Pistachio (antep fıstığı) has an ancient history. Native to the Afghanistan, the Middle East and Western Asia, pistachios are one of the oldest flowering nut trees. Recent archeological evidence in Turkey suggests that pistachios have been enjoyed since as early as 7,000 B.C. It is said that the Queen of Sheba decreed pistachio a royal food, forbidding commoners from consumption. Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon, is said to have had pistachio trees planted in his fabled hanging gardens. Today, Turkey is the third largest producer of pistachios in the world.
