What is sumac, the spice that originates in the Middle East but grows in Sicily

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.

What is sumac

Sumac (Rhus coriaria), belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, grows spontaneously in arid and stony soils. Its reddish-brown drupes, poisonous if consumed fresh, are harvested, dried, ground and sifted to eliminate the bitter parts until a coarse purple powder is obtained, with a tangy flavour similar to lemon, with smoky, sweetish and earthy nuances. Flavours that in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine are appreciated to season salads, flavour grilled meats and fish, added instead of lemon in hummus, or in other dipping sauces, and it is excellent sprinkled over granita. It is one of the main ingredients of the aromatic blend za’atar and the essential accent for the Lebanese salad Fattoush.

History of the spice that travelled from the Maghreb to Sicily

Native to the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Maghreb, sumac arrived in Sicily via Arab trade routes between the 9th and 11th centuries. The Arabs in Sicily encouraged its cultivation and use, transforming the wild shrub into an agricultural and economic resource. Since then, the plant has become rooted in the island landscape, especially in the provinces of Palermo and Trapani, but also Agrigento and Ragusa.

Then, in the nineteenth century, alongside the spread of its cultivation came the first modern steam machinery for the processing of sumac, introduced by the farmer and Garibaldian patriot Francesco Paolo Carini, a key figure in the transition of the spice to more industrialised production. Beyond its gastronomic use, the leaves and bark, rich in tannins, were also used for so-called “vegetable” leather tanning and for dyeing fabrics and yarns. An important distinction concerns the so-called sommacco mascolino, richer in tannins and cultivated mainly in western Sicily, and the femminello, more common in the South-East but less valuable. This classification reflects precise uses, particularly linked to the tanning industry.

In the early decades of the nineteenth century, Sicilian sumac acquired such a reputation for quality that it was in demand abroad, in France, Great Britain and even the United States. At the time, exports ranked second in importance only to that of wheat.

The Florio involvement

The economic importance of sumac was such that, in 1899, the Florio family founded the Società per l’Esportazione dei Sommacchi di Sicilia (Society for the Export of Sicilian Sumac), organising its harvesting, grinding and overseas trade. The same entrepreneurial network that made the Florios famous for wine production and tuna processing and trade also included this modest-looking plant of great strategic value.

Today, sumac no longer has the commercial weight it once had. Some producers and restaurateurs are bringing it back to the table, rediscovering its exotic-tasting aromatic power. Yet not everyone at those tables knows that it is a spice which, for centuries, has also been produced in Italy. Its recovery in cuisine, although still limited, once again ties this delicacy to the agricultural history and culture of Sicily.