Let food be thy medicine Podcast by Retired International Sicilian chef & Author Carmela D'Amore

We are unpacking and diving into the foundlings the orphans of Sicily in the Bourbon Era.  This is a delicate subject one that is real, many children who where born in that era, did not have a life, they where stigmatised and could never get out of the label of being an orphan. How many people who could not feed their children in those times, had to reduce themselves to putting them on the wh...

In this episode of Sicilian Queens we are uncovering the Bourbon Era with Dr. Lucy Barbarya, we continue to find out about the foundlings, the orphans, and how the story had become part of the history of Sicily touching the world and becoming a global pandemic. How the communities helped and feed the orphans. This is a very delicate subject for many that never spoke about this, some didn't even kn...

What is authentic power? In this episode I share with you what transpired for me to understand where I gave a piece of it away.  Carmela

In this episode of Sicilian Queens we meet Dr. Lucia Barbarya, who has 5 master degrees, and one in Sociology and history, she is an advocate for women and children, and we chat with her about how her journey has directed her to learn and change about i figli della routa, the children of the wheel, they are also called foundlings, this is the first episode, we are learning about how this has trans...

In this episode with Sicilian Comedy guy Alessio Terrana, Lina and I chat with him about his life in New Jersey and how far he has come, especially being born from Palermo. How he has been able to create a very funny lifestyle from the Sicilian culture. We hope you enjoy these episodes of Sicilian Queens. Arrivederci Lina & Carmela

You will need: 125 grams of spaghetti per person extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of organic butter per person sea salt pepper corns 150 grams of grated pecorino romano per person depending on taste. Method: In a large pot of salted boiling water add your spaghetti, and cook until your desired texture.  While the pasta is cooking place the pepper corns in a skillet and blanche, until they...

I find that cayenne pepper is much more gentle on my stomach than ground pepper. It must be because ground pepper is compound and cayenne is dried out in the sun and then pulverised. See what you like and find what works for you. Carmela

If you require a thick consistency of sauce to go with your stews, pesto, ragù, casseroles or Napoli. Then finding the best concentrated sauce is important, to use in your cooking 🥘 Carmela

What kind do you like? Peeled, diced, whole, passata, organic, cherry, what or how do we use them? Find out explore, open your culinary skills and work them. Use the best tomatoes 🍅 don’t buy cheap brands buy the best, find out where they come from and where they have been cultivated. This is what makes a tomato a tomato 🍅 Carmela

Cherry 🍒 tomatoes are the best for making a quick Napoli they add so much flavour into the sauce because of their richness from the silky sunshine ☀️ make yourself a quick Napoli with them you don’t need any sugar. You will need: 1 tin of cherry tomatoes into a pan and heat them up, as it starts to bubble, squash them with a fork and allow the water from the cherry tomatoes to reduce. Once it is...

Explore your world 🌍 find what makes your world rock through pasta 🍝 there are so many brands out there try them and see what you like or make your own. Carmela 👩‍🍳

What type of pasta 🍝 do you like? How do you like it cooked? Explore go out there and try all the different types of pastas. Taste, test with different sauces and find what you love 💓 and how you like it! Al dente? Soft? In between? Explore there’s a world 🌍 of delicious textures waiting for you. Enjoy 😉 Buon Appetito Carmela 👩‍🍳

Life without cheese 🧀 is like life without PASTA 🍝 the two are a perfect marriage. There is nothing like cheese, you can grate it, fry it, grill it, use it for stuffing, toppings etc. Find out all about cheeses go do a degustation on cheeses learn what your palate likes, educate your palate. That’s Amore cheese 🧀 or Pantalica cheese have been around and are a great place to start to taste test....

The bed things in life are the simple things like sunshine ☀️ the beach 🏖 nature & smiles 😁. Start with simple recipes & build your transformation from there. Aiolo oliò e peperoncino 🌶 fry some garlic 🧄 and chilli 🌶 with a drizzle of virgin olive oil in a pan and once it’s golden add your favourite pasta to it, sear it allow the texture and juices to absorb through the pasta , grate your favour...

In this episode I talk to you about baking trays. Invest in the best they will last you years and save you so much time. The best are non-stick and always use grease proof baking paper this keeps the food & tray & preserves the food and nutrients, & so much easier to clean 🧽 up! Arrivederci. Carmela 👩‍🍳

Wow!  Are you in for a treat! How lucky are you that you have come into this podcast with this spumanti character Alessio Terrana. Enjoy this wonderful podcast with us. Alessio is such a super funny Sicilian/American guy, full of Sicilian laughter, he shares with us his journey. Sit back and enjoy this episode of Sicilian Queens. Baci Lina Messina & Carmela D'Amore

This is the final episode of this majestic American/Sicilian film maker Michael Cavalieri.  Lina & I are super excited to share this one with you.  We hope to make many more with Michael & Maria. Let us know what you think. Hopefully we will see him in Taormina soon, at the film festival of Ritornato. We are so happy that he is making Ritornato 2. Please follow him, on instagram...

Friends are like diamonds in our lives, lifelines that see us through the good times and tough times, friends are chosen. Cook together find the fun and pleasure in eating a simple meal, shared across the table with a glass or two of wine 🍷 laughter is the best medicine. Our transformation is a slow process one that will take us into another dimension of cooking 🥘 when we follow these steps to f...

Do you have recipes? Do you have friends that have cooked a meal for your and you have enjoyed that meal and want that recipe? Go for it! ask them, go visit ask family aunties mothers, cousins who have the recipes of your family heritage. Research find, do you have recipes that you haven’t written down, NOW. Is the time create a trail of recipes you might be even able to write a book!!! Go for it,...

Let’s get dirty! Build a herb garden. If you’re limited for space get pot plants 🌱 start with Rosemary, Basil, sage, thyme and slowly build the herbs you use in your cooking 🥘 build it slowly with buying yourself a plant every week and growing your herb garden. This will be so beneficial to enjoying the simple things in life. Connecting with nature has its own therapeutic way of keeping us mindf...

Start with herbs 🌿 that you use in cooking 🥘 there is no use in having herbs that accumulate dust on the spice rack. Salt is good I use Sicilan salt from Trapani, imported by Enoteca Sileno 920 Lygon Street Carlton, 9389 7000. Website www.enoteca.com.au. Email: info@enoteca.com.au. One of the best ways to reduce our salt intake is by eating more fresh fruit 🍇 & vegetables 🌽.. the best dry herb...

Every week buy yourself a new utensil, invest into your kitchen, make it fun, give yourself the time to use it and learn how it works. Have FUN! Enjoy 😉 it, KIS .. Carmela

In this episode I give you an assignment to discover the local market in your community, talk to the local market gardener and ask them what is in season, if they have recipes for the produce. This is your assignment to cook with what is in season and utilise this ingredient and make 4-5 different meals with it.. you will discover and uncover the cook within 👩‍🍳 Carmela

Invest in cookbooks food that you love, food that you have always wanted to cook, learn, discover, uncover, explore,start NOW! Give yourself permission to start, this is your assignment from me today. DISCOVER! Carmela 👩‍🍳

Certain people don’t have pots pans, plates or even food in their fridge! Or pantry they live solely on takeout 🥡 let’s transform the way we think and change the course of where we are heading. Let’s together be in control of our health and how we eat.. Carmela