Cefalú, Sicilia

Many people have asked us what we did on our trip to Cefalú and each time we answer we struggle find something other to say than "well we ate a lot."

Jim and I are sort of 'foodies'. Every time we travel we want to know what is the best thing to eat in that area and most of our activities involve food. Jim definitely has fun with this as he can eat anything and enjoys trying the 'nasty bits'. So for us our trip to Sicilia was all about the food.

Sicilia is uniquely positioned in the Mediterranean just north of Africa and being kicked by the toe of Italy. Over time the island has been ruled by the Romans, Greeks, Vandals, Normans, Spanish, Byzantines and was once an Islamic state known as the Emirate of Sicily. Sicilia's intriguing history means that it has a unique mix of cultures visible in it's cuisine. From panella to couscous di pesce the north African influence is definitely felt. You can also find the roots of some Italian-American favorites, like caponata and cannoli. It really is a food-lovers destination that is not to be missed.

Other than the food, Cefalú was about R&R. It is a medieval village about a hour by train from Palermo, on the north side of the island. There are lots of little shops, quaint streets to walk up and down, a beach, and lots of great places to hike in the area.

Here's a little snapshot of our trip:

Going Gluten Free

For those of you that know me, you know that I have major issues with food. Every time we go to a restaurant the biggest question is always, "Is there anything that Emma can eat?"

I am extremely allergic to tomatoes and shellfish, I don't eat meat, and I have a sensitivity to gluten. That means I can eat gluten, the main protein found in wheat, I just feel really awful for days after.

Towards the end of high school, on a quest to feel better, I cut out all processed foods and began eating all natural, organic foods. Then early into college I decided to go vegetarian in an effort to add more diversity into my diet. Still, I wasn't feeling great. I went to a gastroenterologist, hoping they would find some reason for my pain, and after testing negative for celiacs, chrons disease, and several other intestinal ailments, the doctor told me I had chronically inflamed small intestines with IBS (whatever that means) and should try a healthier diet and lifestyle. I absolutely had to laugh at this. At that point, I was eating the same diet as my guinea pigs. And I definitely ate better than any other college student I knew.

After that I went on a raw vegan diet. I was juicing green juice every morning and making living dehydrated goodies in my dehydrator. I felt great. For the first time I wasn't in pain after I ate. I had more energy, glowing skin, and felt like the fog had been lifted. Unfortunately it was just too time consuming. I was spending hours and hours, shopping, soaking, cutting, and waiting for foods to be ready. It was not really feasible for me to continue with that lifestyle.

Since then I've had a mostly raw vegetarian diet eating little processed foods and very little gluten. Moving to Italy has definitely thrown a wrench in that plan. Since September I've been indulging on pastries, pasta, and bread and it is killing me. In January I decided that I just couldn't eat that much gluten. I had to start cutting it out. I thought if I ate gluten free most of the time I would be fine and could let myself have the occasional cacio e pepe or pizza, mainly just for when we wanted to go out to eat. But I'm hear to tell you that was one of the worst ideas ever.

This week I've decided to go completely gluten free. I'm mourning the loss of all my favorite foods and I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to go the rest of my life without real bread and real pasta and real pastries. On Friday night I was making cupcakes for Jim's birthday, and, as sad as this is, I was actually crying while I was making them because I knew I couldn't have any of them. I couldn't lick the bowl and I couldn't enjoy a birthday cupcake.

The next few weeks and months are going to be really hard, but I have to feel better. I'm very thankful to have such a great husband that can put up with the breakdowns I've had and will continue to have as I cut gluten out. I've been focusing on all the foods I can't have, but there are way more foods that I can have. I just need to plan ahead and stay positive. And even though I'm in Italy, the capital of gluten, there are lots of great gluten free options.

There is a wonderful gluten free bakery, Le Ben, in Trastevere that has bread, pizza, and pastries. The grocery stores all have delicious gluten free pastas, and the markets here are fabulous. I have cheap, fresh, and seasonal produce within arms reach. There is a great restaurant called Zenzero on the coast, just 30 min. away, that has an extensive gluten free menu. And, I have an awesome family who is willing to use some of their limited packing space to bring me food, like gluten free Bisquick and gluten free pretzels, when they come visit. :-)

So here's to feeling better, hopefully for good!