The Trapani coastline boasts a picturesque landscape of shallow ponds, windmills and white pyramids of salt, turning pink as the sun sets. Every summer for thousands of years, this has been the backdrop to a ritual: the manual harvesting of the sea salt after seawater has evaporated from the large ponds. The harvesters are farmers who alternate growing melons and garlic with producing salt. As they collect the salt, it is piled up in pyramids near the basins, then crushed into various grades as required.
Season
The salt is produced from July to September, but is available throughout the year.
In industrial saltworks, the harvest is mechanized and the salt can be subjected to refining procedures or be mixed with other mineral salts. The only procedure undergone by the Presidium salt is the crushing. Unlike other salts it is whole, grayish (the salt is not bleached) and slightly damp. Only a few artisan producers remain and they are not very organized. Their salt cannot compete with the products from the big industrial saltworks. The Presidium was started to help them.
Production area
Trapani and Paceco Municipalities, Trapani Province
Supported by
Sicilian Region
Production area
Trapani and Paceco Municipalities, Trapani Province
Supported by
Sicilian Region
Producer
Oro di Sicilia
di Alberto Culcasi
Nubia-Via Garibaldi, 46 A
Paceco (Tp)
Tel. +39 327 0226800
info@salineculcasi.it
www.salineculcasi.it
Oro di Sicilia
di Alberto Culcasi
Nubia-Via Garibaldi, 46 A
Paceco (Tp)
Tel. +39 327 0226800
info@salineculcasi.it
www.salineculcasi.it
Presidium Producers' Representative
Davide Culcasi
Tel. +39 327 0226800
info@salineculcasi.it
Slow Food Presidium Coordinator
Giuseppe Raineri
Tel. +39 335 6679150
slowfoodtp@gmail.com
Davide Culcasi
Tel. +39 327 0226800
info@salineculcasi.it
Slow Food Presidium Coordinator
Giuseppe Raineri
Tel. +39 335 6679150
slowfoodtp@gmail.com
