Pistachio nuts are the fruit from a small evergreen tree and originated from Asia Minor. The nuts are a pretty pale green and have a mild flavor and are eaten as a snack or incorporated into baked goods such as cookies, cakes and even custards.
The nuts can be purchase whole, roasted, with or without salt or shelled.
The largest producers of pistachios are Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan but California has become the 2nd largest producer. Americans actually consume 90% of the worlds pistachio nuts.