Pistachios
My very favourite nut.....
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| The pistachio as it grows fresh |
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| The Pistachio in the shell, peeled and chopped |
Deliciously sweet, nutritious and by far the prettiest of nuts, the Pista is one of the oldest nut grown. It has been mentioned in the bible, and is very much part of the Ancient Persian civilization extending from modern day Iran, Central Asia and on to the borders of Greece and Cyprus. Currently there are many varieties of Pistachios the most popular one being the Kerman- an Irani name, no doubt.
This is a nut belonging to the Cashew family and is the plant of the pistacia vera. Pistachios grow on small trees and in cluster bunches of many. It takes a good 8 to 10 years for them to give enough fruit to distribute. It needs a long hot summer to bare the fruit in abundance, yet can withstand the cold of up to -10 degrees rather easily. Areas of Baluchistan in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran thus produce the worlds best pistachios, as do Turkey and Syria. They all have the ideal weather conditions for this beautiful fruit. Areas of California in USA and some parts of China have now been cultivating the Pistachio nut in abundance. Slightly different in taste, it is the soil that reaps the flavours.
This is a nut belonging to the Cashew family and is the plant of the pistacia vera. Pistachios grow on small trees and in cluster bunches of many. It takes a good 8 to 10 years for them to give enough fruit to distribute. It needs a long hot summer to bare the fruit in abundance, yet can withstand the cold of up to -10 degrees rather easily. Areas of Baluchistan in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran thus produce the worlds best pistachios, as do Turkey and Syria. They all have the ideal weather conditions for this beautiful fruit. Areas of California in USA and some parts of China have now been cultivating the Pistachio nut in abundance. Slightly different in taste, it is the soil that reaps the flavours.
Pistachios are sold in many types, salted, roasted and even coloured. The fruit that is sweet, crisp and full of flavour definitely do not need any touching up or seasoning.
The Parsi and Persian cuisine continue to use pistachios in their dishes with gusto. In the last decade recipes published in many UK based magazines tend to use the rediscovered nut!
Full of minerals and vitamins,the pistachio has high amounts of copper and iron as well as some manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium all necessary for our continued good health.
Very High in Vitamin E it is good for glowing and healthy skin! Vitamin B which is also present gives high energy levels. The B complex groups of riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B-6 are all present in the pistachio nut; an added advantage for pregnant women and those in need of high energy levels.
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