A Love Letter to Sicilian Cheese and Craftsmanship

I have always loved artisan goods.

They speak of craftsmanship, tradition and attention to detail over quantity and speed. They are hand-made, locally produced and often family-run or sole trader businesses where passion sits at the heart of what is produced.

Sicily is a place where this artisan spirit is very much alive, especially when it comes to cheese. The island produces some beautiful cheeses made from sheep’s milk and cow’s milk. They are rooted in local farming, seasonal rhythms and long-standing production methods passed down through generations.

Sicilian cheeses are typically rustic and full-flavoured. You will find fresh cheeses such as ricotta, often eaten warm and unaged. Hard and semi hard cheeses like pecorino made from sheep’s milk. Also stretched curd cheeses such as caciocavallo and ragusano, prized for their firm texture and savoury depth.

Out of all of them, one of my favourite artisan cheese producers is without question Caseificio Ibleo. Caseificio Ibleo is a small family-run dairy using high-quality milk bought daily from Caligiore Nunzio farm, located just a few kilometres from Palazzolo Acreide.

Each month they process around 16,000 litres of milk, producing cheese, mozzarella, burrata, stracciatella and ricotta every single day. Everything is fresh. Everything is intentional. Nothing is rushed.

Ten years ago, Martino Fabio was an employee at a small local dairy. Together with his sister, he made the brave decision to buy it.

Today, Martino runs the dairy alongside his partner, his sister and his brother-in-law. Martino once explained to me that what he loves most is seeing how a raw material like milk can be transformed into something far more complex through patience and care.

Every step matters. Every decision shapes the final result. The goal is always the same, to create the highest quality product possible.

You can find the Caseificio Ibleo cheesemongers in an unassuming shop front on Via Nazionale 18, on the outskirts of Palazzolo Acreide.

Palazzolo Acreide is a mountain town set in the Hyblaean Mountains, sitting around 670 metres above sea level. Cooler, quieter and slower than the coast, it feels like the perfect setting for this kind of work.

Honest food, made with time and intention, deeply connected to place.

This is Sicily at its best. Not flashy. Not hurried. Just deeply good