Pistacchio

The pistachio is the fruit of a wonderful little tree that is typical of the southern Mediterranean and unique in Italy to the island of Sicily, the only region with the right climatic conditions for its growth. The nuts grows in bundles enclosed within a fleshy red pod that bursts open to reveal the nut bulging out of its woody envelope. Inside, the pistachio is actually bright green, which makes it ideal for decorating cakes, biscuits and other sweets. It is also used as a stuffing for meat, and even finds its way into the salami, Mortadella. The nut is also ground into a powder and used as the base for a very tasty ice-cream and, to prove its versatility, it is also popular eaten salted as a snack with drinks.