"Green Pistachio from Bronte PDO" shelled - 1 kg bag

Sciara-branded Bronte PDO Pistachios guarantee goodness and authenticity. Sciara "Verde di Bronte PDO" Pistachios are neither roasted nor salted; they are simply dried, shelled, and stored in special rooms at controlled temperature and humidity. "Verde di Bronte PDO" Pistachios are recognisable by specific physical and organoleptic characteristics, such as their intense green colour, strong aromatic flavour, and high content of monounsaturated fats. Bronte Pistachios, in fact, are rich in so-called "good fats," meaning lipids that reduce LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) while increasing or maintaining HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) levels. Bronte Pistachios are a valuable ingredient for culinary and pastry uses. In Sicily, particularly in the Catania area, "Verde di Bronte PDO" Pistachios characterise tasty local desserts, including the famous Bronte pistachio ice cream, nougat, and dry pastries made with pistachios. The protected designation of origin "Pistacchio Verde di Bronte" is reserved for the product, in shell, shelled, or peeled, from plants of the botanical species "Pistacia vera," cultivar "Napoletana," also called "Bianca" or "Nostrale," grafted onto "Pistacia terebinthus." The production area of "Pistacchio Verde di Bronte" falls within the municipalities of Bronte, Adrano, and Biancavilla (Province of Catania), at an altitude between 400 and 900 m above sea level. The production of Bronte Pistachios requires a considerable effort in terms of economics and labour, even during the years when harvesting does not occur. In Bronte, harvesting only takes place every two years, typically in odd-numbered years. In even-numbered years, "degemmation" is carried out, so that the plant does not bring the fruits to maturity and can rest to yield better fruits the following year. The production of pistachios, in fact, requires an enormous amount of energy from the plant, as it must penetrate the hard lava rocks with its roots to extract the necessary nutrients. In general, most harvesting operations are carried out by hand, as the lava soil on which pistachio trees grow in Bronte does not allow the introduction of agricultural machinery, unlike in other parts of Italy and the world. And it is precisely the lava soil, the sciara, that largely makes Bronte Pistachios unique. This type of soil, in fact, is rich in minerals and characterised by good fertility, but it is certainly a very difficult soil due to its nature and conformation. Furthermore, it does not allow artificial irrigation of pistachio plants, which therefore grow only thanks to rainwater. Moreover, the unique local climate also contributes to characterising Bronte Pistachios: a Mediterranean climate of subtropical, semi-arid type, with long, dry summers, rainfall concentrated in the autumn and winter period, and significant temperature fluctuations between day and night.