Vincent Coon 
Did you know that the delectable paste made out of pistachio is ever versatile? Apart from spreading it over ice cream and/or bread, you can also use the yummy buttery paste in cooking and baking, or if not, eat it as it is. If you wish to have this vibrant green-coloured nut butter in your pantry, might as well look for the 100 per cent pure product from online stores like Saffron and More. But here’s what makes pistachios more interesting.
Below are a number of fun facts about this delightful nut called pistachio.
- Origins in Asia – Western Asia and Asia Minor are the places of origin of the pistachio trees and as such, are commonly found in countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, etc. Likewise, the trees are grown in Central Asia and the Middle East. However, the world’s major producer of pistachios is Iran followed by the US. Other producers include Turkey, Syria and Greece.
The cold winters followed by long, hot and dry summers in Middle and Central Asia are the conditions in which pistachios grow best. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the largest volumes of harvest come from these parts of the world.
- Not nuts but seeds – In the real sense, what’s called pistachio nuts are actually seeds though commonly referred to as ‘nuts’ by many. For culinary’s sake, the seeds have come to be known as nuts since they actually look like them. As the seeds mature, the outer hard shell, as well as the inner shell, cracks open. To harvest, the seeds are knocked from the tree and consequently go through the drying process.
- In existence since ancient times – Experts estimate the life expectancy of a pistachio tree to be about 150 years old. People discovered the seeds to be edible and thus have been known to be consumed by humans around 9,000 years ago. But did you know that the Queen of Sheba loved the seeds that she demanded to have her entire region’s harvest only for her royal family? And speaking of antiquity, experts point to the pistachio nuts as one of 2 nuts having been mentioned in the Holy Bible, the other one being almonds.
- Many different names – Known as ‘smiling nut’ in Iran and ‘happy nut’ in China; these are just 2 of the several nicknames given to pistachios simply because the shells exhibit a somewhat ‘smiling face’ as they crack open. And because of this ‘cheerful nature’’, the nuts are believed to bring good luck to one’s health, happiness and fortune. In fact, they’re given away as gifts in time for the Chinese New Year.
Meanwhile, people in Russia and Israel consider the cracking of a pistachio nut as a pleasant premonition. Further, in the Middle East, couples wait under the tree and look for signs that they’re going to be happy and successful in their relationship.
- Natural green colour – Chlorophyll compounds found in the fruit, the same substance responsible for the leaves’ green colour, give pistachio seeds that bright green hue.
These fun facts mentioned might stir your interest more in pistachios. If you want to know where to buy pistachio paste, visit this page to find high-quality products.
