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The P.D.O. “Pistachio Verde di Bronte” relates to the Pistacia vera species (“Napoletana” cultivar, also called “Bianca” or “Nostrale”), grafted on Pistacia terebinthus.

The village of Brondi thrives on pistachio grown among the steep climbs between Mount Etna and the Nebrodi Mountain Range.
This species is locally grown, sold and used for creams and sauces.

The Pistacia vera trees are not fertilized, nor irrigated; they are hardly ever taken care of and occasionally pruned just to eliminate dead branches and remove the buds in the “discharge” years.

Pistachio, in fact, grows its fruits once a year, resting in the next when farmers get rid of the few buds sprouted on the branches so that the plant can store all the energy for the following harvesting season.

The fruits, gathered in clusters, are made of elongated, slightly compressed drupes as big as an olive; their colour is red and, when ripe, it ranges from reddish-green to white-pink and creamy yellow. They feature thin husks, which easily crumble, an elongated endocarp and a unique, aromatic, light green seed (farmers describe it “ruby red outside, emerald green inside”).
The flavour of the fresh fruit is extremely pleasant.

The green pistachio from Bronte cannot keep up with the competition with the less tasty, but less expensive fruits from Iran, Turkey and America. Therefore, the main confectionery industries and the great Italian cured meat factories are currently relying on foreign production.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)