Bronte Pistachio

Presumed to have originated in Iranian Balochistan, from central Asia the pistachio spread over the centuries towards the Far East and the Mediterranean. The nut was brought to Sicily by the Arabs, and in fact in Bronte the pistachio is called frastuca, from the Arabic fustuq. Until the 1930s there were 30,000 hectares of pistachio groves on the island, but since then they have almost entirely been supplanted by more profitable crops. Not in Bronte, however, where only pistachios were able to grow in the rugged, volcanic terrain of Mount Etna, which also gave them unique sensory characteristics. The trees, which can be found at altitudes of up to 800 meters above sea level, do not need fertilizer or irrigation, generally do not require other treatments and are pruned only occasionally. The pistachio produces in alternate years and in the year it rests, farmers remove the few buds that have sprouted on the branches. The harvest requires almost acrobatic skills, as pickers must balance on the lava rocks. In a day’s work, no more than 20 kilos can be collected: Although there are machines for chipping or shelling, the harvesting can only be done by hand. Considering these and other factors, it is easy to understand why Etna’s pistachios struggle to hold their own on the market when competing with cheaper (but less tasty) nuts from Iran, Turkey and the US.

Season

The pistachio is harvested from the end of August till the beginning of September, the shelled nuts can be found year-round