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Peeled Pistachios


lebowits

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I began making a piece from Chef Peter Greweling's new book this morning which calls for peeled pistachios to be used in making a pistachio marzipan. I have shelled, unsalted pistachios, many of which still have some or all of the "skin" still attached to the nut meat.

After blanching the nuts and peeling them myself I thought it would be worth searching for a source of bulk (e.g. 5 lb.) of pre-peeled pistachios. After a bit of research this morning with Google, I have not found what I am looking for.

I've checked my local Albert Uster Imports, nutsite.com, nutsonline.com, and several other websites. No joy.

Has anyone found such a thing?

Steve Lebowitz

Doer of All Things

Steven Howard Confections

Slicing a warm slab of bacon is a lot like giving a ferret a shave. No matter how careful you are, somebody's going to get hurt - Alton Brown, "Good Eats"

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I began making a piece from Chef Peter Greweling's new book this morning which calls for peeled pistachios to be used in making a pistachio marzipan.  I have shelled, unsalted pistachios, many of which still have some or all of the "skin" still attached to the nut meat.

After blanching the nuts and peeling them myself I thought it would be worth searching for a source of bulk (e.g. 5 lb.) of pre-peeled pistachios.  After a bit of research this morning with Google, I have not found what I am looking for.

I've checked my local Albert Uster Imports, nutsite.com, nutsonline.com, and several other websites.  No joy.

Has anyone found such a thing?

I used to be able to get them from my favorite local store called the Punjab market, but the last couple of times they weren't available. I keep asking in hopes they will get them in again.

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I've been buying really GOOD pistachios at Whole Foods. They had raw unsalted and roasted salted.

I've bought them two or three times now and they've been so good they've reopened my eyes as to what other nuts should be.

“Don't kid yourself, Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about!”
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  • 3 weeks later...
Trouble is none of those are peeled pistachios.

The Bronte pistachios that Corti sells are indeed peeled.

I've been checking out the Corti Brothers web site for the last couple of weeks. No pistachios. Unless of course I'm surfing the wrong site (here).

Thanks for all your suggestions. So far, I've been able to source adequate raw, shelled, and mostly skin free pistachios at a local organic market chain (Roots).

Steve Lebowitz

Doer of All Things

Steven Howard Confections

Slicing a warm slab of bacon is a lot like giving a ferret a shave. No matter how careful you are, somebody's going to get hurt - Alton Brown, "Good Eats"

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You seem to be right about Corti's site no longer listing them. They appear in some of their old newsletters - such as http://www.cortibros.biz/WEBSITE/Newslette...02/Win02Pg4.asp - but, as you say, they're not among the current products. You might e-mail or phone them and ask about their source. I wonder whether Buon'Italia in New York could get them; they sell other Sicilian pistachio products. Their number is 212.633.9090, and they definitely do have a wholesale department.

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I used to be able to get them from my favorite local store called the Punjab market, but the last couple of times they weren't available.  I keep asking in hopes they will get them in again.

Kerry, I've been getting mine from a store at the St. Lawrence Market. I can't remember the name of the store, but it's downstairs in the corner. Back in the bulk section.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Trader Joe's sells them. I'd buy a small bag first to taste. Whole Foods has been competing w TJs in introducing more TJ-like items, so you might try there. I think I saw some, but I'm not sure.

You might also look for pistachio paste, but make sure you're buying something of high quality composed exclusively of nuts and sugar. There's a lot of bad stuff out there, including products sold as organic and Sicilian, though the color is not the chartreuse it should be and there are lots of additives. There are mail-order sources for pastry chefs (larger quantities) & amateurs. The good stuff is expensive, but price range is nonetheless wide so it's worth spending time investigating.

The season for harvesting the famous pistachios from Bronte (Sicily) is early fall, so sale of the new crop should be delayed 1-3 months. (Google for more information or search for my posts here; I believe I linked a YouTube video of the Sagra, i.e. pistachio festival in Italy.)

"Viciousness in the kitchen.

The potatoes hiss." --Sylvia Plath

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I used to be able to get them from my favorite local store called the Punjab market, but the last couple of times they weren't available.  I keep asking in hopes they will get them in again.

Kerry, I've been getting mine from a store at the St. Lawrence Market. I can't remember the name of the store, but it's downstairs in the corner. Back in the bulk section.

Thanks Marlene, I'll hit there next time I'm in TO.

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