Pistachios are rapidly becoming everyone’s favorite nut. Sweet and versatile, they are equally at home in sauces and spreads, salads, sides and main dishes. And, of course, in desserts— from the classic baklava to contemporary cheesecake. They are also fun to eat out of hand, raw or roasted, salted or flavored, cracking the split shells open, one by one, like a treasure hunt.
Unlike walnuts and almonds, two other important California nut crops, pistachios are a relative newcomer to California. Although the first California planting was in Sonoma in 1854, the trees did not thrive. It was over a hundred years later, in the 1970s, before California growers produced their first small commercial crop. Pistachios, which originated in the arid Middle East, need long, hot, dry summers and cold winters to produce the succulent green nuts, and those conditions were met in Chico. Seeds brought from Iran were planted there in the 1920s at the new USDA Plant Introduction facility, where they produced a number of successful trees. It was decided that one, the Kerman variety, from Iran, would be best for California and the growing region of the state’s Great Central Valley.
When California growers harvested their first pistachio crops in the 1970s, Iran still dominated the pistachio market, exporting tens of thousands of tons all over the world, including to the United States. This ended in 1979 with the Iranian hostage crises, prompting the United States to stop trading with Iran and opening the door for California growers to fill in the trade deficit.
Today, the United States leads the world in pistachio production, with Turkey second. Since California produces 99% of all pistachios grown in the United States, that makes our state the worlds largest producer.
Like almonds and walnuts, pistachios are harvested in early fall, making the fresh crop available for the holidays. Look for new crop pistachios at farmers’ markets, where vendors coming from the Central Valley will be glad to tell you about their crop.
Georgeanne Brennan is the author of more than 30 cookbooks, the recipient of a James Beard Award and Julia Child Award, and a partner in L’Apero de Trois aperitif tasting room.
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