Showing posts with label Letojanni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Letojanni. Show all posts

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Breakfast Crepes On The Beach In Sicily

Crepes On The Beach.

My favorite breakfast in the world is crepes on the beach, in Sicily.

where-to-eat-in-sicily
love-crepes at Il Girasole, Letojanni Sicily

best-coffee-in-sicily
the best coffee in Sicily is at Il Girasole in Letojanni

If you follow this blog you will already know that my favorite place on earth to travel to is the spectacular island of Sicily.
Not only is Sicily staggeringly beautiful with a rich and layered history, but it also has some of the very best food in the world. Everything you eat has been grown within a few miles of where you are dining, in nutrient rich volcanic soil that creates a flavor explosion with every bite.
And you won't find anything even remotely resembling the heavy, greasy, "Sicilian" food that they serve in the US.

My home-base in Sicily is the lovely little town of Letojanni, which sits adjacent to Taormina on Sicily's east coast, between Messina and Catania.
Unlike the picturesque town of Taormina, which is perhaps the most tourist-rich spot in Sicily, and therefore full of high priced souvenir shops costly accommodations and expensive places to eat, Letojanni is a small beach town that does cater beautifully to travelers but at the same time lets you feel that you are among the locals. 

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Letojanni seen from Taormina

Letojanni sits just a side-step to the left of Taormina, on the Messina side. From your beach chair at the lidos in Letojanni you can look up at the hill and see Taormina. From the Greek Theater in Taormina you can gaze down at the beach in Letojanni.

Beach-At-Letojanni-Sicily
Lido Copacabana, Letojanni
 The beach directly outside the apartment I rent in Letojanni is stunning. The red umbrellas of the Lido Copacabana provide perfect contrast to the sparkling blue water of the Ionian Sea. I honestly just never, ever want to leave.

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Lido Copacabana, Letojanni, Sicily

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the view from breakfast at Il Girasole in Letojanni Sicily

When my son and I are in Paris every day we walk from our apartment on the left bank to the Place de la Concord to our favorite creperie, then take our crepes into the Tuileries and sit on the very same bench, every single time, and eat them as slowly as possible. Because they are so incredibly good.
And because we really love crepes.

When we are in Sicily every morning the two of us walk along the beach in Letojanni to Il Girasole, where we order crepes and sit under the sun umbrellas on the beach, and look out over the Ionian Sea as we eat our breakfast. It’s my idea of heaven.

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Il Girasole, Letojanni, Sicily

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Sun up, sundown - always beautiful at Il Girasole in Letojanni


And in our humble crepe eating opinion, the crepes at Il Girasole Crepepperia on the beach in Letojanni, Sicily are the very best crepes in the world.


Letojanni-Sicily-Crepes
Arancia crepe


Letojanni-Sicily-Crepes
They serve sweet crepes and they serve savory crepes at Il Girasole

Once you have tried them there is no turning back. Your daily breakfast becomes a carb fest of crepes, complimented by the best coffee on earth. It is an early morning fortification that sets you up perfectly for a day of sightseeing, or a day on the beach.


Coffee-In-Sicily
coffee at Il Girasole, Letojanni
I wouldn't miss it for the world! And if you are in Letojanni you can't miss it either - Il Girasole (The Sunflower) is a bright yellow restaurant/cafe on the beach about halfway through town. 




Il Girasole is owned by my charming and very charismatic friend Giuseppe "Peppe" Tama’, who I just adore, and who adds definite eye candy to any meal you are eating. 

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The boss at Il Girasole

Peppe is delightful and engaging, and he has built an entire crew who have a zest for life and a sense of fun, just like he does. Which is probably why his business does so well. 


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The crew at Il Girasole, Letojanni

Not only do they make the best breakfast you’ve ever had, and serve the very best coffee in the world at Il Girasole, but during the day they have lunch food, and they also serve evening fare.

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fun nights on the beach at Il Girasole in Letojanni Sicily

Speaking of evenings, when the day is done and everyone is out and about in Letojanni for la passeggiata (evening stroll) they wind up at Il Girasole for evening coffees, glasses of wine or limoncello, or for light snack fare. It is a delightful social hub, the perfect place to end another perfect day in Sicily.


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midnight in Sicily at Il Girasole, Letojanni
If you travel to the east coast of Sicily, especially anywhere near Taormina, take the time to go to Letojanni for some crepes on the beach - you will thank me for it!


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love-crepes in Letojanni at Il Girasole


~ all images are via iPhone and are my own. Please do not use without my written permission.
Thanks!~


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Friday, September 26, 2014

Sicilitudine

Sicilitudine

… and I am happy to think that I now carry in my soul a picture of Sicily, that unique and beautiful island, which is clear, authentic and complete…
Goethe


Giardini-Naxos-Sicily
Giardini Naxos, Sicily


From the first step I took on this hauntingly beautiful island, from my very first breath, I was completely enamored of her. And there has not been one day in my life since then that she hasn’t crept into my thoughts. 


