The Di Bartolo family story dates back to 1951 and for over seven decades they have been transforming fragrant Sicilian citrus products into exquisite pastes, pralines, oils and candied fruits. They have also worked with pistachio nuts for many years, consolidating their link with the territory as a member of the consortium created to protect this precious gift of the land.

Pistachios are still harvested manually, a process that requires dexterity and care given that they are planted in igneous soil in steep territory. The nuts, slightly smaller than olives, grow in bunches and change in colour from red during the set phases through to a range of reddish-green to pinky-white and yellow-cream once they have ripened.

The area southwest of Mount Etna is home to 90% of the island’s pistachio groves, or more specifically, the towns of Bronte, Adrano and Biancavilla in the province of Catania. The remaining 10% are grown in the provinces of Caltanissetta and Agrigento. With its high levels of iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc and magnesium, the pistachio nut is considered a superfood with anti-ageing properties and cardiovascular benefits.