Pistachios

Pistachio

A fridge full of organic vegetables purchased or harvested with the best of intentions, and then life gets busy, leaving no time to peel, chop, and cook them all. It happens to the best of us. Fortunately, those veggies don’t have to meet their end in the fridge. Take one night a week and make a dish using all the veggies in your fridge. Leave no veggie behind! You can even freeze the leftovers for later!

The pistachio is one of the “oldest” edible nuts on earth with an antiquity of more than 10.000 years.

Originating from Southeast Asia, Asia Minor, Pakistan and India, Pistachio trees grow in parts of Turkey, Iran, Greece, Italy and the U.S. – areas that have long, hot summers and cool winters.

The fruit of the pistachio differs from all the other nuts because of its green colour and the semi-opening of the shell.

This singular morphology makes the pistachio the only edible nut which does not need to be shelled for roasting and salting, serving at its turn a natural “wrapping” and easy for consumption.

The pistachio has a delicious flavour and a high nutritious value, being very rich in proteins and vitamins.

They are always marketed in their in-shell form, roasted and salted, but they can be purchased shelled. They are mainly used as snack and confectionery and used in ice creams.

 

TURKEY

Is one of the leading pistachio producer countries.

Turkish pistachios are well known with their rich and distinctive flavor and high quality.

The best pistachios in Turkey come from the area around the city of Gaziantep.

Turkish “Antep” Pistachios are one of the oldest varieties available.

Smaller, less open and darker shells than other varieties, they are crunchy and savory with a touch of sweetness.

The shells are a darker color and the nuts’ flavor is more intense because the delicate oils were protected.

Turkish pistachios are used in ice cream, baklava, nougat, and Turkish Delight, a type of candy.