Pistachio from Bronte: the green gold of Sicily

For the Arabs it is the fristach. For Sicilians it is the whip. For all the others it is the delicious Pistachio di Bronte, which thanks to the DOP brand has become one of the symbols of the slopes of Etna.

 

When the Arabs arrived in Sicily, they probably immediately realized that the area around Etna was the perfect natural habitat for its cultivation. What they could not know is that that particular territory would have made the fortune of the small fruit native to Persia. Today, in fact, the Bronte Pistachio is one of the most appreciated in the world, to the point of having won the prestigious DOP mark.

It is therefore to the ancient Arab rulers if today we can delight the palate with this delicacy, which has experienced a real boom since the second half of the nineteenth century, when the pastures and lands of the province of Catania were turned to pistachio groves. The same ones that you can still admire while wandering through the hills of Catania, which offer a truly suggestive glance.


Bronte pistachio: characteristics

What favors the cultivation of pistachio, in addition to the passion and experience of local farmers, is the organoleptic composition of the soil, heavily influenced by the frequent lava flows of Etna. The taste of Pistachio di Bronte, in fact, is unmistakable, as is its color, an intense green due to the high level of chlorophyll contained in the fruit.

So unique of its kind, that in 2009 the European Union published a specific specification, thanks to which you can now buy Pistachios of Bronte PDO, in the certainty that they really come from the municipalities of Bronte, Adrano and Biancavilla.

The farmers of these areas, in fact, still cultivate pistachio as they did hundreds of years ago. Of course, today they make use of some more machinery, but its cultivation still follows the slow rhythms of nature: think, the plant does not produce before 10 years from its grafting, the pistachios are harvested strictly by hand only every 2 years and as soon as it is picked, the fruit must dry in the sun for at least a few days, to avoid unpleasant parasitic infections.

A long but necessary time to be able to taste one of the delicacies of the Sicilian island.

Bronte pistachio in the kitchen

Sicilian green gold is never roasted or salted. On the other hand, there would be no need: its flavor is already perfect! Unlike other types of pistachios, whose flavor tends vaguely towards salty, that of Pistachio di Bronte is decidedly sweet, a characteristic that makes it ideal for cakes, creams and recipes of starred chefs.
And what about pistachio ice cream? Beware of industrial imitations! Artisan Bronte Pistachio ice cream is an out of the ordinary taste experience, especially if you accompany it with a couple of cat's tongues.
If you are wondering how to buy Bronte Pistachio, you already know the answer. From local producers, the only ones who can guarantee you origin and quality. And if you can't reach Sicily, but are dying to taste a plate of penne with pistachio pesto or you simply want to munch on the fruit in front of your favorite TV series, then know that you can buy Pistacchi di Bronte online: from the producer to yours. table, without any intermediary. And the green gold of Sicily will be immediately at your home!

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