| | Pistachio
trees will often grow in poor soil where other trees will not survive. More important
to their survival is the proper climate. Pistachio trees thrive in hot dry summer
weather and prefer cool winters.
They do not do well in humid or damp areas
.Considered small trees, pistachio trees typically grow from16 feet to 32 feet
high.
The pistachio tree takes five to eight years to begin producing "fruit,' but
between the 15th and 20th year they reach maturity and bear fully. Alternate years
produce a heavy crop, the off year bearing very little fruit and sometimes
no fruit at all. The familiar pistachio nut is actually the seed of the plant.
The trees, like many humans, are sensitive to extreme conditions such as drought,
or excessive rain, heat, cold, and high winds. The trees develop a brownish green
flower in early summer.
When ripe, in late summer or early autumn, pistachios
split open along their seams called sutures. Those trees that bear a predominance
of pistachios that are closed indicate growth conditions that were less than perfect,
such as irregular watering.
The bright green coloring of the pistachio is
completely natural. A deep green color is an indicator of the highest quality
nut and brings the best prices. Lesser valued are those that range from yellow
to light green.
The pistachio is a deciduous tree that can survive for hundreds
of years, and even as long as a century in just the right climate. Sometimes introduced
into landscapes as ornamentals, pistachio trees stand out with their attractive
large, pointed, gray-green foliage that grows two to four inches long.
Harvesting
pistachios takes place in the late summer or early autumn when the hulls that
cover the shell become loosened from the nut or "seed," indicating a
fully mature crop. Large tarps are then spread out under the trees. The trees
are shaken while the tarps capture the bulk of the ripe pistachios that fall to
the ground.
The outer hulls are then quickly removed by rubbing them with
coarse burlap in order to preserve the clean, white appearance of the shells and
prevent staining.
Next, the nut processors soak the shells in water-based
brine followed by sun drying, a process that opens the shells even wider. In Turkey,
where the pistachios are a little smaller and the shells are not as wide open
as the California varieties, the nuts are placed in brine, hulls and all. Brining
with the hulls on leaves a pinkish coloring on the shells. Some nut authorities
believe that the California growers attempted to copy-cat the appearance of the
Turkish pistachios by dying them with red food coloring.
Others claim the
red dye is used to distract from imperfections and discoloration on the shells
due to poor quality of the nuts. The red dyed pistachios were more available 40
to 60 years ago than they are today. Often, unopened pistachios are cracked open
by machine. These, too, are considered lower in quality or from trees that were
not properly maintained and irrigated.
In years past, the sorting of cracked
nuts and those unopened was all done by hand, which may explain why pistachios
were always more expensive than most other nuts.
To salt pistachios, the
processor boils them in a salt solution. The nut s are then dried fully and stored
in plastic bags. Because of the pistachio's split shell, processors are easily
able to roast the nuts without first shelling them.
• Are California pistachios available year
'round?
Absolutely. Pistachios are harvested
in September, but sufficient supply and state-of-the-art storage systems allow
the industry to provide pistachios throughout the year.
•
How should pistachios be stored?
To maintain peak freshness for
Pistachios, store them in an airtight container.
Pistachios tend to draw moisture from the air, and may otherwise lose their crunch.
Kept in the refrigerator or freezer, pistachios can be stored for as long as a
year.
• How do I know if I'm buying
pistachios from California?
First, look
for the pistachios logo shown above. Second, note the distinguishing characteristics
of the California pistachio variety: large, vibrant green nuts with open, naturally
tan shells. California pistachios are available salted or unsalted. Some are dyed
red for consumers who prefer the colorful shells. And, shelled pistachio kernels
are also available. Look for California pistachios in both the grocery and the
produce departments of your supermarket.
Can pistachios be substituted for
other nuts in baking and cooking?
Most definitely. Pistachios can make a good
thing even better. They add a distinctively delicate flavor, as well as unique
color and texture, to appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. Add them to your
favorite creations or try some of these delicious recipes •
How many in shell pistachios do I need for a
cup of kernels?
Two cups of in shell pistachios
will yield about a cup of kernels.
Pistachios, with their characteristic widely
split shells, are easy to open. It takes just 15 minutes to shell about two cups
of in shell pistachios. •
How does the pistachio kernel get its green
color?
Plants make a variety of pigments,
which contribute color to plant parts such as the flowers, leaves and fruit. The
green in the pistachio nut is the result of chlorophyll, the same pigment that
makes the leaves green.
• How and when
do I harvest and process the pistachio trees in my yard?
Home harvesting and processing is not complicated. For more information.
•
How long does it take a pistachio tree to produce
a crop?
A five-year-old pistachio tree
will begin producing a small crop, and will reach full bearing when it is 7-10
years old.
Important: Pistachios are wind pollinated, so both a male and a
female tree are needed to produce edible nuts.
•
How long do pistachio trees live? How long do they produce?
The pistachio trees planted in are still fairly young, but there are pistachio
trees in the Middle East that are over 200 years old and are still producing!
• Where can I locate a source for pistachio
trees?
If you cannot find nut-bearing pistachio
trees locally, there are a number of nurseries that sell pistachio rootstock in
for a nursery list.
• Where can I locate
a source for pistachio nut oil, paste, flour, butter, etc.?
For a list of companies that sell pistachio food products
• Are
there different varieties of pistachios?
There are many varieties growing in other countries; however,
Pistachios
are predominantly of the Kerman variety.
• How
can I open slightly split or nonsolid pistachios? As
the pistachio kernel grows, it naturally expands within the shell until it splits
open. Nonsolid shells usually contain immature kernels and should be discarded.
Tip: Slightly
split shells can be opened using one half of the shell from an already-opened
pistachio. Wedge the tip of a half shell into the split and turn it until you
can retrieve the kernel.
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