| Since the earliest of time and even before | | | | already de-shelled. Macadamia nuts also are valued |
| agriculture was used by the Greeks to have | | | | for their oil and the macadamia nut butter.They |
| better food resources, `Nuts' were a stable food | | | | are available roasted and salted. When buying |
| and nutritional source in the diet of manhood in | | | | macadamia nuts, give care that they are packed |
| the dark ages. During those times, nuts were | | | | in a air tight or vacuum bags, as they become |
| plentiful, as there were much more forests as | | | | easily rancid once opened.Macadamia nuts are |
| today, and well liked for their easy storage, which | | | | used for confectioneries or as snacks, but also |
| enabled people to keep them for times in which | | | | gain in popularity in the kitchen as they have a |
| food was hard to find. (Winter, rainy season, | | | | very mild and subtle taste and add texture to |
| etc)There is evidence that as far back as the | | | | salads, and hot dishes. It's oil makes excellent |
| second century B.C., the Romans distributed sugar | | | | vinaigrette and cold sauces.WATER |
| almonds on special occasions such as marriages | | | | CHESTNUTSThe name refers to a nut like tuber |
| and births.Nuts have their place in all cultures and | | | | of a aquatic plant called Trapa. The plants are |
| through almost all cuisine around the world. Nuts | | | | common to several parts of the world, but are |
| are liked by people of all ages for their subtle | | | | mainly used in Japan, China and Thailand where it |
| taste and high fat and carbohydrate content. It is | | | | is also a sought after ingredient in it's cuisines.The |
| this subtle taste that Chefs like when creating | | | | trapa plant roots in ponds and lakes and sends, its' |
| new dishes and variations.DESCRIPTION & | | | | leaves to the surface, similar to a water lily. The |
| SPECIESUnder the category nuts, we understand | | | | water chestnut grows on the roots underneath |
| anything from a seed to a legume or tuber. The | | | | the water surface. Water chestnuts are flat and |
| peanut, as an example, is a legume, the Brazil nut | | | | round with a diameter of 5 - 7cm. They have a |
| and macadamia nut are seeds and almonds are | | | | soft black skin and white flesh similar to the flesh |
| the seed of a fruit similar to a peach.Botanically | | | | of a coconut. Once peeled, they can be eaten |
| nuts are single seeded fruits with a hard or | | | | raw, or dried and are a well liked ingredient |
| leathery shell that contain a edible kernel, which is | | | | because its crunchy texture, and sweet subtle |
| enclosed in a soft inner skin.Generally, all nut trees | | | | taste. Water chestnuts are also boiled and made |
| grow slowly but live long. Trees of walnut, | | | | into flour, which is used for thickening of sauces |
| chestnut or pecan continue to produce nuts, often | | | | and dishes, much like |
| more than hundred years after planting.Nut trees | | | | cornstarch.CHESTNUTChestnuts are thought to |
| of any species are found all over the world. | | | | have originated in Southern Europe and Persia |
| Almonds for example are found in California, | | | | even though they are also found in China, Japan |
| Spain, Morocco, Italy and even Australia, where as | | | | and Northern America.The nuts of the chestnut |
| the walnut can be found anywhere from North | | | | tree have a brown shiny color and leathery shell. |
| America to the Andes and Persia to Australia. | | | | they can be eaten raw, but mostly are consume |
| Asia also has a great variety of nuts. Ginkgo nuts | | | | boiled, baked or roasted or as a chestnut puree |
| in China, candle nuts in Indonesia and Malaysia, | | | | sweetened or unsweetened. They are also sold in |
| coconut in throughout southern Asia, cashew nuts | | | | syrup as marron glaces.Chestnuts are the only |
| in India and Malaysia and the Philippines, chestnuts | | | | nuts, which are treated like a vegetable because |
| in China and Japan, and the water chestnut which | | | | they contain more starch (30%) and less fat |
| is found in China, Japan, Korea and the East | | | | 3%.Chestnuts are also made into a flour high on |
| Indies.SOME OF THE BETTER KNOWN | | | | fiber and starch.CASHEW NUTOriginating in the |
| NUTS:ALMONDScientist consider the almond as a | | | | West Indies and native to the north of Brazil, |
| stone fruit, much like cherries, peaches and | | | | Portuguese explorers introduced the nut to India |
| prunes.Because most people only know the seed | | | | and Malaysia as well as parts of Africa.The |
| (stone) of this fruit, it is generally accepted as a | | | | hard-shelled nut grows inside the cashew apple. |
