Pistachios

History

In the history of pistachios is royalty, perseverance and pride. Pistachios date back to the Holy Lands of the Middle East, where they grew wild in the high desert regions. Legend has it that lovers met beneath the trees to hear the pistachios crack open on moonlit nights for the promise of good fortune. A rare delicacy, pistachios were a favorite of the Queen of Sheba, who demanded all her land’s production for herself and her court. The royal nut was imported by American traders in the 1880s, primarily for U.S. citizens of Middle Eastern origin. Some 50 years later, pistachios became a popular snack food, introduced in vending machines.These imported nuts were dyed red to draw attention, and to cover stains from antiquated harvesting techniques.

Pistachios Today

Approximately 98% of the pistachios produced in the U.S. are from California. California pistachios are predominantly of the Kerman variety. The first commercial crop of 1.5 million pounds was harvested in 1976 from 4,350 acres. California now has more than 150,000 acres planted yielding more than 300 million pounds.

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Tejon Ranch

Tejon Ranch was assembled from four Mexican land grants and traces its roots back to 1843. With over 270,000 acres, Tejon Ranch is the largest contiguous expanse of land under single ownership in California.
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Season

Pistachios are harvested in September, but sufficient supply and state-of-the-art storage systems allow the industry to provide pistachios throughout the year.

Storage

To maintain peak freshness for California 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.

A one-ounce serving is a generous 49 nuts and contains more than 10% of the Daily Value for dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, thiamin, phosphorus and copper.

A serving of pistachios is naturally cholesterol free and contains 13g of total fat, of which just 1.5g is saturated fat. This is good news for pistachio lovers because the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans calls for choosing a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate, not low, in total fat.