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I had to develop a taste for walnut pesto. Pine nuts make better pesto but not so much better that they're worth the extra cost.
by Mountain_Skies 5y ago
I had to develop a taste for walnut pesto. Pine nuts make better pesto but not so much better that they're worth the extra cost.
- andy_ppp 5y agoCashews, brazil nuts or even almonds are all fine so long as you quickly toast them first they taste awesome.
- darkwater 5y agoNo they are not, I belong to the Pesto Striking force and you can definitely tell the difference. :) On the other hand there are smaller, cheaper pine nuts coming from China available here in Europe that are pretty OK for the job. But I'm bit worried by how they are collected, labor wise.
- AdamN 5y agoI generally don't buy any food from China - simply don't trust the health regulations. Seaweed I get from Japan or US, pine nuts - anywhere but China. Of course I'm sure I'm getting quite a bit from China when I'm in restaurants but imho it's not a binary thing - just try to reduce risk.
- andy_ppp 5y agoI didn't say they don't taste different, just as good. One of the best (and Italian) chefs in the world uses bread not nuts so I think the swapping for different nuts isn't the end of the world. Massimo Bottura: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adyRuV2eJlM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adyRuV2eJlM
- tomcam 5y agoYou two have opened up my eyes. These actually sound better than pine nuts to me
- analog31 5y agoCame here to make same comment. My family grows basil every summer and our pesto consumption would bankrupt us if we used pine nuts.
- Xcelerate 5y agoI once had some pistachio pesto on a pizza. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it ended up being delicious.
- huhtenberg 5y agoPistachio pesto is also a very good option.
- schnevets 5y agoIt isn't a one-to-one substitute, but Sunflower Pesto can also be delicious on some dishes.