Green Gold Festival in Brolo

Brolo is a small town on the Sicilian coast of about 6000 inhabitants which rises between Joyful tide e Capo d'Orlando.
Legend has it that it was founded by the cyclops Bronte, who with his brothers Pyracmus and Steropes, were condemned to work hard in the forges of theEtna twigs God Vulcan, to bring heroes' weapons and lightning bolts to life Jupiter.

The village developed around the castle which dates back to the XNUMXth century AD and is located on a promontory overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.
In the Norman era the building was recognized with the name of Voab what does it mean Rocca Marina for the very strategic geographical position.

From Castle it is possible to admire the bay where seafaring and mercantile activity was fervent and you can visit the Museum of Penalties and Torture, an atmospheric museum with a historic setting and the Museum of the coastal fortifications of Sicily.
Brolo, boasts beaches of great beauty, characterized by brush rocks, added to prevent erosion of the coast and a high-level gastronomy with the delicious cannoli made with ricotta, seven veils cake and arancini.

Green Gold Festival

The festival in Brolo is an opportunity to taste the creations based on pistachio of the chefs and master pastry chefs of Bronte.
It takes place with multiple events that attract people from all over the island and beyond, the pistachio expo it includes various appointments concentrated in Corso Umberto in the historic center of the Etna town, where tasting stands are set up.

There are usually two areas dedicated to pistachio in the very central square Spedaleri, one is that of the showcooking where you can taste dishes prepared by chefs and hotel school students and then the gastronomy area where you can taste the sandwich with pistachio sausage which is worked by all the producers in the sector; a real open-air culinary laboratory.

Much appreciated is the arancino which combines the tradition of Catania with the unique goodness of Bronte pistachio.

In each edition of the festival in Brolo there are more than 90 stands where you can taste the PDO pistachio in all possible ways, shelled, toasted, in sweets, ice cream, in jars, nougats and in the delicious pastes to be enjoyed in the restaurants that adhere to the event.
In the restaurants all the dishes are enriched with the incomparable pistachio.
The festival in Brolo is a very important event for the Sicilian town because it enhances the food and wine part.

You can taste the homemade pasta made with pistachio flour, spaghetti with pesto, cakes and ice cream and crepes filled with green gold.
The Bronte pistachio grows in volcanic rock, once harvested it is hulled the same day, separated from the husk which is the pink outer part, then laid out in the sun to dry for two to three days, then taken in bags to processing centers and peeled.

It is a naturally dried pistachio, it is neither toasted nor salted, after being shelled it is treated with various products from which fine pastes are obtained for very refined ice cream parlors and pastry shops.
A dessert that deserves a taste is the fillet, a very soft cake made with sugar, eggs and of course pistachio, ideal for everyone.

When the sagra a brolo takes place

Every year on the last week of September and the first week of October, the town on the slopes of Etna is crowded for an event with an international flavor and is transformed into a showcase for pistachios, the best in the world, the true star of Sicilian gastronomy.

What can you do during the festival

The appointment with the festival arrives punctually every autumn and welcomes curious and gluttonous tourists ready to taste the PGI pistachio, ruby ​​red outside and emerald green inside.
The festival takes place in Brolo in a unique place in the world with the soil of volcanic origin and Mediterranean climate which give the pistachio characteristics that are difficult to find in other geographical areas.
During the pistachio expo, in addition to various tastings, you can entertain yourself in cooking workshops where you can learn how to make typical dishes of the Bronte tradition, attend shows for the entire duration of the event accompanied by local bands.

It can also be an excellent opportunity to visit the village with its characteristic narrow streets, museums, castle and enchanting beaches.
The historic center offers the opportunity to visit numerous churches, a visit to the underpass of Arab origin is very interesting "the Catio".
For nature lovers, an excursion on the paths of the Etna Park, it is advisable to arrive in the morning to admire this village and the gardens that reach the sea at a more leisurely pace.

Historical origin of the pistachio

The pistachio was imported by the Arabs between the eighth and ninth centuries; this fruit grows on the slopes of Etna.
It is one of the best pistachios of the Sicily region, with elongated seeds and the size of an olive.
A pistachio with an aromatic and intense flavor with a rare goodness, loved all over the world and celebrated every year with the Green Gold Festival.

How to reach brolo

The fastest way to get to Brolo from the city of Palermo is by car in about two hours.
You can also travel by bus given its proximity to the Sicilian capital, it is only 168 km from Palermo, the journey time by bus is three hours.
It is also possible to take the train, leaving from Palermo to Capo d'Orlando Naso, the journey takes about three hours.