Producer Selvatica Lab

SICILY

Selvatica Lab, located in Mascali, is a place where the passion for fermentation meets the botanical richness of the Etna area. Marco, an engineer with a love for the micro-world of fermentation, and Leonor, an agronomist and food technologist, collaborate to transform local ingredients into authentic taste experiences. Their daily life begins with the collection of aromatic plants and fruits, from mandarins to helichrysum, and then continues in their small workshop where the magic of fermentation comes to life. The production is a hymn to slowness and tradition. The preparation of tea, the fundamental basis of their products, involves a meticulous process, where infusions of wild herbs and flowers are extracted without the addition of artificial flavours. The chosen sweetener, sugar, is added thoughtfully, following an ancient fermentation method. An intriguing detail is the use of Scoby, a symbiotic culture of yeasts and bacteria, similar to sourdough, which enlivens the fermentation process. This is not just an ingredient, but part of a continuous cycle of life and ferment, similar to that of a perpetual Marsala wine. Finally, a touch of experience comes from the addition of a fraction of an old kombucha, an act of respect towards the traditions and culinary heritage that Marco and Leonor are committed to preserving and innovating. In this microcosm, Selvatica Lab is not just a fermentation laboratory, but a place where the science and art of nature intertwine, creating unique and genuine products that tell the story of a rich and vibrant territory.