Pistachio Flavorings

[uthinkofsomething]

Looking around for a pistachio flavoring and wanted to get some opinions of who makes a good one. I don't need the strongest nut flavor from it but want as much of the essence of what makes a pistachio a pistachio from it. I saw a few recipes using TPA Pistachio.
Thanks for thoughts and opinions.

 

[JCinFLA]

IIRC, it's @sk25411 that really likes the TFA Pistachio in a mix that he makes, using it and OSDIY's Lotta Latte. Maybe he'll pop in here with some % recommendations for it.

Doing a Search of the Random DIY and More thread for "Pistachio" might be of some help, too.

 

[JCinFLA]

There are 35 results there, but trying to post a link to them for you, didn't work.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

I searched around here a little and there are a lot of recipes using a pistachio cream, and a lot of older recipes. I'm wondering how some of the newer flavor companies are liked, or maybe TFA has still got it goin' on for pistachio.
I want to make some pistachio as a main flavor liquids like custard but also plan on a pistachio butterscotch and want to experiment with a combo of fresh pear and pistachio with a touch of honey. That would be a nice one to try some of that Brie I've been reading about.... Hm ideas...

 

[uthinkofsomething]

want to experiment with a combo of fresh pear and pistachio with a touch of honey

While I'm at it if anyone has suggestions for a good fresh sweet green pear, I'm listening and appreciative.

 

[mcduffy]

It depends what you mean by pistachio.

FlavourArt pistachio has the flavor of eating an actual pistachio nut. TFA has the bitter almond flavor that's used in pistachio flavored pudding and ice cream, which seems to be the flavor that the majority of posters are referring to when they say pistachio

 

[uthinkofsomething]

It depends what you mean by pistachio.

FlavourArt pistachio has the flavor of eating an actual pistachio nut. TFA has the bitter almond flavor that's used in pistachio flavored pudding and ice cream, which seems to be the flavor that the majority of posters are referring to when they say pistachio

I want the green part not the nut part, something wholly different from an almond or hazelnut flavor.

 

[Spydro]

I've used TFA Pistachio in my DIY kit for years, have tried it in numerous recipes and settled on a few that I mix when in the mood for one of them. Some folks have said that the TFA Pistachio is not the true nut flavor, but more like a dessert flavor. My answer to that... I lived about 35 miles from where obtaining Pistachio nuts at the source in season was quite easy and bought them all the time to eat fresh as a nut. The DIY I've made with TFA Pistachio brings back the memories of eating those fresh nuts every year by the gunny sack full. Hmmmm, I wonder if they are already sold out (they harvest them from late Aug into Sept there). Kind of makes me want to drive the 250 miles round trip to find out.

About 2 months ago I mixed TFA Pistachio with the OSDIY Lotta Lattee referred to above, and found a mix that works for my vaping style/personal taste with just these two additives in my nic free VG Heavy base.

The current other one I have mixed and am vaping right now (Pistachio Light Cream) includes TFA Pistachio, TFA Bavarian Cream, TFA Smooth. TFA Sweetener and FA Marshmallow.

 

[glasseye]

While I'm at it if anyone has suggestions for a good fresh sweet green pear, I'm listening and appreciative.

Inawera makes a very good pear. It isn't overly sweet, kind of like a still-a-bit-crunchy pear as opposed to very-sweet-and-soft pear.
They also just came out with a pistachio called Green Joy. Probably not in the states yet. I just got some today from Poland and it smells deeeeeeelicious. Mixed some up but I won't try it for a few days. The descriptions have it as pistachio cream (or ice cream). Some of them say it also has a bit of wafer taste. If I remember (haha) to report back on taste, I will.

 

[JCinFLA]

My answer to that... I lived about 35 miles from where obtaining Pistachio nuts at the source in season was quite easy and bought them all the time to eat fresh as a nut. The DIY I've made with TFA Pistachio brings back the memories of eating those fresh nuts every year by the gunny sack full.

