Celebrate National Pistachio Day

Pistachios are awesome

I love pistachios. All nuts are good for you (and I like most of them), but I do love pistachios.  I have seen it claimed that January 26 and February 26 are National Pistachio Day. Why argue? Celebrate both days! Here is a simple recipe that you can do:

Get some Trader Joe's vanilla ice cream.  I suggest Trader Joe not because it is paying me to say so (it's not) but because I especially like this ice cream for the cost.  But any premium vanilla ice cream will work.

Get some already shelled pistachios.  I would get unsalted dry roasted--salted might work too (if you get raw, toast them a bit in a cast iron pan).  Trader Joe's generally has them.  But with a little looking you can find alternative sources.

Get some saffron (Trader Joe's has that too, but you can find it many places).

Get some rosewater. Specialty food shops and mediterranean/middle eastern food stores will have it.  You can also make your own (a wee bit more complicated).  You could experiment here too.  Orange blossom water would work.  Perhaps lavender water is worth trying (although I find it stronger flavored than rose or orange water and should be used sparingly).

If you can't get rose water, don't let that stop you doing it with just ice cream, saffron and pistachios.  You can also try making your own ice cream.

You know you want some...

Combine some saffron threads with the rosewater.  When it starts to get golden yellow, incorporate it into the vanilla ice-cream.  Then incorporate the pistachios.  Put it back into the freezer and let it firm up (at least a few hours--some say a day but sometimes I cannot wait).

Orandi Pistachio Ranch, Terra Belle, California