for its stem fibers And sesame comes from two words in the ancient Middle Eastern Akkadian language that meant “oil” and “plant.” Pine Nuts Pine nuts are gathered from about a dozen of the 100 species of pines, one of the most familiar evergreen tree families in the Northern Hemisphere Among the more important sources are the Italian stone pine Pinus pinea, the Korean or Chinese pine P koraiensis, and the southwestern U.S pinyons P monophylla and P edulis The nuts are borne on the scales of the pine cone, which takes three years to mature The cones are sun-dried, threshed to shake out the seeds, and the kernels then hulled, nowadays by machine They have a distinctive, resinous aroma and are rich even for nuts; Asian pine nuts have a higher oil content (78%) than either American or European types (62% and 45% respectively) They’re used in many savory and sweet preparations, and pressed to make oil In Korea, pine pollen is used to make sweets, and Romanians flavor game sauces with the green cones Pistachios Pistachios are the seeds of a native of arid western Asia and the Middle East, Pistacia vera, a relative of the cashew and the mango Along with almonds, they have been found at the sites of Middle Eastern settlements dating to 7000 BCE A close rel at i ve, Pistacia lentiscus, provides the aromatic gum called mastic (p 421) Pistachios first became a prominent nut in America in the 1880s, thanks to their popularity among immigrants in New York City Iran, Turkey, and California are the major producers today Pistachios grow in clusters, with a thin, tannin-rich hull around the inner shell and kernel As the seeds mature, the outer hull turns purple-red and the expanding kernel ... Pistachios Pistachios are the seeds of a native of arid western Asia and the Middle East, Pistacia vera, a relative of the cashew and the mango Along with almonds, they have been found at the sites of Middle Eastern settlements.. .and sweet preparations, and pressed to make oil In Korea, pine pollen is used to make sweets, and Romanians flavor game sauces with the green cones Pistachios Pistachios are the seeds of a native... are the major producers today Pistachios grow in clusters, with a thin, tannin-rich hull around the inner shell and kernel As the seeds mature, the outer hull turns purple-red and the expanding kernel