| nut.Almond on the tree, look like small green | | | | When mature the cashew nut appears at the end |
| peaches. When ripe the shell will open and reveal | | | | of the red or yellow apple. The cashew tree is a |
| the nut in its shell.There are various varieties of | | | | member of the poison ivy family and farmers |
| almonds.The bitter almond is in fact the kernel of | | | | must take great precautions when extracting the |
| the apricot, which was found growing wild in China | | | | nuts. The hard shell contains an oil, which irritates |
| as far back as the late Tang Dynasty (AD | | | | the skin, so the nuts are heated to extract the |
| 619-907).This same apricot was taken to Europe | | | | kernel. The smoke and steam, which occurs |
| and became the apricot fruit, which is now | | | | however may still be harmful to skin and eyes. |
| enjoyed all over the world. The bitter almond | | | | When heated the cashew nuts are harmless and |
| kernel is toxic in its raw state and must be boiled | | | | may be extracted.GINKGO NUTThe ginkgo is the |
| quickly and poached in a oven before being | | | | prehistoric maidenhair tree, which survives as a |
| further used. It is primarily used in Chinese | | | | wild tree only in China.The fruit looks like a tiny |
| desserts like the almond bean curd.The sweet | | | | plum but has a foul and bitter shell. the Chinese |
| almond is generally confined for fresh | | | | wait for the smelly hull to full off, then paint the |
| consumption. In 1986, California alone produced | | | | nuts and use them for festive decorations, before |
| 70,000 tons of almonds, which is half of the | | | | they crack them open to eat the nut. In Japan |
| world's production. The almond has been cultivated | | | | and Korea, ginkgo nuts are skewered and then |
| around the Mediterranean since ancient times and | | | | grilled, which turns the nuts color from yellow to |
| can still be found wild in Algeria and around the | | | | green. In China, the ginkgo nut is a popular |
| black sea. Sweet almonds can be bought whole, | | | | ingredient to vegetarian dishes. The nuts can be |
| shelled, cut in 1/2 with skin, without skin, flaked, | | | | obtained fresh or canned.HAZELNUT |
| blanched, slivered ground roasted or salted. they | | | | FILBERTSThe nut of the hazel bush is native to |
| are used for snacks, marzipan, confectionery, and | | | | Europe and North America and was mentioned in |
| desserts as well as for the production of liqueur | | | | writings as far back as 2838 B.C., and was |
| essence, oil and cosmetic products.BUNYA BUNYA | | | | credited of currying many human ills as well as |
| PINE NUTThe bunya bunya tree is a member of | | | | being considered excellent for Boldness and use |
| the pine family and grows almost everywhere in | | | | as a hair tonic. Some say that the name filbert |
| Australia. Originally the trees originated in the area | | | | comes from Saint Philibert, a French abbot whose |
| of Brisbane and Rockhampton in Queensland | | | | feast day on 22 August coincides with the |
| Australia. Only the female trees are producing a | | | | ripening of the first nuts in the Northern |
| 2cm x 2.5cm nut in the pinecone.In the old days, | | | | hemisphere.Hazelnuts have a very hard shell, |
| the bunya bunya pine nuts were stable food for | | | | which has to be cracked by a nutcracker before |
| the aborigines and also used in ceremonials. These | | | | getting to the kernel. Hazelnuts are available, raw, |
| days, the nuts gain in popularity through the trend | | | | blanched, or toasted, chopped, ground, cooking as |
| of native food in Australia (bush food) in recent | | | | well as hazelnut liquor.PEANUTThe peanut is not a |
| years.The nut is rich is carbohydrate, similar to | | | | true nut. It is the seed of a leguminous plant with |
| the chestnut, and therefore used more like a | | | | a soft, brownish colored brittle shell and belong to |
| potato than a nut. the bunya bunya nuts can be | | | | the Botanical family of beans and peas. But they |
| eaten raw but are usually boiled for easy | | | | are usually considered along with the nuts because |
| removing of the skin. Shelled nuts are then butter | | | | of they're physical characteristics and nutritional |
| fried and flavored with pepper or sugar, or added | | | | value. The nuts grow on the long roots of the |
| to stews and soups.RED BOPPLE NUTThe red | | | | plant and below the ground. The peanut is native |
| bopple nuts are a relative of the macadamia nut, | | | | to Brazil and has been found there ever since the |
| and native to the tropical rain forest of the East | | | | first recording in 950 B.C..Today, peanuts are |
