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Mastri di San Basilio
The Padova family have been passionate about agriculture since Don Andrea planted his first Moresca olive tree in 1888 on his San Basilio farmland to welcome the long awaited birth of his first son (that tree still exists today). This was only the beginning of the Padova family's generations of inspired winemaking, olive oil pressing and almond harvesting. Their farm has grown since Don Andrea's first olive tree. Today, Mastri di San Basilio olive oils are derived from over 450 acres of their family farm managed by the fourth generation of Padovas; Maria Angela, Tore, and Francesco. They grow some of the most prominent varietals of native Sicilian olives in the areas where they originated in order to capture the essence of the different territories in which they grow. In addition to providing quality products, Mastri di San Basilio is proud to be part of Food for Life to help raise funds to help fight AIDS and malnutrition in more than 10 African countries. They are also supporters of City Harvest, a New York-based charity organization which provides food for the hungry and to those in New York City who are living in poverty. Mastri di San Basilio is the founder of the Sicilian Heritage fund which was created to help restore Sicilian landmarks that are part of the world Heritage list.
SICILY
The largest of the Mediterranean islands, Sicily is home to spectacularly beautiful mountains and silvery beaches, as well as to Greek temples and Baroque churches. The Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French, and Spaniards all marched across Sicilia at one time or another, and their influence is evident in the region's cooking style. The Greeks exerted their influence on the preparation of fish and vegetables. The Arabs brought eggplants, spinach, apricots, almonds, couscous and spices and showed the Sicilians how to preserve fish and fruit, as well as how to make some of the candies for which they're now famous. The Normans advanced Sicilian baking. Foreign influences aside, pasta is the basis of Sicilian cooking, with sauces based on fish and vegetables. Eggplant is the island's most popular ingredient, but tomatoes, onions, zucchini, capers, garlic, olives, broccoli, peppers, and cauliflower are also highly prized. Nothing depicts the amalgam of foods on which Sicilian cuisine is based better than a pass through the Sicilian market, la vucciria, which is an elaborate bazaar of everything from marzipan, to olives, to luscious fruits and vegetables, to fresh cheese, to every kind of fish imaginable (although swordfish, tuna, and sardines are the region's trademark seafood). Sicily has more vineyards for wine than any other region, yet per capita Silicians consume less wine than other Italians. Many grapes go to make raisins, another key ingredient in Sicilian dishes, and dessert wine, like Sicily's pride and joy, Marsala. Cannoli are Sicily's most famous sweet, but gelati and sorbetti also find perfection in the region. The island is also famous for its honey.
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