‘Tis time to depart this remarkable villa in Sicily and say goodbye to the seven others who shared this experience with me in the steep town of Noto in southeastern Sicily.
We were brought together by Victoria Granof who is deep in the process of creating a cookbook on Sicilian pastries. I was honored to have seen her team cook and bake. Photograph and prop. Research and explore. Write and edit. Believe me when I tell you, you will be adding this Cookbook (not yet named) to your Christmas list next year.
Traveling clockwise around the table starting at the bottom left with me are the photographer Louise and Sophie, photographer assistant. They flew in from London to be part of the cookbook team. Just lovely and hilariously funny in that understated British way. I learned so much about the art of book photography from watching them work together.
That exotic woman at the head of the table — and at the right in the picture above — is Monica, owner of the now shuttered Nickel Diner on Skid Row LA. I think of her as the Victoria whisperer. Back home, she is currently turning her attention to feeding the unhoused in her city.
Victoria is to her right. She had second thoughts about having that latumme she’d read so much about. Not sure I can blame her for passing on a sack of tuna sperm. And I don’t even want to think about how you cook it (or if you even cook it at all!!) or what you’d serve it with.
Finalmente: Luka and Ester. Goodness – I don’t even know where to start with this wonderful Italian couple. He is a marketing and art design guru and Ester is an art director and food stylist. They are, quite simply, amazing. Both proficient in several languages. They have lived in more countries than I can name: Singapore, Melbourne, Paris. E più.
Lots of memories. More to come, I’m sure of that.
Janet Eats 