Shelled Bronte Pistachios from Sicily

100 gram pouch - Bronte, Sicily, Italy

Shelled Bronte Pistachios from Sicily

Where They Grow — At the Foot of Mt. Etna

Bronte pistachios come from the slopes of Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe, located in eastern Sicily, Italy.

The cultivation area is mostly between 400 m and 900 m (1,300–3,000 ft) above sea level on volcanic soils formed by lava flows and volcanic ash from Etna’s eruptions. These soils are thin, rocky, rich in minerals and with excellent drainage — conditions where many other crops struggle but pistachio trees thrive.

The volcanic terrain around Etna gives Bronte pistachios their distinctive qualities. The soil is created by the lava and volcanic ash breaking down into soils rich in minerals and trace elements, which the pistachio tree absorbs. This contributes to a more intense flavor and aroma than nuts grown in other soils.

The Mediterranean climate — hot, dry summers and mild winters — plus the porous volcanic ground provide ideal moisture conditions that pistachios prefer (they dislike water-logging).

These soil and climate conditions lead to pistachios with a brilliant green kernel, sweet and aromatic taste, and high oil content.

These wild grown Bronte pistachios are cultivated, so not completely wild. The trees (typically Pistacia vera, especially the Napoletana/Bianca cultivars) are often grafted onto wild Pistacia terebinthus rootstocks. This gives them strength and adaptability to the tough volcanic soils.

The terrain is too steep and rocky for large-scale mechanization, so cultivation and harvesting are mainly manual — hand-pruning and hand-picking the nuts. Farms follow a two-year cycle: trees are harvested in odd-numbered years and pruned on off-years to encourage quality nuts.

So while the trees may appear to grow “wild” in their natural volcanic setting, they are carefully tended and harvested by farmers adopting traditional methods.

Harvesting usually happens late August to early September in harvest years.

After picking, the fruit is mechanically separated from its outer husk. The nuts are then dried in the sun for a few days. If they’re sold shelled, producers remove the shell later — a careful process to preserve flavor and color.

Some pistachio pastes, creams, and other specialty products are made without roasting or salting, in order to keep the natural sweetness and aroma intact.