Pistacia

The pistachio arrived in Aegina only a century ago but found the ideal environment to take root on the island of Saronic Gulf. The climate and soil gave and still give one of the most beloved nuts.

With the pistachio harvest, referred to as "green gold" in southeastern Anatolia, approaching, landowners are taking unprecedented security measures to protect their valuable crop against theft.

A pistachio tree, estimated to be 600-700 years old, is protected and cared for by neighborhood residents in Turkey's most important pistachio cultivation center, the southeastern province of Gaziantep.

The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality will tell the history of its most famous taste, pistachio, at a new museum. The pistachio-shaped museum will display the history and process of pistachios before they arrive on the shelf. 

The Chios Mastic Museum reveals how cultivation of the Pistacia lentiscus chia tree has shaped the island's economy, architecture and customs while also showcasing its different uses. Unique to Chios, the tree is the source of gum mastic, a key source of wealth for the island since Byzantine times, when the trees were owned exclusively by the emperor.