PotPourri Of Global Interest: “Pistachio, the Happy Nut”

---by Grit Ramusckat, JBG Resident

Native to the middle east, the pistachio nut is the fruit of a desert tree. In China it’s known as the Happy Nut, because its partially opened shell looks like a smiling face. In the United States, 98% of pistachios are grown in California’s central valley but New Mexico proudly produces the remaining 2%. The tree’s unique temperature requirements mean it must be grown in climates that have at least 100 cold days but no ground freezing. They are low water using but some irrigation is necessary for a happy, plump nut.

The trees are either male or female, both of which are required to produce the fruit. The males produce the pollen and once fertilized, the females bear the fruit. Jokingly referred to as the harem nut, one male tree can pollenate up to eight females. Bees aren’t required for pollination in New Mexico since the strong southwestern winds do the job.

Southern New Mexico’s Tularosa basin enjoys the special climate necessary for pistachio trees. There, I visited The Heart of the Desert Pistachio Farm, a family-run outfit with thousands of trees, a staff of at least 20 and a large processing facility. They and others supply New Mexico with pistachios and also have a significant national and international customer base.

If you’ve noticed pistachio shells with a red or green coloring, it’s because they’ve been dyed during processing. If the outer shell is not removed within a short time after harvest, the inner shell may become blemished. Less quality-concerned growers hide the blemishes with these dyes.

Our tour guide shared her own happiness about the benefits of eating pistachios. After starting eating the nuts regularly, she managed to reduced both her cholesterol and weight significantly. Other lifestyle and diet changes followed the lead of this happy nut.