The pistachio is a well established, highly diverse and a quite impressive nut. This yellowish or green colored nut has a distinguishable taste and has been around for ages, about 80 million years. Different cultures all over the world have used pistachios in desserts, for cooking, or just eating by itself. With legends and benefits it is no wonder why this nut has become highly valued.
Pistachio trees, pistacia vera, are dioecious, with male and female trees; their fruit grow in clusters that resemble grapes. Their true value is what is inside the fruit, the pistachio nut. These nuts belong to the Anacardiaceous or Cashew family. When in full maturity the shell will crack on its own.
They were first cultivated in western Asia and Asia Minor; (now Turkey), Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. There is archeological evidence in Turkey that pistachios were commonly enjoyed for food as early as 7,000 B.C. During the 1st century this marveled nut traveled from Syria to Italy and throughout the Mediterranean world. From Persia pistachios made the great journey to China on the Silk Route. Through Charles Mason's introduction of the pistachio to the United States in 1854, Americans now have the opportunity to indulge in the nut's glory. Since then California has become a major cultivator of pistachios. In central Iran it is still an important crop.
Stories and tales give us a small clue to how valued pistachios were and how long they have been around. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had pistachio trees planted in his hanging gardens. The Queen of Sheba ordered that the best pistachio trees in Assyria were for her and her royal guests only. She believed that the nuts contained a powerful aphrodisiac. Lovers used to meet under the pistachio trees on moonlit nights and if they heard the cracking of the shell it meant that they would find happiness and good fortune. In the Bible pistachios are one of the two nuts mentioned.
Pistachio trees grew wild in the rocky hills of Palestine and Lebanon. The nuts were fried with salt and pepper or eaten fresh. Each pistachio contains about 55% oil. They would be pressed for their oil to use in cooking and for flavoring in desserts. In biblical times the pistachios were chopped up and would be added to fruit compotes, stuffing, and puddings. They would be gound up to add body and flavor for sauces. Some of the most common historical desserts that include pistachios are nuggets, Baklava, and Turkish Delight. On Chios, a Greek Island, the husk surrounding the shell is cooked and preserved in syrups.
Today the use of pistachios ranges from savory dishes to scrumptious desserts. They are commonly eaten as a snack food. You can get them shelled or unshelled and eat them fresh or roasted and salted. In Iran they add pistachios to many of their rice dishes and meat dishes. Pistachios complement many grain dishes like rice, quinoa, millet, and barley. They can be added raw to stir fry dishes or used to encrust chicken and fish. Toss them in salads or pastas to add that perfect blend. They are even used in pates.
On the tasty sweet side you can find them in cookies, cakes, candies, and crepes. One of the most popular uses is in pistachio ice cream introduced by James W Parkinson in 1940. They are great to grind up and add to fruit and vegetable juices, or add to a blender to make smoothies. Pistachios are still used in Baklava, a flaky pastry with alternate layers of nuts and covered in a sweet sauce. You can also find pistachio butter that is great for dipping fruit and vegetables.
Not only do they taste great but pistachios are good for you. They are an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, high in fiber, cholesterol free, low in saturated fat, gluten free, and the richest source of potassium in all of the nut families. Pistachios are even great for small animals like birds. They can lower the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering the LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol levels. This can even help by lowering blood cholesterol and blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Although you have to eat enough per week to get these great benefits but have you ever just eaten one pistachio?
The pistachio's history is a long one but very impressive. Its diverse qualities make it a treasured nut which has been indulged in by humans for years. You can enjoy pistachios for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and dessert.