gingkgo trees and pistachio nuts

[Jeff Sweeney]

It is fall.  The ginkgo trees in Chicago have lost their leaves and
some are laden with drupe.  I saw an elderly oriental couple
foraging for these fruits.  My curiosity was peaked so I found a one
and examined it.  By the time these hit the ground, the yellow pulp is
very soft, the skin is wrinkled, and the smell is ...well...
ginkgo-ish.  The seed husk is very hard, creamy white, and shaped
like a pistachio nut.  I have not opened the seed or tasted anything
yet.

I have read that both ginkgo trees and pistachio nuts are oriental.
I don't think the ginkgo nut is a pistachio nut, but are they
related?  Are ginkgo nuts edible?  Do they taste good?  How would you
prepare them?  I can't imagine eating the fruit pulp, but then we eat
many foods that I never would have tasted if left to my own devices.
-- 

Jeff                                     sweeney at dionheinz.uchicago.edu