Ah...another pistachio lover! I've loved them since I was about 5 and would buy tiny bags for a dime from a corner drugstore. I had a red thumb and forefinger frequently the whole time I was growing up, because they were always dyed red then. About 20 years ago, a store had their cans of them marked wrong ($1.19 instead of $3.19)...and I bought all 26 cans they had! Every birthday and Christmas I get at least 5-6 pounds of them as gifts. Just last week...my Mom bought me 8 pounds as part of my gift from her!

Of course, I've never had any "right from the source" fresh. But, I do my best to eat the heck out of them anyway!

I have the TFA Pistachio, but haven't made anything with it yet, for fear that it would be a big letdown compared to the real pistachio nuts. But...after reading your post I'll have to try it maybe this coming week. What % are you using for each of the flavorings in your Pistachio Light Cream?

 

[Spydro]

Ah...another pistachio lover! I've loved them since I was about 5 and would buy tiny bags for a dime from a corner drugstore. I had a red thumb and forefinger frequently the whole time I was growing up, because they were always dyed red then. About 20 years ago, a store had their cans of them marked wrong ($1.19 instead of $3.19)...and I bought all 26 cans they had! Every birthday and Christmas I get at least 5-6 pounds of them as gifts. Just last week...my Mom bought me 8 pounds as part of my gift from her!

Of course, I've never had any "right from the source" fresh. But, I do my best to eat the heck out of them anyway!

I have the TFA Pistachio, but haven't made anything with it yet, for fear that it would be a big letdown compared to the real pistachio nuts. But...after reading your post I'll have to try it maybe this coming week. What % are you using for each of the flavorings in your Pistachio Light Cream?

Well, I haven't had any of those 'fresh' pistachios from that small farm for over 20 years simply because I have not stopped at it the few times I have driven thru that area for that long. Thought about it sometimes when driving thru there, but it wasn't at the right time of the season.

TFA Pistachio can become 'chemical' if used at too high of a percentage. Solo @1%-5% and mixed @2%-6% is a recommended guide for it. I use somewhere around midway+/- depending on what it's mixed with.

In my PLC, Bavarian Cream is at the highest percentage, followed by Pistachio, then Marshmallow with Sweetener and Smooth being the lowest percentage for a total of 11% flavor. You already know that I'm not into sweet vapes... so the later two S's are just used as minimal additives that bring the recipe together.

By my normal 'in your face' DIY recipe standards this is a very mild and pleasant vape that you could chain vape into oblivion with no harshness.

 

[madstabber]

Tfa pistachio is a great flavoring. I haven’t tried others but I’m a big fan of Tfa’s. I mix it at 3% and don’t go higher then 5%. I mix it with tobacco, cake, and/or vanilla flavorings. Really a solid flavoring to have and I agree with the others who say it’s a genuine pistachio flavor and not artificial. I love pistachios and eat them whenever the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Spydro]

I'm not a fan of overstated recipes with so many additives in them you almost need a road map to navigate them (this one is using 26% flavor). Nor do I make or use other folks recipes... I prefer to find my own that fit my personal tastes and vaping style. That said, I've had this semi elaborate one for TFA Pistachio found here on ECF someplace a year or two ago tucked away with the intent of reworking it eventually as it does have merit with mostly additives in it that can complement each other quite well IMO.

12.5% Pistachio TFA
5% French Vanilla V2 CAP
3% Bavarian Cream TFA
2% Vanilla Swirl TFA
1% Sweet Cream TFA
1% Whipped Cream FA
1% Sweetener TFA
.5 Amaretto Almond TFA

For my uses anyway the Pistachio is at a way too high percentage of the mix. Just off the top of my head I'd probably start by kicking it back to 3.5-4%, increase the Bavarian Cream to about 5%, (maybe cut back the Vanilla a little) leave the others as they are (or maybe kick up the Amaretto some) for a first test batch.

It's not high on my priority list at the moment, but maybe this will spark some interest for someone else to work with it.

Ah...another pistachio lover! I've loved them since I was about 5 and would buy tiny bags for a dime from a corner drugstore. I had a red thumb and forefinger frequently the whole time I was growing up, because they were always dyed red then.

This made me chuckle when I first read it. I had forgot about them being dyed red or green many years ago to hide the color imperfections( from harvesting them). I meant to say so before but closed the post without doing so. Thanks for that memory JC.

