Bella Lirette, Food Studies In Sicily Summer 2025
I participated in the Food Studies in Sicily Summer Abroad program in June 2025, and everything about it was life-changing. It was unlike any other abroad program where the only class requirements are lectures. We had lectures some days, but the curriculum included many field trips that made the experience the most meaningful for me. The classes focused on gender studies and the anthropology of food, so learning about Italian, especially Sicilian food culture, was the main emphasis. Additionally, to supplement the class readings, we visited many sites, such as pistachio, herb, sea salt, olive oil, and almond farms, an agritourism farm, a cheese museum, and wineries. At all these locations, we were able to explore gender roles and the work involved in growing, processing, and preparing different foods from a perspective different from back home. We also got to taste everything at these sites, my favorite being the pistachio gelato
made from the pistachios at the farm. I have never been a big pistachio fan, but the flavors were so fresh and vibrant here, which made it unique and unforgettable. At the agritourism farm, we enjoyed a fantastic multi-course meal prepared by the man and woman who live and work there. They shared stories and recipes before we sat around a long table to enjoy the meal together. It was easily the best meal I’ve ever had, featuring dishes like pumpkin mac and cheese, sun-dried tomato and anchovy bruschetta, various kinds of frittata, fresh tomatoes, and much more. Outside of class and field trips, the program included many group meals, such as a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner, with several other meals in between. When we visited new parts of Sicily, we were served dishes representing their most famous foods, allowing us to immerse ourselves more deeply in their culture. For example, we tried pasta alla norma (eggplant and red sauce pasta) and arancini (stuffed rice balls), which are some of Sicily’s most well-known traditional foods. Overall, this program was centered around food, greatly influencing my experience, giving me the chance to immerse myself in Sicily’s slow-food culture and enjoy its amazing local dishes
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