If you’re an aficionado of all things Italian and are keen to discover the culture and flavours of this amazing country, you must not miss the ‘Sicily: Culture and Conquest’ exhibition at The British Museum - it gives you a fantastic overview of the history, culture and flavours of one of Italy’s most fascinating and beautiful regions.
Those who are not familiar with this spectacular island in the south of Italy will be interested to know that Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and the home of Mount Etna, one of the world's most famous active volcanoes.
Since the 8th century BC, Sicily has been shaped by waves of conquest and settlement by different peoples (Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans) lured by its strategic location in the Mediterranean and its fertile lands. Over time, this series of conquests forged a cultural identity unlike any other. This exhibition tells Sicily’s fascinating stories, a place where the unique mix of peoples gave rise to an extraordinary cultural flowering.
Of course food is also a huge part of Italian culture, and this is particularly true for the region of Sicily. In fact today you can also discover Sicilian culture through its cuisine since Sicilian cuisine is a creative expression of its ancient culture and the many different traditions which have influenced this land. Thanks to influxes of different peoples and nationalities throughout the centuries, Sicilian food represents wide and varied culinary influences from The Middle East, North Africa, Greece, etc.
Sicilian cuisine is a world apart and absolutely worth discovering for its exceptional flavours and the high quality of ingredients used, which come from its rich, fertile and sunny land. Some of the typical products of the Mediterranean island of Sicily are: citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, tangerines), capers, olives, tomatoes, nuts (pistachios and almonds), and so on.
Lavolio has had the honour of working with the British Museum to create an exclusive range of Sicilian confectionery for this exhibition and available in the museum shop. The range includes Sicilian Pistachio Nougat and a tinned collection of Lavolio confectionery using carefully selected typical Sicilian ingredients (lemon and orange zest, almond, pistachio) encased within a sumptuous layer of different types of chocolate in our trademark spun sugar shell that naturally preserves their deliciousness.
If you are interested in this exhibition it runs until 14 August 2016 and you can book tickets here
