Crack Open a Pint of Pistachio Gelato

Pistachios have been getting a lot of play lately, and for good reason. These buttery little nuts, cashew's green cousin, are packed with nutrients. Here's the skinny on pistachios:

• Pistachios are fiber-rich and 90 percent of their fat is the heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated kind.

• Legend holds that the Queen of Sheba loved snacking on pistachios so much she called dibs on the entire region's pistachio harvest.

• Pistachios get their green hue from chlorophyl, the same stuff that gives plants and leaves their color.

• In China, pistachios are called "the happy nut" because the cracked shell resembles a smile.

• During Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, pistachios are given as a symbol of love and good wishes.

Philadelphia-based chef and confectioner James W. Parkinson created a pistachio ice cream in the 1940s. He is largely credited for Americans' pistachio cravings, but we know the Italians were whipping up a similar creamy treat well before his time. Our friends at Gelatiamo use the finest Italian pistachios to create their authentic Pistachio Gelato. Find it on our menu and crack open a pint through March 18.

Sources: Pistachio Health Institute and American Pistachio Growers