International holidays - World Pistachio Day

February 26th is World Pistachio Day, a nut that has become a favorite delicacy for many Today, the world leaders in their production are Iran (historical homeland), the USA, Turkey and China Pistachios have a long history According to some researchers, it is 6,500-7,000 years old, and, according to others, it is 9,000 years old In Persia, pistachios were considered a delicious treat that only very wealthy people could afford Here they have become a unique element of luxury The nuts were highly prized for their rich, creamy flavor According to some reports, pistachios were very popular at the court of the Queen of Sheba, the famous ruler who went to Solomon to test his wisdom with riddles They became one of two nuts mentioned in the Bible The word "pistachio" comes from the Iranian language It literally translates as “laughing nut” because of the characteristic crack in the shell that looks like a smile Pistachio trees were grown in Israel and Palestine There are references to the fact that the Israelis took these nuts with them to present them as a gift during one of their travels to Ancient Egypt In Israel, pistachio trees were considered sacred They have been grown in Ancient Greece since the reign of Alexander the Great In Ancient Rome, mentions of them appear in the era of Emperor Vitellius, but in Ancient Egypt they did not grow During archaeological excavations in the territory of modern Turkey, scientists found evidence confirming that nuts were grown here 7,000 years ago According to some reports, the Persians valued the fruits of pistachio trees so highly that they used them as currency Pistachio trees grow in the Mediterranean, North Africa, Asia and some regions of Central America For example, in the USA, the optimal climate for “green almonds” is in the south of Texas Pistachio trees grow on rocky, poor soils They love sunlight very much, are resistant to drought, but can also withstand severe frosts (down to -25 degrees) To survive in such harsh conditions and extract from the soil the nutrients necessary for growth and development, trees are helped by a powerful root system that goes deep underground (up to 15 meters) Pistachios can grow up to 5 meters, and in some rare cases up to 10 meters In the wild, they almost always grow alone Natural pistachio forests are very rare Flowering of trees begins in April, but in some regions - in March The nut harvest takes place at the end of August and may last until the end of September Interestingly, nuts are collected mainly at night When exposed to sunlight, their leaves begin to release essential oils contained in them in high concentrations They cause dizziness and weakness in pickers After harvesting, the nuts are thoroughly dried and the soft shell is removed Pistachio trees produce crops only for 10-13 years, but they are real long-livers Their lifespan is on average 300-400 years The size of pistachios during sorting is determined by their caliber This is the lowest calorie nut Pistachios are widely used in cooking and confectionery Salted nuts have become an excellent snack for low-alcohol drinks and one of the indispensable ingredients in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Indian cuisines Many vegetarians, raw foodists and vegans add this product to their diet They are used in the preparation of pates, appetizers, ice cream, salads, sauces, side dishes and fillings for stuffed fish and meat dishes Pistachios are added when baking bread, muffins and various pastries Deliciously flavored nuts perfectly complement chocolate in desserts The wood of pistachio trees is used in carpentry Tannins are obtained from their leaves for the leather industry and for the production of medicines Pistachio trees also provide raw materials for making varnishes and paints, and their branches are often used in decoration