“By far the most famous Greek pistachio”, is how Taste Atlas describes the Aegina pistachio that took first place in the survey with an average score of 4.8 out of 5.
“This is by far the most famous Greek pistachio. This amazing pistachio nut is produced from the Egintiki variety, which has been traditionally cultivated on the island of Egina since the end of the 19th century.
The first pistachio plantation here was established in 1896 by Nikolaos Peroglou, who brought the nuts from Syria.
The weather conditions and the soil composition give these pistachios a recognizable aroma and taste for which they are considered among the best in the world. The harvesting season begins in August, when the nuts are collected with long wrapped sticks that are used to beat the branches without damaging the tree”, Tastle Atlas mentions.
The agricultural cooperative in Aegina is almost eight decades old. It was founded in 1947 and today has 360 members, most of whom are peanut farmers.
Since the 1970s, peanut growers began to cooperate more closely to protect the fruit, which by now had a nationwide reputation for its quality and taste. In the following decade, the sales network expanded throughout Greece and Cyprus, while the first investments were made in standardization.
In 1993, the producers achieved the inclusion of Aegina pistachio in the list of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products, an important move that secured their product at an international level.
More recently, in 2023, the “Aegina Pistachio Culture” was listed in the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory, a recognition of how the cultivation of the fruit is now so important to the collective memory and contemporary identity of Aegina.
However, climate change, like human activities, is threatening the crops.
The mild winters of recent years do not give Aegina’s pistachio the opportunity to bear its fruit. Producers speak of a reduction in production that had been as high as 80%. However, a small part of the island’s production, about 30 out of 100 tonnes, is PDO certified – the rest is referred to as kellefoto.
A threat to the crops is also the expansion of residential areas on the island which puts pressure on the crops.
Two other Greek pistachio varieties have a place on the Taste Atlas list, with pistachios from Megara in 21st place and shell pistachios from Fthiotida in 23rd place.
In Megara they have been growing peanuts for over a century. It is, after all, an area that favours the tree, as it has warm summers, mild winters and relatively little rain.
Four varieties are grown in the area (large-fruited, hazelnut, nihati and valley nuts). The fruit is sun-dried before going through sorting. They stand out for their deep green colour.
Shell peanuts in Fthiotida have been grown in the area since the 1940s. Harvesting takes place in late August and early September. No chemicals or other substances that can enter the fruit and spoil it are ever used in the cultivation.
After removing the shells, the growers dry them and pick them one by one to sell.
It is a deep green pistachio, sold salted or with its natural flavour. They can be eaten as they are or used in desserts or to accompany yoghurt.
