Pistacchio di Bronte

Pistacchio di Bronte DOP is the emerald-green pistachio grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in the small town of Bronte—a nut of such extraordinary quality that it has earned the designation 'green gold' (oro verde) and commands prices several times higher than Iranian or Californian pistachios. The Bronte pistachio's distinction lies in its terroir: the trees grow in the volcanic lava fields (sciare) at 600-900 metres elevation, their roots penetrating the mineral-rich basaltic soil, producing nuts with an intense, almost electric green colour, a high oil content, and a flavour of remarkable depth—sweet, slightly resinous, with floral and herbaceous notes that inferior pistachios entirely lack. The harvest is biennial (every two years, with the 'off' year allowing the trees to rest), occurring in late August to September. The nuts are hand-harvested from the gnarled, ancient trees (some over 100 years old) that grow in impossibly rocky terrain accessible only on foot. In Sicilian cuisine, Bronte pistachios appear everywhere: ground into pesto for pasta (pesto di pistacchio), as a coating for arancini and cannoli, in gelato (gelato al pistacchio), in the marzipan and confections of the island's pasticcerie, scattered over cassata and cannoli, and made into a spreadable cream (crema di pistacchio). The colour is the authenticator: genuine Bronte pistachios are a vivid, almost neon green when freshly shelled, fading slightly with age but always markedly greener than other varieties. The DOP designation (awarded in 2009) strictly limits production to the municipality of Bronte and surrounding areas, but demand far outstrips supply, making counterfeiting a persistent problem—much of what is sold as 'Bronte pistachio' in Italy is actually cheaper imported product dyed to match.

• Iranian pistachio (world's other great pistachio)
• Turkish Antep pistachio (Gaziantep)
• Piedmontese hazelnut (single-origin nut excellence)