As Leonardo Sciascia claimed, Sicily is an island out of time, where every stone tells a story and every corner is a work of art. A land of contrasts, of admixtures, of clashes and encounters, which is the soul of the Mediterranean, a po' araba, a little Norman, but also Spanish, Greek, romana, Phoenician: in a word mestizo.
Each piece of this island jealously guards different stories and identities, all together, make up the rich and jagged Sicilian ethos. Among all these “Sicilies”, there is a precious and hidden one, baroque and peasant, so far south as to be further south than Tunis: Ragusa, where the farmers and breeders, custodians of the territory, they have always lived following the cycles of nature and the countryside, where the sun kisses the earth with passion and the wind whispers ancient stories.
In this strip of Trinacria where lush green countryside dotted with white dry stone walls, between sea and hills, two trees have always stood as immutable and silent symbols of peasant culture: the olive tree and the carob tree. Children of this generous land, they embody two different souls, united by a common destiny: nourish and accompany the farmer's life.
The olive tree, green patriarch, with its solid and wrinkled trunk and its silvery hair, reigns supreme over the hills. Its roots, as deep as peasant memory, they cling tenaciously to the earth, absorbing its strength and vitality. Every leaf, a drop of emerald sparkling in the sun, which contains the secret of a precious oil, the result of wise care and tireless work. The olive tree is life, it is lymph that flows through the veins, the condiment that enriches the table, the balm that soothes wounds. It is the symbol of tenacity, of patience, of peasant wisdom, who confidently awaits the fruits of their labor, Year after year, generation after generation.
The carob tree, resilient giant, it stands out against the sky with its mighty branches, almost as if they wanted to protect the land below. Its leaves, leathery and dark, they offer shelter from the scorching sun, while its fruits, similar to brown pods, they contain an unexpected treasure: a sweet and nutritious pulp, precious source of energy for humans and animals. The carob is humility, it is silent strength, he is the silent companion of the farmer, which with its generous fruit supplements the meager diet and supports work in the fields. It is the symbol of frugality, of tenacity, of the ability to find wealth even in the simplest gifts of the earth.
The one, symbol of life and abundance, the other, emblem of strength and humility. Both, rooted in the earth and reaching towards the sky, they tell a story of love for the land, of respect for nature, of dedication to work, of values handed down from generation to generation. I am the peasant soul that still beats in the heart of this sun-kissed land, a soul rich in ancient wisdom and timeless beauty.
From the skilful infusion of the leaves of these iconic trees, scrupulously following an ancient family recipe handed down from generation to generation, is born ULIBBO, the award-winning liqueur that has the flavor of the Ragusa countryside. Click here to find out more…
