

centre of the strips, fold pastry over

mixture to form a parcel. Score an

opening on top with a knife so that the

filling can be seen. Place on tray lined

with baking paper and make small

diagonal inserts with fork on the sides of

the pastry.

Bake in oven at 180°C for about 20

minutes until golden and base is

cooked.

Once cooled , decorate with icing sugar

or pieces of pistachio nuts.

Makes 15 to 20 biscuits

Recipe and photo:

Carmelina Ricciardello (Sant’Ambrogio)

www.sicilianexperience.com

C u c i n a s i c i l i a n a

B u c c e l l a t i n i ( c u d d u r e d d i ) , T r a d i t i o n a l S i c i l i a n C h r i s t m a s b i s c u i t s

F e a s t o f S a n t a L u c i a , D e c e m b e r 1 3 , S i r a c u s a

Born in 283 AD in Siracusa, Santa Lucia

devoted her life to God by helping

those in her community.

It is believed that when her mother

became gravely ill, Lucia went to

Catania to pray to Sant’Agata, and

fell asleep on her gravestone. The next

morning, she discovered her mother

had been miraculously cured.

Consequently, Santa Lucia vowed to

serve God for the rest of her life in

secrecy; fearing that she would be

persecuted if the pagan government

found out she was Christian.

Santa Lucia sold her jewels and

belongings to help the blind and the

sick, angering her family and her

pagan fiancé, who denounced her for

her Christian beliefs when she left him.

Santa Lucia was martyred in 304 AD. It

is said that the soldiers who tried to

burn Lucia cut her eyes out first, and

because of this, she is often portrayed

holding her own eyes. Santa Lucia is

the patron saint of Siracusa and of the

blind. Her feast day is celebrated this

month.

Giuseppe Guglielmino

For a lovely rendition of the song, Santa Lucia,

check this link: You Tube: Elvis Presley - Santa

Lucia, (uploaded by Anna8elvis)

Page 3

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

When the French were in Ragusa in

1272, fathers were no longer masters of

their daughters, brothers of their sisters or

husbands of their wives, because when

a Frenchman entered a household, he

would banish the men and become the

new master of the house. The poor

husbands despaired but could not

speak for fear of being sent to the tower

and beaten to death.

A certain Giovanni Procida took it upon

himself to put an end to this bullying and

for ten years he went around Ragusa

inciting the Sicilians to fight the

oppressors. To avoid being caught and

arrested, he hid messages in brooms

and everyone agreed to support him.

On Easter Monday, in 1282 at 2100 hours,

the plan was to take the French by

surprise and behead them.

When the time arrived they began to

shout, “Now, now,” and to differentiate

themselves from the French, the Sicilians

carried a chickpea plant (ceci,

pronounced chechee) and would ask,

“What are these?” Those who replied

ciceri, (cheecheree) were spared; those

who replied chicheri, (kikeri) were

obviously French because it was a word

the French could never pronounce. One

blow and that was the end.

Within an hour they cleaned up the

entire town, and then also cut the

Frenchmen’s genitals, pickled them in

barrels and sent them back to

France. The rebellion against the French

quickly spread throughout Sicily. It took a

fortnight for the rebels to gain control

over most of the island, and within six

weeks it was completely subdued.

Since then, if the French hear of a

Sicilian it is like speaking of the devil.

Sicilians are good natured, but they will

not tolerate injustices.

Carmela Corallo

Reference: Mimi Arezzo.

Una Ragusa Da Amare. Cunti e Leggende.

Mimi Arezzo Editore, Ragusa, 2005

S t o r i e s m y f a t h e r t o l d m e : I V e s p r i S i c i l i a n i ( S i c i l i a n V e s p e r s )

M a k e f o o d n o t w a r

Family gatherings - why do they fill us

with dread? Weddings and funerals

always seem good places to meet the

long-lost cousins who were never lost but

just live around the corner, or Zia

Pasqualina who always confuses you

with the daughter of Cummari Pina.

We all put on a brave face and pretend

to enjoy ourselves. When we were

young, family get-togethers were fun.

Music, dancing, games and food were

the epicentre of our existence or was it

because the main pillars of the family,

nonna and nonno were still with us?

The older generations are busy

gossiping. The second generation brag

about their accomplishments and

holidays. Their children, however, are

fine and can’t understand what all the

fuss is about, let alone know anyone

there or understand the language. “A sti

cangaruni!” (Oh these kangaroos!), as

my father would say.

