If you happen to be in Palermo do not miss out on the chance of immersing yourself in the color, smells and sounds of the local food markets. It's all about street food and for non Sicilians, even Italians, they are places where a truly unique fusion of culinary influences over many centuries can be experienced.

To enjoy it best, leave your diet regime at home and allow yourself to be carried where your taste buds take you.

Firstly, try sfincione which is  focaccia bread fried with onions. Then there is 'stigghiola'  which requires a bit of braveness as it is a quite strong flavor dish. It's a sausage cooked with barbecue and made with liver of lamb, provola cheese, onions, boiled eggs, entrails of lamb, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. People who had it confirm that's delicious!

The Sicilian Ceramic Circuit is an itinerary which links five very special towns in Sicily. They are Burgio, Caltagirone, Patti, Santo Stefano di Camastra and Sciacca.

What they have in common is a ceramic or pottery tradition handed down for generations.

The Sicilian Ceramic towns are also part of the non profit Italian Association of Ceramic Towns or AICC whose hallmark guarantees the origin, authenticity and forms of the products created in each locality.

To see where they are coming from, here is a summary of the introduction for Burgio in the province of Agrigento from the dedicated brochure.

The Museo Eoliano in Lipari has produced a highly visual fold out guide to the ancient inhabitants of the Aeolian islands of Lipari, Salina, Filicudi and Alicudi, Stromboli and Panarea.

The map indicates exactly where on each island you need to head to unravel this fascinating history, which is also a history of Mediterranean civilisation.

It all began a little after 2000 BC when adventurers from Greece imported revolutionary ideas and know how. These included the construction of new circular stone and mud structures and the production of bronze and ceramics.

Cannoli is Sicily's best known sweet or dolce. A wafer tube filled with a cream of ricotta cheese with sugar, pistachio nuts and dried fruit.

These delicious Italian desserts are made from a pastry that is pre-cooked in the oven to give it a crispy texture. It is then filled with heavily sugared ricotta cheese, pistacchio nuts and dried fruit or 'frutta candida'.

Not to everyone's taste but very distinctive. Its sister sweet 'cassata' was again introduced by the Arabs.

Carnival time in Sicily is an excuse to eat lots of 'cannoli' and the best place to find them is at the 'Sagra del Cannolo' at Piana degli Albanesi, province of Palermo.

www.pianalbanesi.it

Known for its elaborate masks and allegorical floats, the Carnival of Acireale, province of Catania, in Sicily is considered to be one of the most beautiful celebrations in Italy this time of year.

In a process requiring time and patience as well as talent, local artisans create floats made out of paper-mache or flowers, a local tradition dating all the way back to the 1600s. Displays often depict the satirical masks of celebrities and competition is fierce as prizes are awarded to the best floats in each category.

This classic Sicilian cheese is known as a 'caciocavallo'. It is delicate, soft, sweet and a pale yellow colour if eaten young. A maturing period longer than six months gives the cheese a spicier flavour and a harder crust.

The 'stagionato' cheese is usually grated at the meal table. But many eat the slices cooked in olive oil, salt and pepper having been given a covering of whipped egg. Its called 'cascavaddu frittu cu l'uva'.

Ragusano DOP cheese is in fact made from, and only from, the full fat or 'intero' milk of the Modicana breed. They are reared in the Ragusa hinterland and the town of Modica in particular. The meat from the breed can also be found in numerous pasta dishes.