Pistachio

Pistachios are popular for their distinctive green color and are usually used as a garnish on petits fours or candies—and, of course, to make pistachio ice cream. Pistachios need hot, dry summers and cold winters. The largest share of the nuts are grown in the Middle East, although the United States, which has been producing a commercial crop only since 1976, is now the second-largest producer in the world. The nuts have two shells: a red outer shell, which is removed before packing, and a thin inner shell, beneath which a thin skin surrounds the nut. The practice of dyeing the inner shell red is said to have been started by a New York street vendor, and the red color became so expected and associated with the nuts that at one time most pistachios were sold this way. Dyeing the shells is no longer so popular today. When pistachios are purchased in the shell (the thin inner shell), the shells should be partially opened. If they are completely closed, it means the nuts were harvested before they were fully mature. To show off the green color to its fullest, remove the skins by blanching the nuts in boiling water, then pinching them between your fingers or rubbing them in a towel. Adding a pinch of salt to the water helps heighten the color.