Pistachios have been cultivated in the Middle East and Mediterranean since the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Originally from Turkey, and unknown to the United States in 1924, Germack Pistachio Company was one of the first importers of pistachios. Since then, they have graced our tables as snacks and been enjoyed in recipes from salads and main dishes to desserts like traditional baklava. In 1965 archaeologists exploring a ruin of an ancient village in what is now the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan discovered a cache of about 40 lb. of well preserved pistachios. Carbon dating revealed them to be 8725 years old! Pistachios are often dyed red or green. Know why? Originally, the purpose was to mask stains which appear when the nuts lie on the ground too long.

More than 4,500 years ago, the Chinese people began to cultivate the hazelnut (or Filbert). They believed that hazelnuts were a “sacred nourishment” bestowed upon human beings by God.

Almonds have symbolized good luck for many centuries in southern Europe. At Greek weddings, candied almonds are given away as tokens of long life and happiness. At Spanish weddings, sugar coated "Jordan" almonds are given away. The term "Jordan" probably comes from the French word for garden - "jardin."

Squash seeds were enjoyed by the early settlers of the United States. Native Americans introduced planting and growing techniques to the early settlers. Survival over the harsh winter depended on a good harvest of corn, pumpkins and varieties of squash.

George Washington was very fond of pecans, carrying them in his pockets all through the Revolutionary War. In the museum at Mount Vernon, there's a photo taken about 1845 which shows two pecan trees, five or six years old. Those same trees are still there 150 years later! Look for them to the right of the house as you face the Potomac River.

Peanuts are not nuts at all. They're peas. The plant looks much like ordinary garden pea vine, with a white and yellow pea blossom.

Apricots, native to China, came to Europe with the armies of Alexander the Great. Alexander didn't make it back any farther than Babylon; apricots did. They quickly became a favorite fruit of Southern Europe.