MARTORANA FRUIT, THE SWEETS OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN SICILY

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

At this time of year, almost all bakeries in Sicily display martorana fruit, the typical dessert on the day of the feast of the dead.

It is said that the Benedictine nuns of the Martorana Monastery in Palermo invented the recipe, hence the name of martorana fruit. Later, it became the traditional dessert for the day of the dead, which we celebrate in Sicily on November 2.

https://www.modernitalian.org/posts/the-day-of-the-dead

It was customary for children to receive toys and a basket of martorana fruit on this day. Even today, many families follow this tradition. Actually, November 2 is a joyful day of celebration in Sicily. By receiving gifts and sweets, children are taught to love and respect the souls of the dead.

Today the baker exhibited baskets full of martorana fruit. I asked her to give me the recipe, but she was evasive. She didn’t want to reveal her secret recipe. She just told me that the basic ingredient is almonds, which must be properly crushed. Of course, they must be Sicilian almonds!

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

TOTÒ, THE COOKIES OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN SICILY

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

November 2, the day of the dead in Sicily, is not an ordinary day. Indeed, it is a special day of celebration and joy. The Sicilians enjoy the feast and make special cakes for the occasion.

One of the typical cookies they make is called “totò.”

This morning, the baker made me try a lemon-flavored one. I had never eaten such a delicious cookie. He displayed chocolate, orange, and lemon flavored totò.

I asked him for the recipe for making such tasty sweets, but he was evasive and unwilling to talk about the ingredients he used. Obviously, he wanted to keep his recipe a secret.

November 2 is dedicated to the commemoration of the dead throughout the Catholic world, but only in Sicily is it considered a day of joyful celebration. This is because Sicily was a Spanish colony like Mexico and absorbed the customs of the Mexican Amerindians who used to celebrate the day of the dead.

Those populations imagined death as a continuation of life. For them, the afterlife was similar to life on earth. During the festival, they represented death as a person dressed up and enjoying the dance.

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

BONES OF THE DEAD, TYPICAL SICILIAN COOKIES

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

November 2 is drawing near and in all bakeries in Sicily it is possible to buy the typical cookies for this day, “the bones of the dead.” They look like human bones, are hollow and hard to eat.

Today, after buying some, I asked the baker to tell me the secret to making them so hard and hollow. He said that he leavens dough for two days on a canvas to make it lose its moisture, and then he bakes them at a low temperature, about 140 degrees. During the process, they lose sugar and become hollow.

On November 2, children receive gifts from the dead. Obviously, this is a fiction, for parents actually buy the gifts and pretend that the dead brought them. This way, children are taught to respect and love the souls of those who are no longer with us.

November 2nd is a day of celebration in Sicily. The tradition of celebrating the dead dates back to the time of the Aztecs. On the other hand, being Sicily a Spanish possession like Mexico, it absorbed Spanish customs and traditions deriving from contacts with the Amerindians.

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

MY REVIEW OF INWARD REVOLUTION BY J. KRISHNAMURTI

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

Inward revolution by J. Krishnamurti mainly treats the theme of freedom of ideas while one is doing a spiritual quest. In fact, if you are conditioned by religion, any religion, by a guru, or by your stock of knowledge, you cannot see yourself and reality as they are. You see things as you have been taught. By doing so, you give rise to a conflict between what it actually is and what it should be.

According to Krishnamurti, such conflict must be avoided not only when you do meditation but also in your ordinary daily life. In other words, the mind must be free of prejudices and preconceived ideas.

Throughout the book, from the first to the last page, the author insists on the theme of freedom from conditioning.

I have found some similarities between Osho’s teachings and Krishnamurti’s. On the other hand, all great masters and superior minds are closer to the truth than we can imagine.

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE PILL OF LOVE IN ENNA (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

These days there is an unusual exhibition in Enna. People with mental disabilities and behavioral disorders, and even someone with a physical handicap, exhibit their paintings, installations, and cribs in the civic gallery.

Quite often, those with mental problems are at the mercy of psychiatrists and neurologists who administer drugs. This way, they reach an equilibrium. However, the medicine can cure only the symptoms of the mental disease, not the cause. Once one stops taking pills, the disorder reappears.

Are psychiatrists able to administer the pill of painting? Of theater? Of music? Of friendship? The pill of love?

I do not think so! It is much easier to treat psychoses by medicine.

I am happy that now in my hometown there is a structure, called La Contea, which can distribute to those in need the pills of love. Through this kind of treatment, the so-called disable socialize, express their creativity, and learn to love.

Is art, music, friendship, and love more effective than treatment through drugs? I think so!

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE TOWERS OF ST. THOMAS AND OF THE CARMINE IN ENNA (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

According to the illustrious historian Paolo Vetri (1826-1891), Saint Elijah the Younger, who was born and lived in Enna in the ninth century AD and led the resistance against the Arabs, built both the Tower of St. Thomas and that of the Carmine. Indeed, their shape is similar. They dominate two picturesque squares.

Probably, Paolo Vetri wrote this way because he was influenced by the popular legend that linked the Tower of the Carmine to Saint Elijah the Younger.

Legend says that on moonlit nights some people saw the ghost of its builder, St. Elijah the Younger, wandering near the tower. Is the legend true?

I can only say that a few years ago the renovation works of the Church of the Carmine and the adjoining tower began. While the church was restored immediately and smoothly, the works in the tower suffered a setback. The builders did not finish their job and left the scaffolding, the pulleys and everything there. The mystery of the ghost of the builder of the tower, Saint Elijah the Younger, remains!

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

FRANCESCO PAOLO NEGLIA, A GREAT SICILIAN

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

Francesco Paolo Neglia was a musician and a composer. He was born in Enna, in 1874. Due to his passion for music, he moved to Hamburg, Germany, where he founded a music academy that was successful.

In Lugano, Switzerland, and in Istria, which at the time was an Italian territory, he founded two music high schools, also successful.

He also wrote the opera Zelia.

He proved that music is a universal language. Even though he was born in a small city, he stood out in Europe for his musical talent.

Every year, the city of Enna organizes an international music contest named after Francesco Paolo Neglia.

Music is an archetype in Enna. Many families want their children to learn music.

I did not escape the archetype, and at the age of sixty-three, I learned to play the piano.

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

EXHIBITION OF NATIVITY SCENES IN ENNA (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

It is said that St. Francis of Assisi gave birth to the tradition of the nativity scene.

In the past, in Sicily, almost all families used to make a nativity scene at home for Christmas. They then gathered around it and said the rosary. The Christmas tree and Santa Claus do not belong to Sicilian culture and tradition, for they have been adopted in Sicily in recent times.

The most beautiful nativity scenes are those in Caltagirone, a city in the province of Catania; but the living nativity scene of Sutera, a town in the province of Caltanissetta, is also worth mentioning.

These days in Enna, there is an exhibition of nativity scenes from all over Sicily. They are all beautiful, but if I were a member of the jury, I would award the first prize to the smallest one, for its originality. The artist made five nativity scenes using a coal-fired iron, a charcoal warmer, an oil lamp, a small wine barrel and even a water jug. After all, to be a true artist you do not need to create big, impressive things. You just have to be original!

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily

– A Hidden Sicilian History

– The Vibrations of Words

– Travels of the Mind

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo