quest for pistachios

February 24, 2008 9:04 AM

Where can I buy pistachios at a reasonable price?

I know that Trader Joe's has big, delicious bags of raw pistachios for, what I think, is pretty cheap. But I'm in Lawrence, KS, a city bereft of Trader Joe's. And I love pistachios.

It seems that everywhere online either the shipping is way too high or the pistachios are drowned in salt or the amount of pistachios in the package is paltry. So, what am I overlooking? Where can I get my pistachio fix without paying premium pistachio prices?

posted by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel to Shopping (3 answers total)

I have no idea what a good deal on pistachios is (I don't 'em), but have you looked at Bazzini's site? My former boss was an absolute nut addict and swore by them. Of course, our office was around the corner from the store, so that probably helped matters.

If you can't find a good deal, I'd be happy to hook you up with stuff from TJ's. I'm there on a regular basis. ;) MeMail me.
posted by dancinglamb at 9:18 AM on February 24, 2008

The Costco I go to has a good deal on pistachios: something like $13 for 2.5 lbs shelled if I remember correctly. A lot of other nuts are really cheap there, too. From the Costco locator, it looks like you'd have to go to Lenexa or Kansas City but maybe that's worth it if you make it out there once in a while anyway. I think Costcos don't all carry the same stuff, though, so you might want to check before you get a membership.
posted by Durin's Bane at 9:38 AM on February 24, 2008

Unless there are middle-eastern food stores nearby, Costco might be your only option. If you ever see "Turkish" pistachios of large size, snag 'em. They may be reimported Iranian pistachios, and they could just be the best things you'll ever eat.

I'd offer to bring you a huge bag of Rafsanjani pistachios from Toronto, but it would be unwise for me to attempt to bring produce from the axis of evil ...
posted by scruss at 12:39 PM on February 24, 2008