Pistachio History
Pistachio trees live for hundreds of years
Pistachios were introduced in a widespread manner to the
U.S. in the 1880's. Today, 98 percent of the world supply of pistachios is
consumed in the United States.
Pistachio History
The pistachio is the seed fruit of Pistacia vera,
originating in Persia. The English name pistachio is derived from pisteh,
its Persian name. Also known as the green almond, the pistachio is related to
the cashew.
The 20-foot tall trees thrive in stony, poor soil under high heat and with
little or no rainfall, but cannot tolerate humidity or excessive moisture
conditions. These trees live for centuries with no care necessary. In fact,
Iran boasts of a 700-year-old tree still living.
Pistachios were brought to the United States on a wide-scale basis in the
1880's by a former Syrian immigrant who was a nut salesman.
Pistachios are currently cultivated as a commercial crop in California, Italy,
Turkey, and Iran, with the U.S. being the second largest producer in the world.
One of the most popular uses of pistachios is pistachio ice cream, a creation
credited to James W. Parkinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania around 1840. (His
pistachios were most likely imported.) However, you will see from the recipe
collection that the pistachio is tasty in savory dishes as well as sweets.
The Pistachio Harvest
Commercial harvesters have machines to shake the fruit
down over tarps. The pistachio is a drupe, which means it has an outer
fleshy covering over the hard-shelled nut, like the nutmeg. The fruit is
gathered and then soaked to remove the outer soft red or yellow covering before
the hard shells containing the nut are dried in the sun.
Pistachio Storage and Selection
Unopened pistachios are immature
Pistachio Selection and Storage
Choose pistachio nuts that are split open at one end.
Unopened shells are an indicator of immaturity. The greener the nutmeat, the
better the flavor.
Pistachios are available year-round in many forms including raw, roasted,
salted, unsalted, shelled and unshelled. For cooking purposes, it is best to
choose pistachios that have not been dyed.
The thin, edible papers can be easily removed from the nutmeats by blanching.
Shelled pistachios are blanched by covering them with boiling water and letting
them stand for two minutes. Drain and cool slightly before slipping the skins
off.
Since the shell splits upon ripening to expose the nutmeat, pistachios have a
limited shelf life. Store pistachios in an airtight container in the
refrigerator.
Unshelled nuts may be stored for 3 months in the refrigerator or up to 1 year
in the freezer. Shelled pistachios can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3
months, but are not a good candidate for freezing.
To restore pistachios that have lost their crispness, toast them in a 200
degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Why are some
pistachios red or pink?
Question: Why are some
pistachios red or pink?
Simply put, they are dyed.
Answer: The pistachio nutshells which surround the pale green
nutmeat are naturally a creamy light beige color. So where did that deep
reddish-pink color come from? Food historians have conflicting explanations.
One source says the tradition originated with a Syrian importer named Zaloom,
who dyed his pistachios red to distinguish them from his competitors.
Another holds they were dyed to mask mottled markings, a natural result of the
drying process, to make them look more palatable to consumers.
On the other hand, natural-colored shells that are overly light have been
whitened using large amounts of cornstarch and salt. The mottled,
naturally-dried shells may not be as attractive, but they have no effect on the
flavor of the nutmeat itself.
Pistachio Measures, Equivalents, and Substitutions
How many pistachios do you need for your recipe?
Pistachios enhance many dishes other than desserts,
including seafood, poultry and salads. Other nuts may be substituted for
pistachios in most the recipes, particularly pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and
cashews.
Pistachio Measures, Equivalents, and Substitutions
• 1 pound in shell
= 2 cups shelled
• 1 pound shelled = 3-2/3 cups nutmeats
• 1 ounce in shell = about 20 nuts
• 1 cup in shell = 1/2 cup nutmeats
If only the flavor of pistachios is necessary, and not the firm texture, you
may substitute pistachio oil. Two to 4 tablespoons should do the trick. Reduce
the amount of other oil in the recipe by the same amount.
Check out a huge collection of recipes using pistachio nuts, and I'm not
talking just about those using imitation-flavored puddings!
Pistachio Legend and Lore
The Queen of Sheba appropriated all pistachios for her own use
Pistachio Legend and Lore
According to
tradition, Emperor Vitellius brought the pistachio to Rome in A.D. 50. He would
finish off his meal by stuffing his mouth full of pistachios.
The Queen of Sheba was so fond of pistachio nuts that she decreed Assyria's
limited output for her own uses, sometimes giving them as gifts to her
favorites at court. Her subjects were barred from keeping any of the crops for
personal use.
In Syria, guests are often given a small bag of pistachios has a good will
parting gift. They are also an important ingredient at wedding feasts in Syria.
By: Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
About.com Guide
