Bronte, a village clinging to the slopes of Etna, is known for its green gold. Its history is also a distillation of mythology, love affairs, betrayals and cowardice.
The green gold, or frastuca, as it used to be called when it was used as a medicine, is truly emerald in color. It has an incomparable flavor and aroma and produces unique ice creams, custards, sweet and salty sauces and desserts. It’s incredibly adaptable with its delicate balance between sweet and savory. Green pruning is a passed on from father to son in an uninterrupted tradition. According to local peasant farming tradition, thanks to being allowed to “rest”, the plant absorbs the substances it needs from the lava-rich soil, so producing a fruit richer in aromas with an unmistakable flavor.
This highly-prized emerald is unique if it grows out of the rock. Imitations are pointless, because the pistacchio verde di Bronte is said to “only be sweet and aromatic if sweat and tears are shed on the ground where they’re produced”.