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Taormina, Sicily

The screensaver on the inside of my eyelids runs a slideshow of spectacular Sicilian vistas when I go to sleep, and sometimes the all encompassing need to get back there defies reason and dominates all thought.


Castelmola-Sicily
Castelmola, Sicily


This largest island in the Mediterranean is truly unique. It is like a giant mosaic made up of thousands of vibrant and exceptionally hued tiles, impossible to put together, yet alone each is magnificent, complex, and exceptional.

Taormina-Sicily
Taormina, Sicily


View-from-Forza-D'Agro'-Sicily
View from Forza D'Agro, Sicily

Visually astounding, her shores are lapped by the bluest of seas – the Mediterranean, the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian. 



Lido-Copacabana-Letojanni-Sicily
Lida copacabana, Letojanni, Sicily

Sicily

 The architecture and the cuisine have been layered by a history of being conquered. The Greeks, the Carthaginians, Roman, Arabs, Norman and Spaniards all ruled Sicily over the millennia and left their mark, their flavor, their influence, weaving a rich and brilliant tapestry that is equally beautiful and brutal.


Apollo's-Temple-Ortygia-Sicily



Ortygia-Sicily
Ortygia. Sicily

Sicilians have a hard history. The rich were magnificently rich while the poor toiled in abject poverty. They were repeatedly heavily taxed to pay for someone else’s wars, throughout time their men drafted to fight the ruling country’s battles. Although since the unification they are Italian, they are first and foremost and to their collective core, Sicilian. As a people they have pride and resilience, are at times stoic, in some ways isolated from the mainland, theirs is a Sicilitudine

Castelmola-Sicily
 Castelmola, Sicily


Yet invariably Sicilians smile the deepest of smiles.

At times more North Africa than Southern Italy, Sicily is maddeningly beautiful, a culinary dream, it is mysterious and moody, incredibly sexy, and feels vaguely dangerous with it’s rumbling volcano and it’s air of mystery.

Mt-Etna-Sicily

Sicily is everything.

To take on this magical island all you need is a good map and a sense of adventure…

Thursday, August 22, 2013

My Sicilian Obsession ~ Forza d'Agro'

When I was first planning the Sicilian leg of my most recent Italian adventure, all my Italiani were raving to me about how fantastic Sicily is, and how it is the best place in the world, the best food in the world, and how it has the best people in the world.

Now, allowing for the fact that with their sexy accents I would happily listen to them recite the phone book, front to back, all day long, I was always delighted to hear them wax lyrical about the little island at the toe of the boot.
"Cor-eeen-ahhh, you weel loff eet"

But just as Americans get passionately patriotic over the stars and bars, I assumed my Italians were just attaching an equal patriotic fervor to their fashion, their food and their Sicily. I knew I'd love the place, but had no idea how hard I would absolutely fall in love with it.
And how my Italiani have laughed at me over that one.

Nell'Azzurita
Forza d'Agro', Sicily

Anyway, one of the fabulous little places I found by accident while in Sicily, was the lovely little Forza D'Agro'.
Situated on the coast between Taormina and Messina, Forza D'Agro' is not typically found in tourist books. (which generally means I'm going to love it).

starting the day with cappuccino at Il Girasole



I only found out about it because a couple of locals were helping me plan out my day over toes-in-the-sand breakfast cappuccino.


They totally shanghai'd everything I was planning on doing, and instead came up with all kinds of fantastic places to go see, experience and eat at. (remember, Sicilians are incredibly warm, fun loving, friendly people). And they love to give you the inside scoop on the best local places to hit. No doubt owned by family members, but you are welcomed with open arms, and I adore that.




The drive along the coast from Taormina/Mazzeo/Letojanni to Forza d'Agro' is gorgeous and easy. Which is just great because the drive up the hill is like the drive up the hill to Ravello. On acid. Super steep hairpin bends that double back on themselves, perfect if you're fearless and if you're driving a stick shift. By the time you've reached the top you have earned a robust glass of local Sicilian wine.

The Ionian from Forza d'Agro', Sicily

With ancient buildings and stone paved lanes that are impassable by car, this little town has become the backdrop for many movies over the years, in fact you'll recognize parts of Forza d'Agro' from The Godfather.
Cathedral Forza d'Agro'

This entire area has such a rich and wild history, from the Sicani to the Siculi, the Greeks to the Romans, The Byzantines to the Spanish and however many others along the way, so many have come and conquered and left their mark, creating a society and a land that is just completely intriguing and complex.

Forza d'Agro' Sicily

Forza d'Agro' Sicily

As you can see we got all kinds of weather that day. It started out gorgeous, some rain came through briefly, and then the sun came back out.
Forza d'Agro' is tiny and doesn't take much time to have a good look around. There are so many lovely little towns all the way along the coast to stop and visit, all with staggering views across the Ionian Sea, amazing little local eateries, artisan stores and plenty of interesting things to see and do, most of them far from the madding crowds.

Ciao from the top of the world. Well the top of the path anyway ;)