When I was a little girl, a treat of immense proportions was to be taken with my brother to the soda fountain that was tucked into the corner of the local drugstore.
Light meals were served there, but more importantly, an occasional dish of ice cream could be had when my mother felt my brother and I deserved a goody.
In those days, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice creams were standard fare at such places, but this particular drug store also had a flavor that seemed outlandish to me: pistachio.
And that’s the one I always chose.
I had no idea what pistachios were (nor could I efficiently pronounce the name), but the peregrine nature of such a frozen concoction intrigued me.
As we have ice cream in nearly every flavor now, I rarely choose pistachio when I indulge, but my fascination with the nut remains.
When my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary recently and the waitress placed my pistachio-crusted salmon in front of me, I felt like a kid again, spoon poised above a metal dish of green ice cream between spins on my drug store counter stool.
Pistachios, native to Persia (modern day Iran and part of Iraq) and a sometime denizen of the hanging gardens of Babylon, grow in grape-like clusters on trees. The shells are formed first on female trees, and if there is a male tree nearby for pollination, the empty shells will fill with green pistachio nuts.
One male tree produces enough pollen for eight to twelve female nut-bearing trees.
A fleshy outer skin that’s removed during processing covers the hard shells in which the green nuts form. It changes color as the nut ripens, from green to yellowish-red, adding to pistachios’ grape-like look when on the tree.
Pistachios, technically the seed of a fruit, are considered a culinary nut, rather than a true botanical nut. They’re related to cashews (another culinary nut), and the cashew family also includes mangoes, the spice sumac, and poison ivy.
Other than in Australia where February is the harvest month, pistachios are gathered in September. A particularly hot summer might make them ready the last week of August.
When ripe, the nuts split open with a pop. In some places in the Middle East, one would be considered lucky if sitting under a pistachio tree when they snap open.
In those countries the nuts are sometimes called “smiling pistachios,” possibly because the broad opening makes the nut look like it’s in the midst of a big grin.
Because the shells are open with the nuts exposed during harvest, it’s important that they’re kept from falling on the ground to avoid contamination.
In California’s San Joaquin Valley, where fully 98 percent of pistachios consumed in the U.S. are grown, elaborate machines that prevent the nuts from touching the ground are employed during the harvest.
The specially designed contraptions shake the trees while surrounding the trunk with tilted platforms from which the nuts roll onto a conveyor belt that carries them to a pull-along trailer.
A link is below for any uber curious folks who wish to see the machines in action. It really is pretty amazing.
A more primitive, but effective, method of protecting the inner nut is to line the ground surrounding the trees with tarps to catch hand-harvested nuts.
Pistachios like hot, dry conditions, and New Mexico and Nevada are two other states where pistachios are cultivated. Iran is the largest worldwide producer, with most nuts exported to Europe and Asia.
Thankfully, tasty pistachios are considered a beneficial food.
The health benefits of tree nuts have been demonstrated in a variety of scientific studies, and pistachios specifically contain an impressive array of nutrients per serving.
Full of fiber and protein, pistachios also contain healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, phytosterols for heart health, stores of potassium, vitamin B6, and lutein, which promotes eye wellness.
They have more antioxidants pound-for-pound than antioxidant power houses blueberries, blackberries, garlic, and pomegranate juice.
Because they originated in the Middle East, they’re a typical ingredient in foods there, including in the ground lamb kebabs known as gyros and in desserts like baklava.
Do you remember when pistachios were dyed a ghastly pinkish red? That was mostly to cover shell discoloration on lower grade nuts. Thankfully, it’s not done much anymore; I can’t remember when I last spotted some.
Because of their high oil and low water content, pistachios have been known to self-combust in bulk container shipments.
Such an event would belie their Chinese nickname, the “happy nut.”
Like other nuts, there is a near endless variety of ways pistachios can be used in cuisine. And, of course, they’re wonderful when eaten out of hand.
Some favorite pairings are with apricots or peaches, cheeses such as goat, Parmesan, brie, or ricotta, chicken and dishes that accompany fowl (think stuffing or rice), white or dark chocolate, honey, and lemon.
Because of the strong taste of pistachios, they work well with meats such as lamb and pork, both as a crust or as a component in a sauce, chutney, or accompanying dish.
For a treat on your morning toast, try combining softened butter, pistachios, and a bit of honey in a food processor or blender. A pinch of cinnamon may also be added.
As to today’s recipe, the citrus-pistachio couscous salad below is especially good as a bed for grilled salmon, but is also nice on its own.
And below is the video on the harvest.
Enjoy, and happy Sunday!
Citrus-pistachio couscous salad
Juice of two oranges
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup couscous
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
Dressing:
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Cook couscous according to directions on box, using broth in place of water. Once cooked, add orange juice and salt and mix well. Fold in cucumber, red bell pepper and pistachios.
For dressing:
Mix all ingredients for dressing in bowl and whisk. Pour over salad to taste.
This recipe serves four and is courtesy of the American Pistachio Growers Web site, www.americanpistachios.org .
Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .