"Grattatella", on the other hand, has a story of its own, with true grassroots origins; if you want to be insulted by a native of Palermo, call it granita. No mistake could be more disastrous, and a true native would never forgive you!
Grattatella is a sweet made from a large block of ice, scratched (using a special tool, a kind of grappling hook), then flavoured in a variety of ways.
The ice is grated, wrapped in a cloth called a "mappina", then poured into the glass and completed with the addition of juices. In this way, the ice is not crushed, but retains a delicate consistency, rather like sorbet. Grattatella originated among the poor, who looked longingly at the sumptuous ice creams and granitas consumed by the wealthier classes.