Amusing and sad, yet we are all here to

celebrate. We now help ourselves to Zia

Maria’s caponata competing with

the melenzane ripiene by Cummari

Silvana. Perhaps we should try some

sausages and prosciutto made with

Zio Nino’s pet pig. Who can say no to

everyone’s favourite Sicilian fast food -

arancini con sugo e mozzarella? And of

course there’s Zia Anna’s unique

attempt at Hawaiian pizza (had no

pineapple so used banana), insalata

Australiana and cugina Nina’s lethal

zippoli dripping with oil and sugar. As

usual, there’s Zio Sebastiano in the

corner making lemon granita the

traditional way, yelling for someone to

bring him some salt, “Portati u sale”.

The music starts and Zio Turi fuelled with

too much home-made vino, begins to

dance the tarantella. The ice is broken,

we all start talking, joking, laughing. Even

siblings, Pippina and Carmela make

peace.

We are

all here together,

eating, drinking, dancing

and forgetting about our past

misunderstandings.

Culture, tradition, food; che bella a

Sicilia!

Rosemary Bonacquisto

Photos: Emma la Rosa

Page 4

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

Sortino Social Club New Year’s Eve dinner

dance, 31st December 2010, 6.00pm, 101

Scotchmer St. North Fitzroy, VIC. Club members

and TSAA members $65.00, non-members $75

(all-inclusive). Please contact Frank Mirabilio on

(03) 9306 4942 for further details.

Isole Eolie program, February 2011:

Vi cuntu la Sicilia, performance by Teatro Stabile

CT, Monday 14 February 2011, 5.30pm, Club Five

Dock, 66 Great North Road, Five Dock, NSW /

Sunday 20th February, 3.30pm, Eolian Hall, 836

Lygon St. Carlton, VIC.

International conference on Aeolian migration

to Australia chaired by Nino Randazzo (Senator

of the Italian Republic), Tuesday 15th February,

9.30am, Canada Bay Club, 4 William St. Five

Dock, NSW / Saturday 19th February, 10.00am,

Italian Immigration Museum Co.As.It., 189

Faraday Street, Carlton, VIC.

Museo dell’emigrazione Eoliana exhibition,

Tuesday 15th February, 12.30pm, Canada Bay

Club, 4 William Street, Five Dock, NSW / Saturday

19th February, 12.30pm, Eolian Hall, 836 Lygon St.

Carlton, VIC.

Dinner and tour operators’ workshops with

Aeolian food tasting and photographic

exhibition by Antonio Brundu, Wednesday 16th

February 2011, 11.00am, Mediterranean House,

65 Ramsay Road, Five Dock NSW / Monday 21st

February, 10.00am, Eolian Hall, 836 Lygon St.

Carlton, VIC.

For further information regarding the events of

the delegation of the Aeolian Museum, please

contact Marcello D’Amico on (03)9435 6394.

Sebastiano Pitruzzello, founder, owner

and general manager of Pantalica

Cheese Company Pty. Ltd. and

Pitruzzello Estate Pty. Ltd. born in Sortino

(Siracusa) in 1940, was awarded

L’Ordine al Merito del Lavoro in Rome

by the Italian government for services

to the food industry (Australia) on 2nd

June 2010. Complimenti Sebastiano!

A w a r d

A n n o u n c e m e n t s

Comedy revue, Insieme presented by

Giuseppe Guglielmino of Trinacria Promotions,

featured at Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne

recently. Presented in Sicilian, this hilarious

show, based on a popular TV program in Sicily,

included irreverent stand-up comedy and

musical performances about contemporary

Sicily and provincial life in the past. Salvo La

Rosa presided over a cast including Carlo

Kaneba, Totino and Litterio. We think

opportunities such as these have been infrequent

until now and we therefore encourage you to

enthusiastically support future visits.

R e v i e w – I n s i e m e

I e t t a t e s a n g u –

g i v e b l o o d !

Due to an urgent need

for blood donations, we

encourage our

members to give blood

during this Christmas

period at the Australian

Red Cross Blood

Service. Please check

the website for eligibility

and to locate your

nearest mobile or

permanent donor

centre.

Contact

www.donateblood.com.au

If you wish to give blood

as a group, please

contact TSAA at the

email address on page 6.

From left:

Giuseppe Guglielmino, Carlo

Kaneba, Salvo La Rosa,

Totino and Litterio

Photo: Lucy Guglielmino

T S A A m e m b e r b e n e f i t s a n d d i s c o u n t s

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

We are delighted to announce that a number of businesses selling

Sicilian-style products and/or operated by Sicilian-Australians

have generously offered discounts to our Members. This is a

fantastic way of supporting these "Sicilian" businesses whilst also

enjoying wonderful products at reduced prices.