BTW, the gunny sacks I got at that small farm held 50# of Pistachio's. So there was lots of love in them there bags.

 

[IDJoel]

The following recipe (posted by @tc1) was my first attempt at using a pistachio concentrate. It was an immediate favorite; and was a go-to mix for nearly a year (until it became too sweet for my mending palate).

Scutch

7% Double RY4 TFA
3% Butterscotch TFA (some may want to adjust this lower)
3% Pistachio TFA
3% Vanilla Swirl TFA
2% Bavarian Cream TFA
2% Caramel Candy TFA

(original ECF thread; for flavor notes, and subs)

I also found TFA Toasted Almond, TFA Pecan, and TFA Hazelnut, all suitable substitutes for the pistachio. And... each sub made a unique, and equally pleasant vape.

 

[JCinFLA]

BTW, the gunny sacks I got at that small farm held 50# of Pistachio's. So there was lots of love in them there bags.

OMG! #50 of pistachios
I can't imagine having that many, but I'm sure I could've dealt with them all! Would probably feel like a deliriously happy squirrel with a lifetime supply of acorns!

 

[Spydro]

OMG! #50 of pistachios
I can't imagine having that many, but I'm sure I could've dealt with them all! Would probably feel like a deliriously happy squirrel with a lifetime supply of acorns!

Guess I shouldn't tell you about the truck loads of pine nuts (& pine gum), blackberries, cactus apples, cholla buds, mesquite beans and pods (and a bunch of other wild tasty treats) I could collect very close to home when I lived in that area as well.

 

[JCinFLA]

Guess I shouldn't tell you about the truck loads of pine nuts (& pine gum), blackberries, cactus apples, cholla buds, mesquite beans and pods (and a bunch of other wild tasty treats) I could collect very close to home when I lived in that area as well

That's OK...I'm not familiar with, or don't eat, those things. But the pistachios...it would have been worth living there just for them, to me!

Here I get/pick the following, all within 1/2 mile-7 miles of me: blueberries (3 varieties), oranges (4-5 varieties), grapefruit, honeybells, zipper peas, blackeye peas, conk peas, corn, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, bell peppers, squash, peaches (3 varieties), and okra. The underlined things I don't like, but I get them for neighbors & other friends who physically can't go pick them for themselves. Guess most every location has certain "perks", as far as what's locally available.

Problem with having all the above available in season though...is that I need more than the 12cu. ft. of freezer space that I have, especially with a stockpile of nic base stored, too!

 

[Spydro]

That's OK...I'm not familiar with, or don't eat, those things. But the pistachios...it would have been worth living there just for them, to me!

Here I get/pick the following, all within 1/2 mile-7 miles of me: blueberries (3 varieties), oranges (4-5 varieties), grapefruit, honeybells, zipper peas, blackeye peas, conk peas, corn, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, bell peppers, squash, peaches (3 varieties), and okra. The underlined things I don't like, but I get them for neighbors & other friends who physically can't go pick them for themselves. Guess most every location has certain "perks", as far as what's locally available.

Problem with having all the above available in season though...is that I need more than the 12cu. ft. of freezer space that I have, especially with a stockpile of nic base stored, too!

'Guess most every location has certain "perks", as far as what's locally available.'
I agree. By most folks don't take the time to learn what they can harvest there. "Living off the land" so to speak to supplement store bought can be a fun outing for the whole family with very nutritious extra tasty rewards.

The Mojave Desert is quite bountiful in wild edibles, but not as much so as all the years I lived in the high Rockies. And even the Rockies where near everything in nature can be utilized can't compare to the years I lived in Carmel by the Sea on the central California coast. Endless fresh seafood collected wild year round starting from right across the street from the house for the tastiest rewards ever (according to my palate).

 

[glasseye]

The INW Green Joy (pistachio cream) is really very good SO. I don't get wafer like some reviewers said. Just pistachio cream, not quite pudding, not really ice cream either. I can taste *a little* almond/marzipanyish thing in the background. So take that with a grain of salt as I've never tried the TFA Pistachio, also probably not available in the states for a bit.

 

[Spydro]

Pistachio love in a Topside.