Turkish pistachios are a smaller, more flavorful variety of pistachio, similar to Iranian pistachios. They are highly valued for their taste and are used in culinary applications, especially desserts. Turkish pistachios are also known as Antep pistachios and are a healthy food with high protein content and no cholesterol.
A Turkish pistachio is a variety of pistachio, native to Turkey and grown there and in other regions of the world. Turkey is a large pistachio producer, ranking third in world production after Iran and the United States. Turkish pistachio is similar to Iranian or Persian pistachio, which is considered to be the most valuable of all pistachio varieties. Like Iranian pistachio, Turkish pistachio is slightly smaller than other varieties but superior in flavor. These pistachios are also known as Antep pistachios, after the Turkish name for pistachio, which translates into English as “Antep nut.”
Most of the pistachios grown for human consumption belong to the Pistacia vera species. While there are other species in the Pistacia genus, they are not the common pistachio, although some are similar and are eaten by humans and livestock. Often, these other species are used as rootstock for the cultivation of pistachios, on which Pistacia vera cuttings are grafted. Two other species in particular, Pistacia atlantica and Pistacia terebinthus are used for this purpose. This creates a tree with the superior qualities of rootstock species and the more desirable cultural characteristics of the Turkish pistachio.
Having originated in regions that have some of the oldest and longest histories in agriculture, the Turkish pistachio has been cultivated for thousands of years. While other pistachio species are used for rootstocks, there are also various pistachio cultivars. These are all members of the same species, but vary slightly. US-grown pistachios produce slightly larger nuts. A Turkish pistachio also tends to be a little more difficult to open than other varieties because the shell, which is thinner and elongated as well as very hard, doesn’t open as much as other types do when dried and roasted.
The flavor of the Turkish pistachio is widely considered superior to other varieties, except possibly the Iranian pistachio, and it is significantly more expensive than the larger varieties grown in the United States. It is the sweetest and most robust of all pistachio varieties, a characteristic that is enhanced by roasting. This makes Turkish pistachio particularly suitable for all sorts of culinary uses, especially desserts and pistachio butter, a product very similar to peanut butter. Like all pistachios, Turkish pistachio is considered a very healthy food, with no cholesterol, high protein content and no saturated fat.
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