I never expected windmills and Archimedes screws in Sicily! We learned the art and science of making sea salt! We also visited the island of Moxia
After our scenic bus ride we arrived in Trapani. At home, large piles of white would have been snow! Here, we could see the salt flats with tiles placed across the salt for the winter. There were large squares of shallow water with dikes running between them. The windmills were strategically placed as they used to provide power to the Archimedes screws (which had been invented long before he recorded how they worked!) As the water evaporated, it would have a higher salt concentration. Salt water would be moved in towards land with each pool having more salt and less water. Nearest the shore, the men would shovel up the damp salt into these huge piles and left to dry. Salt was a measure of currency, a way to preserve meats and fish, and for flavor. The word salary was actually derived from the latin word for salt!
We toured the windmill and watched a short film on salt making. The view from atop the windmill was just wonderful. I took a picture of my friend Diona in her photographer mode.
If you would like to see a short video on salt making - I found this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWDSEVxNxjY
Food in Trapani
Jaime set up cooking lessons from a Roberto a native from Trapani was so much fun! He taught us the proper way to make a fish based stock. You would then steam couscous over the stock. Eventually,3 or 4 hours later, it was tender and delicious. Jamie assisted in translating and serving us some of the couscous as well as a twisted pasta made here to better adsorb the sauce. Honestly, it tasted even better than it looks below! Plenty of wine flowed as the group all chatted. So happy, so relaxed, perfect vacation day!
