Pistachio nuts are the fruit from a small evergreen tree which originated from Asia Minor. The nuts are pale green, 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 purchased whole, roasted, with or without salt or shelled.
Most well-stock grocery stores sell these nuts in their shell and sometimes nut meats only. Look for them in the bulk foods department of Whole Foods. Costco and other big-box discount stores sell the nuts in large bags which are more economical.
If you don't have pistachios you can use one of these substitutes:
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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.