reginella
My last name is also the name of a town in Sicily, not far from Palermo. Because of the name, I have always felt a special connection with the island. My first visit dates back to 1980 and, soon after my arrival in Palermo, I tasted amazing cookies called reginelle.
The word reginella literally means little queen: reginelle is the plural. You really never use the singular form, because as soon as you taste one of those delicacies, you want some more. Reginelle are thumb-shaped, slightly bigger than thumb-sized and covered with sesame seeds. To ensure complete coverage, the cookies are rolled in the seeds before being baked. Sesamo is called cimino in Palermo and reginelle are also called 'nciminati, sesamized (I just made up this word).
[This post is dedicated to Paz.]
Hear me pronounce the words on the reginella audio file [mp3] or go to the reginella audio page for more listening options.
Update: I brought back some reginelle from my recent visit to Palermo (October 2007). I bought them at the Pasticceria Fratelli Magrì in Via Isidoro Carini 42. They were delicious and when I ate the last one I was almost in tears, which means I really must try and make them at home.
A post dedicated to me?! *Jumping up and down, excited!* Awesome!
I've never been to Sicily and would like to visit -- especially the town of which you speak. And I know exactly what I will taste when I get there! Reginella, which are sesamized. LOL! I love the made up word. heh heh heh! ;-)
Grazie,
Paz
Posted by: Paz | June 03, 2007 at 09:00 AM
I like when I get ideas from other people: it provides a sort of context to my posts. I mentioned Carini to you and then I remembered how I went crazy about reginelle the first time I visited. I loved all the food I ate there and in time I will describe other delicacies of the Sicilian cuisine.
Posted by: Simona | June 03, 2007 at 11:57 AM
Looking forward to your descriptions.
Paz
Posted by: Paz | June 04, 2007 at 02:40 PM
Those sound glorious! I love hearing about Sicily and Sicilian foods; my mother's family was from there, though I'm not sure which city or town.
Posted by: Lisa | June 05, 2007 at 06:28 AM
As soon as I saw the word "Reginelle" I thought of the beautiful Neapolitan song "Reginella" :
Reginè, quanno stive cu' mico
nun magnave ca' pane e cerase,
nuie campavamo 'e vase e che vase..."
Posted by: anna maria | June 06, 2007 at 08:06 PM
I was trying to find an English translation of the lyrics of Reginella and found a video on YouTube of Lucio Dalla and Nino d'Angelo singing it together (sort of): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI3TFOII11g&mode=related&search=
Posted by: Simona | June 06, 2007 at 08:56 PM