Carob tree

It is a plant that is originally from Asia, it is found in the Mediterranean basin. As shown by the Arabic origin of the name (charrùba), the carob tree was introduced in Sicily during the Arab domination. It is a plant that lives many years and grows very slowly. In Christianity the Carob is associated to the bread of Saint John, according to the legend, John the Baptist only fed on the fruits of this tree. The pulp of the fruits is sweet and very nourishing and was a significant part of the rural population’s meals even after the wars. Carob flower was also used to make a highly protein-based bread also called “poorman’s bread”.The seeds, are small and round, it was assumed that they were all of identical weight and therefore used as unit of measure for gold; the term “karat” derives from the Arab name of the seeds – quirat