Mary Taylor Simeti

Mary Taylor Simeti is an American food and travel writer who has lived in Sicily since 1962. She is best known for her books about Sicilian food, culture, and history, particularly "On Persephone's Island: A Sicilian Journal" (1986) and "Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty-Five Centuries of Sicilian Food" (1989). Originally from New York City, Simeti moved to Sicily to work on social reform projects and subsequently married a Sicilian farmer. Her experiences running a family farm near Palermo have informed much of her writing about agricultural traditions and rural life in Sicily. After establishing herself as a writer, she continued to document Sicilian culture through books such as "Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood" (1994, co-authored with Maria Grammatico) and "Travels with a Medieval Queen" (2001). Her work combines historical research with personal observations about Sicilian society and traditions. Simeti's writing has been particularly influential in English-language documentation of Sicilian food culture and agricultural practices. She continues to operate the family's organic farm, Bosco Falconeria, while contributing to various publications about Mediterranean food and culture.

Readers appreciate Simeti's intimate knowledge of Sicily and her ability to weave historical detail with personal experiences. Multiple reviews note her skill at capturing daily Sicilian life through food, farming, and cultural observations. What readers liked: - Detailed, first-hand accounts of Sicilian traditions - Balance of personal narrative with historical research - Clear, descriptive writing about food and agriculture - Cultural insights from both insider and outsider perspectives What readers disliked: - Some find the pacing slow, particularly in "On Persephone's Island" - A few readers note occasional academic dryness in historical sections - Some wanted more personal stories and fewer historical details Ratings: - "On Persephone's Island" averages 4.0/5 on Goodreads (200+ ratings) - "Pomp and Sustenance" averages 4.2/5 on Amazon (25+ ratings) - "Bitter Almonds" averages 4.4/5 on Goodreads (100+ ratings) One reader noted: "Her perspective as an American who became deeply embedded in Sicilian life offers unique insights into both cultures." Another commented: "The historical sections can be dense, but her personal observations make it worthwhile."

On Persephone's Island: A Sicilian Journal - A year-long chronicle of life in Sicily that combines personal observations with discussions of the island's history, agriculture, and food traditions.

Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty-Five Centuries of Sicilian Food - A comprehensive examination of Sicily's culinary history from ancient times to the present, including historical recipes and cultural context.

Travels with a Medieval Queen - A historical account tracing the journey of Constance of Hauteville from Sicily to Germany in 1194, incorporating medieval travel records and contemporary observations.

Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood - A collaborative work with Maria Grammatico documenting traditional Sicilian pastry-making and life in a convent pastry shop.

Sicily: A Literary Guide for Travellers - A guide to Sicily's literary heritage featuring writers who have lived on or written about the island throughout history.

Frances Mayes writes about living in and restoring a house in Tuscany while exploring Italian food, culture and seasonal rhythms. Like Simeti, she combines personal memoir with deep observation of regional Italian traditions and agricultural cycles.

Carol Field documents Italian bread-making traditions and regional cooking through extensive first-hand research throughout Italy. Her work, like Simeti's, preserves vanishing culinary customs while placing them in historical and cultural context.

Nancy Harmon Jenkins reports on Mediterranean food traditions through direct observation and relationships with farmers and cooks. She focuses on olive oil, vegetables, and the intersection of food with place and culture.

Waverley Root wrote detailed chronicles of regional Italian food geography and history based on years living in Italy. His work combines scholarly research with personal experiences to document traditional foodways.

Helena Attlee explores Italian gardens, agriculture and landscape through detailed historical research and on-the-ground reporting. She connects plants and cultivation practices to the broader cultural heritage of different Italian regions.