Pistachio Fthiotidas PDO

Fthiotida, in Central Greece, is a natural border, which, due its location, divides the mainland in two parts. Here are located the famous Thermopylae, which were named after the hot springs, as well as their strategic location as a passage. It is one of the most mountainous areas, with 80% of its ground being mountainous/semi-mountainous: to the northwest, it is where the mountain range of Pindos (the country’s “backbone”, as it is called) ends; to the northeast, there is Mount Othrys, and to the south, there is Mount Oeta. The climate varies depending on the altitude. On the coastline, it is Mediterranean, with hot and dry summers, and mild winters, and in the mainland, it becomes continental, with snowfalls during the winter, and cool in the summer.

 Fthiotida is run by the Spercheios River, along a distance that exceeds eighty kilometers, starting from the west and flowing into the sea to the east. Throughout the valley, up to the river’s estuary in the Maliakos Gulf, the soil is rich in minerals and fertile, thanks to the constant deposit of water from the mountainous masses, the existence of many geothermal springs, and the influence of the sea on the climate. The growing of pistachio trees, which currently covers a total area of 200 hectares, has been developed dynamically throughout this area since the mid-century. Here is produced the Fthiotida pistachio (PÍSTACHIA VERA), which has been recognized as Protected Designation of Origin since 1996. The nut has a green flesh, while, due to the dynamic soil and microclimate that allows cultivation in the traditional way, it has a unique taste, high ratio of flesh over shell weight, and it is open almost to 100%.

The harvesting of the nuts is performed by carefully beating the trees with a stick, followed by the removal of the outer shell through plenty of water spraying. Then, the nuts are dried, either by a controlled mechanical method with warm ambient air, or naturally, through their exposure to the sun. Next, the process of careful roasting with salt (in a proportion of 5-7%) and citric acid follows, without any addition or use of any other colorant, flavoring, or other chemical agents and preservatives.