Pistachio on the menu in Beijing

Diehard fans of pistachio nuts must not miss the delicious cuisines made with the special ingredient when they've eaten it as regular snacks for years.

The American Pistachio Growers (APG) is promoting the unique delicacy in Beijing's Hilton Hotel's One East Restaurant until Jan 8. APG is an association of pistachio growers, processors and industry partners in the states of California, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States.

Hilton chef Jeffery Siew has designed new dishes especially for the winter. Customers can enjoy typical Western dishes made of American pistachio, including salmon with pistachio prawn, cream of mushroom with pistachio prawn, and a crunchy pistachio mousse cake.

According to Ralph Bean, an agriculture trade officer from the United States Embassy, Chinese customers are paying more attention to healthy eating, while the American pistachio is just what they are looking for. It's not only a delicious snack, but also a perfect ingredient for cooking.