After spending a few days walking through the surroundings of Graniti, a small village on the banks of the Alcantara River in eastern Sicily, and speaking with its people, we came to understand something essential:in Sicily, food is deeply rooted in the identity of its people.Food is talked about before eating, during meals, and even afterward.

Recipes, ingredients, and flavors are part of an ongoing conversation that brings the community together and carries tradition across generations.Amid this landscape rich in history and customs,one plant in particular caught my : the wild carciofo spinosu.With its sharp spines and sculptural form,it grows freely along the hillsides, roads, and fields surrounding the village.

It’s a resilient plant — rough, beautiful, and deeply connected to the local identity.Signora Bastianeta, our neighbor in Graniti, told us that people in the village harvest this plant when it’s in season. They trim the spines, boil it, drain it, add a little salt, and accompany it with something essential: a glass of good wine. In its simplicity, this ritual holds the wisdom of living in harmony with the ecosystem around us.

This mural is a small tribute to the everyday rituals that connect us, and to the importance of caring for the land that nourishes us.

The carciofo spinusu is a symbol of the bond between nature and community.