Roasted Salted Pistachios in the Shell
Estimated Inventory, 5 lbs : 2.00
This item was last sold on : 10/13/24
Description/Taste
Pistachios are consistently sized, approximately two centimeters in length, with an ovate, tear-drop shape appearance. The seeds are encased in an inedible, beige shell with a hard and smooth consistency, commonly split open to a varying degree, depending on ripeness and drying time. The shells are opened to reveal a similarly shaped, oval nut inside. Pistachios have brittle and flakey skin colored with a mix of tan and magenta hues. Beneath this skin, the nut is bright green, showcasing some divots and deep ridges running along the surface, and has a semi-soft and slightly creamy texture. Pistachios have a mildly piney aroma and a sweet, nutty, and slightly tangy flavor with piney undertones.
Seasons/Availability
Pistachios are available year-round, with fresh Pistachios harvested in late summer through fall.
Current Facts
Pistachios are not a true nut but a seed of a tree from the cashew family, botanically classified as Pistacia vera and related to sumac, poison ivy, and mangos. There are nine varieties of Pistachios harvested for human consumption, but the variety most commonly sold commercially is the Iranian Round Pistachio. Pistachios are the seeds harvested from the fruit of the Pistachio tree, a drupe fruit that grows in clusters and resembles a small yellow-red plum. The fruits are harvested in early fall once the hull is easy to remove, and the beige inner shells have begun to open. As the seed continues to ripen within the shell, the shell will start to make popping noises and eventually split, alerting the producers that the nut is ready for consumption. Pistachios can be sold raw in-shell, roasted and salted, or removed from the shell and sold as Pistachio meat. Pistachio trees are wind-pollinated, requiring both male and female trees to be present or branches from male trees grafted onto fruit-bearing trees. One male tree can pollinate up to 30 female trees. It can take up to a decade for the trees to bear fruit, but once they do, the trees can bear fruit for centuries in alternate-bearing cycles, meaning crop yield is heavy one year and lighter the next in alternation. Yield is also highly determined by climate. The trees require 1,000 hours of temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit to bring about the level of dormancy necessary for sound production. Pistachios are known as the “Smiling Pistachio” in Iran, and the “Happy Nut” in China as the opening in the shell looks like a smile. In addition to the nuts being used for food, they have also historically been used to dye textiles and as a folk remedy for toothaches and sclerosis of the liver.
Nutritional Value
Pistachios contain high amounts of protein, unsaturated fat, and dietary fiber. The nuts are incredibly rich in vitamin b6, which helps with blood cell production and regulates blood sugar. Pistachios are also a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, thiamine, potassium, manganese, and copper, which is used by the body in a variety of ways, such as maintaining blood vessels and connective tissues. The protein structure within Pistachios can cause an allergic reaction in some people, especially those with a peanut or tree nut allergy or those allergic to other members of the Anacardiaceae family like poison ivy, sumac, and mangos.
Applications
In-shell Pistachios are perfect as an out-of-hand snack, often roasted and salted to heighten their flavor. The nuts can also be shelled and used in a variety of applications. The sweet and nutty flavor and crunchy texture of the nuts are incorporated into sweet preparations, including bread, muffins, and baklava, a Mediterranean dessert featuring layers of thin, sweet dough and crushed Pistachios. Pistachios can be blended with cream to create pistachio ice cream, ground into flour, and used in cakes, or chopped and sprinkled over tarts, pies, mousse, and more. Pistachios can be used in savory applications, often being roasted and sprinkled over caramelized carrots, parsnips, and other root vegetables, added to salads and pasta, or ground with fresh mint, dill, and lemon to create a delicious pesto. Pistachios pair well with meats like lamb, pork, and beef, a variety of vegetables including beets, carrots, asparagus, and more, fresh herbs like mint, parsley, and basil, sweet ingredients like white chocolate, vanilla, caramelized sugar, and warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. When purchasing shelled Pistachios, make sure the shells are ivory colored, with a slight opening. Pistachios that are open too far may be old and less flavorful, and uncracked Pistachios are underripe and challenging to open. Shelled Pistachios should be stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry place, outside of refrigeration, for up to six months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Pistachios were popularized in the United States in the 1880s by Middle Eastern immigrants who brought the nuts with them on their journeys from the European and Asian Continents, but commercial farming of the nuts in the United States did not succeed until almost a decade later. The central coast of California was recognized as an ideal growing region for the nuts, which thrive in a hot, dry climate with moderately cold winters. In 1929, William E. Whitehouse, an American botanist, traveled to Persia to collect Pistachios to plant in the region. Whitehouse returned to California with approximately 20 pounds of individually selected nuts, and within a year, the first test plots were planted. It takes seven to ten years for a Pistachio tree to mature, so it was almost a decade before Whitehouse knew what types of Pistachios he had collected. Of all the trees he had planted, only one variety yielded a delicious enough nut. Surprisingly, this nut was not picked from a tree but instead out of a pile of drying nuts in Iran’s central plateau. The unidentified Pistachio was given the name “Kerman.” Scientists spent the next few decades strengthening the variety by budding it to heartier rootstock varieties, and by the 1960s, the American Pistachio Industry was born. Orchards of these hardier Kerman varieties were planted in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The first commercial crop was picked in 1976 and reached 1.5 million pounds. Today, California, Arizona, and New Mexico represent 100 percent of the United States commercial pistachio production, but 99% of this production comes solely from California. There are over 950 producers of Pistachios in the United States, providing 47% of the global supply with a value of over 1.5 billion dollars a year.
Geography/History
Pistachios are native to the Asian Minor region, including Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, with archeological evidence showing that they have been enjoyed as a food source since 7000 BC. They were a famous tree in the hanging gardens of Babylon during the reign of King Merodach-Baladan in 700 BC, and by the first century CE, the nuts had reached Greece and Rome. Pistachios were a vital food source for early explorers and traders who snacked on the nuts and sold them along the Silk Road and through Levant trade routes. The high cost of the nuts made them an ingredient mainly enjoyed by royalty and the upper class throughout Europe. Pistachios were imported to the United States in the mid-1850s and gained popularity during the 1880s as more Middle Eastern immigrants entered the country. Today, California, Arizona, and New Mexico grow all commercial Pistachios in the United States, accounting for almost 50% of global supply, followed by Turkey and Iran. Pistachios can be found in the nut aisle of most supermarkets in the United States, Europe, and marketplaces in the Middle East.
