The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is a cultural melting pot. Its heritage - both historical and culinary - is as much Greek, Arab and Norman as it is Italian. When you cross over from the Italian mainland to Messina, you are only 90 miles away from Tunisia, and North African influences permeate Sicilian cuisine. The Ancient Greeks also made their mark, but it is a strange mixture of Norman and Arabian influences, coupled with a sunny climate and fertile soil that gives Sicily its abundance of unique foods and culinary traditions.

Many ingredients were introduced to Italy via Sicilian ports. Rice, brought to Italy by Arabian merchants, is featured in Risu al Nero. Semolina is another ingredient brought to Italy through Sicily. Semolina stars in the bread we offer tonight, Pani Sicilianu, Sicilian dialect for "the bread of Sicily."

Sicily is home to over half of all of Italy's registered fishing boats, so much of the Sicilian diet is based on seafood. The vast migration of tuna and swordfish past the island were

recorded as far back as Aristotle in the 4th century B.C. This fish harvested from surrounding waters has inspired many dishes on tonight's menu, including Pisci Spada 'Mpantu (swordfish steak) and the Involtino di Tonno (ahi tuna rolled with shrimp).

There is not much grazing land on the island, so whatever sheep are raised are used mostly for milk for the variety of cheeses. Piacintinu Ennese cheese used in the tomato salad was imported from Sicily just for tonight's menu. Because of the climate, much of any year's first vegetables in Europe are grown in Sicily. Springtime on the Continent is announced by the arrival of the first of many boatloads of Sicilian eggplant, peppers, and peas. Eggplant is used liberally in many regions of Italy, but much of what is bought in the north comes from the south. Sicily also has long cultivated a surplus of wheat. Pasta, while believed to have been invented in China, was introduced to Italy by merchants that first arrived in Sicily.