Sumac, known in the Arab world as summaq (meaning “dark red”) and elsewhere as sumac, is an ancient spice with roots along the Mediterranean trade routes. Few know that it has been produced for centuries in Sicily, where since antiquity it has played a leading economic and cultural role.
Harvested and processed, exported in large quantities, used both in cooking and in the tanning industry, today it survives in small-scale production and niche gastronomic use. Reconstructing its history means understanding how a wild shrub became, for a time centuries ago, a true commercial driving force of the island.
