This month we invite you to discover the Sicilian Green Gold, one of the most renowned and loved Italian product in the world, the Green Pistachio from Bronte DOP.
A delicacy declined in three dishes at Obicà.
The Flan with Green Pistachio from Bronte, Ricotta di Bufala, Premium Pork Meat and Potatoes.
The Pizza with Mozzarella di Bufala, Ricotta di Bufala, Premium Pork Meat and Green Pistachio from Bronte (also available with 100% whole wheat flour).
And a delicious Panna Cotta with Green Pistachio from Bronte and Dark Chocolate Curl.
Interesting facts about this treasure of our Sicilian agriculture!
1. Mountains and volcanoes
The town of Bronte is located on the slopes of Etna volcano in Sicily and extends for more than 25,000 hectares (one of the largest in the Province of Catania).
The Green Pistachio has been cultivated here for centuries, thanks to the particular soil.
The territory of Bronte is part of two parks (Etna and Nebrodi Mountains), with a varied and suggestive landscape, among ancient woods, agricultural crops and lava landscapes: if you’re planning a trip to Sicily, you should absolutely put it in your itinerary!
2. Green Diamond
The cultivation of Pistachio has always been linked to the history of Bronte. And also the anthem of the town is dedicated to it: U diamanti virdi, from the composer Gianni Belfiore.
Diamanti virdi, diamanti virdi
diamanti virdi, diamanti virdi.
S'in paisi
ca vardannu a muntagna
poi immaginari
ca di l'autru latu ci sta u mari,
Bronte.
[Green diamond, green diamond, green diamond, green diamond.
You’re a town where, looking at the mountain, you can imagine that on the other side there’s the sea, Bronte.]
If you want to sing it, here’s the full song.
3. But how did Pistachio come to Bronte?
The plant is native to the eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Syria and Persia) and has been cultivated for millennia, already at the times of the Babylonians, Assyrians and Greeks, who appreciated it for their healing properties.
Around 20/30 AD, the Roman governor in Syria, Lucio Vitellio, first introduced the cultivation of Pistachio in Italy, but it is only around 900 that the Arabs, after having conquered the island, found on the slopes of the Etna the ideal habitat for plant growth.
So, it’s more than a thousand years that the Pistachio permanently resides in the area of Bronte!
4. Good for your weight and for your heart
In all these centuries, many studies have proven the beneficial properties of Pistachios on weight control and heart health.
Poor in sodium and rich in vitamins, Pistachios give a very high energy intake and are perfect not only for sportsmen, but also to maintain a sense of satiety for a long time.
The consumption of Pistachios also helps to keep cholesterol levels under control and the blood vessels in health: they are then perfect for a protective diet for the heart.
Do you need other reasons to taste them?
5. The PDO status
The international recognition of the quality of Pistachio from Bronte arrives on June 9, 2009, when the European Union confers to the product the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP).
Since then, the official and recognized name is "Pistacchio Verde di Bronte DOP”: just what we offer this month at Obicà in our exclusive original recipes.
6. The harvest
In Bronte the Pistachio harvest is strictly by hand and takes place every two years, between the end of August and the beginning of September (the most recent was a few months ago, in 2017). According to the peasant tradition the plants must indeed rest for one year, to absorb from the lava soil the substances that make the fruit so tasty and unique.
So, every two years more than 3 thousand tons of Pistachio are collected (about 16 thousand tons of unshelled product): 80% is exported, while the remaining 20% is for national market.
The production of Bronte Pistachio covers only 1% of the worldwide production: it is more and more important to guarantee the authenticity of the PDO product, to avoid fraud and imitations.
7. Shapes, colors and forms
The Green Pistachio from Bronte DOP has some specific characteristics to recognize it among the varieties of Pistachio.
First, the elongated shape, like a pointy grain (if you find a rounded pistachio, it’s not surely from Bronte).
Second, the color: the purple peel and the fruit with the typical emerald green (pay attention also here: the Pistachio from Bronte is never yellow!).
And finally, the taste: sweet, delicate, aromatic. That’s why the Pistachio from Bronte is not salted: the sweet aroma is so persistent that it doesn’t need any salting.
Now that you can recognize the real Green Pistachio from Bronte DOP (even with your eyes closed), it’s time to come and enjoy it at your favorite Obicà: book now!
