Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Nutter Nutty Celebration!

February 26 is...

The topic of nuts started yesterday, February 25 with its celebration being National Chocolate Covered Nut Day, aka National Chocolate Covered Peanut Day. This led to the Goober Pea Meets the Vendor. How surprising to find that today continues with a different nut so we get to enjoy another nutty celebration!

There is something special about that little green nut once considered food for the rich and chosen few! Legend even has it that the Queen of Sheba restricted the eating of pistachios to the royal court and forbade commoners to grow them! Did you know the first provable historical mention of edible nuts just might be the pistachio? Would you believe it dates as far back as 6760 B.C.? That would mean pistachio nuts have been eaten by humans for almost 9000 years.

Some sites declare today as World Pistachio Day. No wonder since they are definitely enjoyed worldwide and grown in different parts of the globe. These little morsels of nutty goodness are native to the Middle East with the largest producer of pistachio nuts today being Iran. They are also grown in other areas, including California and Mediterranean Europe. Pistachios are also called the ‘green almond’ and are known as the ‘smiling nut’ in Iran and the ‘happy nut’ in China where the Chinese are reported to be the greatest consumers of the nut.

Pistachio Day

Pistachios are not just eaten as a snack – they are also used in cooking, while their sweet flavor sometimes finds them used in desserts, such as the Lebanese dish baklava. You can even find pistachio ice cream alongside more common flavors, such as chocolate or strawberry. Philadelphia’s James W. Parkinson claimed to have invented this divine dish in the 1940s. One question: How did we get to the 1940s before realizing the beauty that comes from combining ice cream and pistachios? How, indeed?! If you feel really ingenious today, test your skills and make your own. Click HERE for a Pistachio Ice Cream recipe.

Power of the Pistachio

Studies have even suggested that eating moderate amounts of pistachios can help keep your heart healthy! Pistachios have more antioxidants per serving than green tea. They are also an excellent source of fiber, copper, manganese, and Vitamin B6. So, why not grab a bagful today and simply enjoy!

WARNING: Pistachios may have wonderful health qualities but they do NOT come without calories.

Here are a couple more options to be taken into consideration for today's celebration...