by Angie Pollock

Created on: September 17, 2008   Last Updated: July 05, 2009

Dating back to as early as 6760 B.C., pistachios may very well be the oldest documented edible nut. This royal delicacy was adored by Queen of Sheba who commandeered all Assyrian transports for herself and her noble court. Pistachios are one of only two nuts that have been mentioned in the Old Testament. This nut which is actually considered a seed was important for travelers who trekked long journeys from Persia to China on the historic Silk Route.

While there isn't any positive evidence as to where the pistachio originated, researches agree that the Middle East would be the most formidable place, specifically Iran. Iran began the commercial growing of pistachios in the 1800's and during the 1930's they exported their beloved nuts to Europe and the United States. This exportation would slow down with Islamic tensions climbing and finally was halted after sanctions were imposed following the American embassy crisis in 1976.

Countries including the United States would need to fall back on domestic sources and California would begin to produce nearly the entire country's consumption of this prized nut. Today, California produces over 200 million pounds of pistachios each year and has become the second largest producer of the nut worldwide.

The pistachio has been utilized as a food, a dyeing agent and in common folk remedies for body ailments. The delicacy was prescribed for toothaches and sclerosis of the liver while folklore tells that lovers would meet underneath the trees to hear the nuts crack open as a sign of good fortune. But the best way to enjoy the pistachio is right from the shell. Eating this flavorful nut delivers significant benefits for the body's overall health. Even the oil from the pistachio can be pressed and utilized as it was centuries ago for cooking and flavoring dishes.

Pistachios work beautifully in most dishes-from sweet to savory. In the Middle East, the pistachio is used in rice dishes, pistachios will often find their way into pastries prepared in Greece and the United States enjoys their pistachio ice cream. In some countries, the pistachio will have a red tint which is not natural to the pistachio. Pistachios were picked by hand at one time and producers would dye the pistachios red to cover-up imperfections on the shells that hand-picking created. When preparing recipes with pistachios, it is recommended to not use the pistachios that have been dyed since the color can spread throughout the dish.

While the meat and the oil

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