Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa [Hardcover]

Matthew Fort (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

Replete with authentic Siclian recipes culled directly from the out of the way island stoves and cafe kitchens that cook them, Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons presents a travelogue for seasoned travelers, and lovers of all things Italian.

At the age of twenty-six Matthew Fort first visited the island of Sicily. He and his brother arrived in 1973 expecting sun, sea and good food, but they were totally unprepared for the lifelong effect of this most extraordinary place.

Thirty years later and a bit wiser—but no less hungry—Matthew finally returns. Travelling around the island on his scooter, Monica, he samples exquisite antipasti in rundown villages and delicate pastries in towns tumbling down vertical hillsides, and goes fishing for anchovies underneath a sky scattered with stars.

Once again this enigmatic island casts its spell as Matthew rediscovers its beauty, the intensity of its flavors, and finds himself digging into the darkness of Sicily’s past as well as some mysteries of his own.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Attention lavished on Tuscany and the north of Italy has sometimes left Sicily languishing in travel literature’s backwaters. Sicily’s role as cradle of the Mafia and its separateness from the rest of the peninsula have also worked against it. On the other hand, the island’s rich history and unique amalgamation of African and European elements in its cultural patrimony make it perfect for the curious tourist. Aiming to give the place its proper due, Fort’s intimate portrait of modern Sicily introduces readers to the characters that enliven the place. Fort describes two journeys aboard his Vespa: one in spring, bisecting the isle from west to east; another in autumn, circumnavigating the coast. His narrative finds unity in the fabulous varieties of the foods he consumes along his way. Intensely proud and partisan, Sicilians argue the relative merits of sausages produced in towns just a few miles apart. Recipes conclude each chapter. --Mark Knoblauch

About the Author

MATTHEW FORT has been a key food writer for the Guardian for over ten years. He also writes for the Observer, Esquire, Country Living, and Decanter. He appears as a judge on BBC2’s Great British Menu and is a presenter on UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen. One of Matthew’s great passions is Italy, where he visits every year.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312559186
• ISBN-13: 978-0312559182
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,274,915 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sicily plate by plate and scooter, October 12, 2009

By 

A. Whitney (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa (Hardcover)

As editor of a motorscooter enthusiast magazine (Scoot! Magazine) I picked up this book because of Fort's journey by Vespa. Much like "Vroom with a View" by Peter Moore Fort uses the scooter to travel around Sicily for the ultimate "Italian" journey. While there isn't as much scooter chat as I would like, I did find the story of his journey fascinating. The book is filled with in-depth discussion of Sicilian cooking and food history, as well as his experiences with the proud and earnest Sicilians he meets along the way.

Fort is lucky to not only be able to experience the tastes of these foods, but he often goes back into the kitchens and observes the making of these age-old chapters of Sicilian history. I was unaware of how many different cultures contributed to Sicilian history and by extension the cuisine.

The recipes that end each chapter seem relatively simple to recreate, except that measurements are given in metrics. I have earmarked a few items to try in the future.

If you are looking for an exploration of Sicilian cooking, check this book out. If you are a scooter fan, you may also try Peter Moore's books and "Spotted In France" by Gregory Admont (which is similar to "Sweet Honey" except that he tries to eat at as many Michelin star restaurants a s possible).

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sicily on a Scooter, December 9, 2009

By 

Holly B. Anderle "Beth Anderle" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book, but I found the author's personality to be a little distracting. I was hoping for some more details about Sicily itself. I had visions of descriptions of churches and monuments, squares and farms. Instead, Fort seems overly preoccupied with his physical comfort or discomfort, his emotional needs and desires, and his frustrations with people and places he seems to feel are beneath him. He seems to be disturbed by the presence of tourists, remarking condescendingly on those whose ignorance of the local cuisine irks him, forgetting that is still a tourist himself. While that may be normal for a preeminent food critic, it does not make for pleasant reading.

Never the less, Fort's descriptions of the meals that he eats and the people he meets are wonderful. He describes his food with the voice of a lover, allowing the flowing description to roll effortlessly. He is particularly enamored of the deep rich flavors of the traditional Sicilian cooking. And each chapter ends with several recipes for the reader to try themselves.

Read this book for love of Sicily, for the descriptions of the food, and for a good chuckle over a middle-aged, self-satisfied foodie!

4.0 out of 5 stars Sicily, October 8, 2011

By 

B. Foye - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa (Hardcover)

Includes some good travel suggestions for Sicily. Looking forward to traveling in Sicily, Thanks for the ideas. But I will travel my car!