Oh hell naw you were not. I love you for reminding me of that.
I agree that shelled pistachios get stale and soggy way faster than most of their brethren.
Also, I hope I am not the only freak who eats sunflower seeds whole. Unshelled. Especially the Ranch flavor ones. Mmm, trashy.
Nah, you’re not. I love them unshelled too. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone! I never heard of ranch flavor though–I’ll have to try that.
I believe that they used to dye them red to hide blemishes in the shell, for fear that people would notice the blemish and think something was wrong with it.
(Does quick search)
Ah yes, I think I learned that from Unca Cece himself:
They are sold in the shell to ensure life long employment for Kiwi the conure, who is a small parrot. His owner loves to eat pistachios, but shelling them makes her knuckles hurt. He loves to shell them, but is not interested in eating them. I saw them hanging out at the Michigan Renaissance fair: she handed him nuts, he popped the shell open, and she caught the pistachio to eat. Its one of those Miracle of Nature things.
David sunflower seeds have all this junk on their bags now about being a “seeder” - someone who takes the time to reap the simple rewards of orally cracking sunflower seeds one at a time to get to the precious meat inside. I always do a maniacal little inner-laugh when I read that, while popping seeds in my mouth a dozen at a time and crunching down with wild abandon. “Oh David!, if you only knew.”
Man, they have a new flavor now: Honey BBQ. The Holy Grail of snacking for us nonseeders.
Try one of the more upscale Publixes in our area. Look on or near the produce/sushi area. Heck, I’ll buy you a bag if I find one next time I’m in Publix, just to prove that they exist. You have to buy the beer, though. How’s your voice?
I see them shelled and the unshelled (both dyed red and natural) in the bulk section of Tops every time I go there. I think Tops supermarket might be an exclusively eastern store though, so you probably won’t find one in your area.
That is so cool. 
What kind was he? For that matter, what kind is yours? Mine is a mitred, named Sam.
[/bird hijack] 
Nothing can compare to honey roasted sunflower kernels. Pure heaven in a Planters bag! Haven’t seen any in years, though.
You mean, you pop them in your mouth, crunch them, and spit out the shell crumbs? Or you eat the shells? I didn’t think they were edible.
Still the same. I’ve had laryngitis for two months now. My GP doctor and an ENT specialist are both baffled. I think it’s because the oak trees are in bloom (I’m horribly allergic).
:dubious: I didn’t think there was oak pollen out here two months ago. Maybe you’ve got Diptheria?
I think it started as a cold – my doctor says he’s seen several kinds going around this past winter, and one kind causes laryngitis and hangs around four or five weeks – but my allergic reaction is what’s keeping me from getting over it. I had a throat culture taken for bacterial infections and it turned up nothing, so it’s probably not diphtheria, which is bacterial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diptheria). Whatever it is, it sucks. I can’t sing! 