zammù

Zammù is the Sicilian word both for anise and for sambuca and famous as the classic Palermitan drink, acqua e zammù, served as a digestivo or refreshing drink: in the old days, it would be sold on sweltering summer days by street vendors, who would cry: “Acqua cu lu zammù, chi l’haiu fridda!” ('Ice cold water and zammù!').

Granita di zammù, flavoured with anise, coffee beans and coffee, is a classic ice; they also make it into a gelato.