These offers will be activated as soon as Membership Cards are

ready to distribute (expected by the end of December).

Please sign the back of your card to validate it.

Cards are not transferable and proof of identity may be required.

Conditions apply.

Businesses include:

BRUNETTI - 194-204 Faraday St., Carlton, VIC. 20% off all purchases

(excluding seasonal products). We recommend their new Sicilian

macaroons, brucciolato, cannoli and cassate. Tel: (03) 9347 2801.

AQUILA SHOES AND ACCESSORIES - 13 stores throughout

Melbourne. 20% off all full-priced stock. Tel: (03) 8412 9800.

LA CASA DEL GELATO - 163 Lygon St. Carlton, VIC. Now

celebrating 30 years under artisan gelatiere, Ottorino Pace, 15%

off ice-cream cakes and family take-home packs of wonderful

gelati. Tel: (03) 9347 0220.

ENOTECA SILENO - gastronomia since 1953. 920 Lygon St. North

Carlton, VIC. 12.5% off dining, retail purchases and cooking

classes. This does not apply to functions, special events and

already discounted items such as Bin End wine clearances or

food promotions where the discounted price exceeds the 12.5%

already offered. Tel: (03) 9389 7000.

BAR IDDA - 132 Lygon St., East Brunswick, VIC. Specializing in

delicious home-style Sicilian cuisine, Alfredo and Lisa La Spina

offer cardholders 15% off bottles of Sicilian wine and a

complimentary coffee for all dinner guests with any dinner

purchase. Tel: (03) 9380 5339.

CHURCH STREET ENOTECA - 527 Church St., Richmond, VIC. 10% off

food and wine for lunch or dinner (Monday to Wednesday). Not

to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Tel: (03) 9428 7898.

LA LATTERIA - 104 Elgin St., Carlton, VIC. Mozzarella laboratory, milk

and yoghurt, fresh cheeses made on the premises. 10% off all

products. Tel: (03) 9347 9009.

Over the coming months, we will profile our supporting businesses.

Enjoy!

Page 5

To submit contributions to this newsletter and to receive copy and

content guidelines, please contact the Editorial team: Rita Price or

Massimo Petterlin at the email address below. To announce your events,

activities etc. in this newsletter, please contact the Events co-ordinator at

the email address below.

Contacts

The Sicilian Association of Australia (TSAA)

PO Box 418, Avondale Heights, VIC 3034

E-mail address: tsaainc@bigpond.com

Be sure to check our Facebook page for current news, videos and photos

and to find out who our friends are.

Facebook page: The Sicilian Association of Australia

Disclaimer

The Association has accepted and published the material contributed to its newsletter in good faith on the basis that it does not breach any copyright laws.

In the event that a copyright claim arises, please contact the Association and it wi ll take all reasonable action.

Copyright

This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be

reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of

The Sici lian Association of Australia,

PO Box 418, Avondale Heights, VIC 3034, Australia, 2010.

Copyright © The Sicilian Association of Australia 2010.

All Rights Reserved.

C o n t r i b u t i o n s & A n n o u n c e m e n t s

Quiz answers to Spot the Sicilian

1. False, he is the son of Jewish immigrants from Germany.

2. True

3. True

4. False. His family is of German, Dutch, Irish, and English ances-try.

5. False. Not many Sicilian rangas around.

6. True. His real name was Armand Joseph Catalano

7. False. His real name is Steven Victor Tallarico but his grandfa-ther was born in Calabria.

8. False. If you answered “true” then you are the baccala.

T h e S i c i l i a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A u s t r a l i a N e w s l e t t e r

Page 6

1. Watching a Greek classical play at the Teatro Greco

2. Il Duomo (Cathedral) incorporating the Temple of Minerva

3. Searching for white ducks amongst the papyrus at Fontana Aretusa

4. Listening to the echo of your voice at L’Orecchio di Dionisio

5. The diving and sunbathing platform on the rocks at Ortigia

6. La Grotta dei Cordari (Rope-maker’s Cave)

7. La Festa di Santa Lucia, December 13

8. Historical fish market, Ortigia

9. Ipogeo di Piazza Duomo (tunnels and bomb shelters)

10. Padre Alfio Inserra, (parish priest of Santa Rita and a regular visitor to Melbourne)

Te

n t

hin

gs

we

lo

ve

ab

ou

t S

ira

cu

sa

L’Orecchio di Dionisio

Photo: Thomas Price

Teatro Greco

Photo: Emma La Rosa

TSAA pre-Christmas

picnic, Sunday 12 th

December, 2010, Olinda,

Victoria

Photo: Bruce Thomas