Pistachios, nuts, Egyptian pharoahs, Queen of Sheba, and other celebrities

So on to another delectable product of Sicily - the pistachio.  Sicily, Puglia, Campania and Ligura all produce pistachios and Sweet Sicily author Alessandre Dammone indicates it was the Arabs in the 10th century who recommended cultivation of that delicious nut on Sicily.  And there, on the slopes of Etna, in the province of Catania, is where most of Sicily's pistachios are grown.


One thing I didn't know (there's so much I don't know!) is that it's impossible to use modern farming techniques to harvest the pistachio so it is all done by hand.  If you ever wonder why pistachios are so expensive - that's why.  Although when Bill and I lived in Palermo, they were sold in bags on the street by vendors as snack foods and they were relatively cheap.


And as one might suspect, they are used in fabulous ways in gelato and dolce.  Yummmmy!!!!!