pistachios

     

The pistachio (Pistacia vera L., Anacariaceae; sometimes placed in Pistaciaceae) is a small tree up to 10 m tall, native to mountainous regions of Iran, Turkmenistan and western Afghanistan. It has deciduous pinnate leaves 10–20 cm long.

Trivia about pistachios

  • Major producers of these nuts seen here include Turkey & California
  • One reason for dyeing the shells of these nuts red is to make them stand out in the nut bowl
  • The shells of these nuts were dyed red to make them distinctive to consumers & to disguise blemishes
  • Buying these green nuts in the shell? Look for partly open shells: closed shells mean the nutmeat is immature
  • These nuts are mentioned only once in the Bible: Genesis 43, Verse 11:
  • California produces approximately 98% of the U.S. supply of these "green almond" nuts
  • These bright green nuts are said to have been a favorite of the Queen of Sheba
  • The nuts from this tree are also called green almonds