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
Ettore Grillo's Blog 