2020-10-01
Pistachios
Pistachio trees has been growing in the Middle East for thousands of years. Pistachios have always been a desired snack in this region.
In Persia (modern day Iran), pistachio trade and ownership of pistachio groves meant riches and high status. The Legend has it that pistachios were a favorite of the Queen of Sheba, who wanted all her land’s production to herself and her court. Through the conquests of Alexander the Great (334-323 BC), this nut reached Greece. Later, under the rule of the Roman Emperor Tiberius (First Century AD), the nut was also introduced into Italy and Spain.
The cultivation area of the pistachio expanded further with the spread of Islam and the resulting Arab expansion. the Levant trade in the Middle Ages was also widespread. The Venetian Republic, in particular, had close trade ties with Syria, one of the main cultivation areas for the pistachio. The goods reached northern and central Italy via the sea trade routes.