Pistachio Harvest

Having just had a challenging harvest in the past, the harvest was pretty impressive considering the weather we have had. With late frosts in October and not to mention lack of rain, the rain we did get in late February and early March was excellent timing to finish ripening the nuts.

The years work all comes together during harvest, Once ripened, the nuts are quickly harvested, cleaned, sorted and dried all within a couple of hours, for the perfect snack or for that special ingredient in cooking.  This efficiency ensures the highest quality pistachios year after year.  Nature decides when it’s time to harvest.  In Australia, we harvest late February to early March when the fruit is mature and the shell has split. 

The pistachio will fall off the tree when the branches are given a sharp shake.  A rubber mallet hitting a branch, a fist or mechanical shaker can be used (we use a semi mechanical shaker).   We pull out tarps under the tree so we can catch the nuts, the tarp is then rolled up into the picker, and off to the next tree

Once the pistachios are dried (roasted), they will keep very well if just a few precautions are taken.  In general, a low temperature will prolong the storage life of the pistachio.  A cool pantry, the refrigerator or freezer are all good storage.

Should you wish to salt your own pistachios, make a solution of salt and water, soak the nuts and roast in the oven in a single layer in a moderate oven for around 20 minutes.

Though I love pistachios in any form, my favorite is straight from the tree, or tossed through a salad