| Coast of Australia.The nut is about the same size | | | | cultivated throughout the tropics all over the |
| as a hazelnut and has a thick (0.5cm 0 1cm), | | | | world (India, China, West Africa, Australia and the |
| woody husk with a bright red outer skin, which | | | | USA are the largest peanut growing countries). |
| only appears if the nut is fully ripe.In contrary to | | | | Peanuts produce excellent oil, which is used for |
| most other nuts, the red bopple nut is very low | | | | salads and cold dishes as well as for frying. |
| on fat, but very high in calcium and potassium. the | | | | Peanuts also produce peanut butter, margarine, |
| low fat content make this nut very easy | | | | and also used in canning of sardines. Peanuts are |
| digestible. The nuts are eaten raw or | | | | available whole, de-shelled and de-skinned and raw |
| toasted.COCONUT"He who plants a coconut tree", | | | | or toasted. Peanuts are used in all different |
| the saying goes, "plants food and drink, vessels | | | | varieties in everything from salads to main |
| and clothing, a habitation for himself and a heritage | | | | courses and desserts.PINENUTThese are the |
| for his children". Indeed every part of the coconut | | | | edible seed of the pine tree and grow in the cone. |
| is used, but only the coconut milk and the coconut | | | | Pine trees are found in the Southern USA, Mexico |
| meat are foods. The shell is used as charcoal, the | | | | and around the Mediterranean sea. It is very |
| husk is used to make ropes, clothing and brushes, | | | | difficult to establish a pinenut industry as the trees |
| and the trunk of the tree and leaves are used for | | | | are growing very slow and don't carry a lot of |
| roofs of houses and building material | | | | fruits until they're 75 years old.Pine nuts are |
| respectively.The fruit of the palm `cocos nucifera' | | | | mostly obtained raw and then toasted, fried or |
| has an edible kernel and therefore qualifies as a | | | | grilled. Pine nut oil is used for the cosmetic |
| nut. The palm tree is native to the Philippines, | | | | industry. Pine nut flour is used in |
| Malaysia, Brazil and Indonesia, and can produce 50 | | | | confectionery.PISTACHIO NUTThe pistachio nut is |
| - 100 nuts a year, over a life span of 70 years. | | | | a small green kernel, which grows on the pistachio |
| Coconut palms grow best close to the seaside | | | | tree originating in Syria, Palestine and Persia.The |
| but have been proven to withstand high altitude, | | | | natural color of the shell is grayish white, but |
| although the production rate is diminishing as | | | | some times the nuts are dyed red to cover up |
| further away from the sea the tree grows.The | | | | some of the staining.The pistachio nut is now |
| large thick green pod encloses a brown fibrous | | | | cultivated in India, Europe, North Africa, Mexico, |
| husk around a brown shell , which contains a layer | | | | the USA and the Far East. Pistachios are usually |
| of soft white flesh and the clear water in the | | | | sold in their shell or shelled and blanched.The |
| center. Sub-species found only on one island of | | | | greenish seed is used as flavoring in cooking, |
| the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, produces a | | | | candies and ice cream.WALNUTThe walnut is |
| nut often weighing more than 20 kg, which needs | | | | related to the hickory and pecan tree and grows |
| 10 years to ripen.Coconuts are the worlds most | | | | anywhere from North America to the Andes and |
| commercially used nuts. Especially the meat, or | | | | Europe to China. English walnuts, butternuts and |
| copra, as it is called after sun drying, is vital for | | | | hickory nuts are all walnuts, botanical speaking. All |
| the export industries, in coconut growing | | | | those walnuts have different shells and kernels |
| countries. The coconut is a important food source | | | | but the English walnut with it's rough, rippled shell |
| especially in South East Asia, India, Brazil and the | | | | and yellow brown kernel is the most popular and |
| South Pacific Islands.The copra can be brought | | | | popularly referred to as `The Walnut'.Walnuts are |
| shredded or desiccated and is used in | | | | bought in the shell or de-shelled and are sought |
| confectioneries, ice creams and to coat chicken or | | | | after for their oil, which is used for cooking as |
| fish for frying. However much of it is pressed for | | | | well as for salads and dressing.OTHER |
| its oil also called coconut butter as it is white and | | | | COMMONLY USED NUTS INCLUDE: |
| fatty at room temperature. Not only is it used for | | | | Macadamia Nuts ) |
| cooking and to make margarine, but it also goes | | | | Bunya Bunya Pine Nuts ) Australia |
| into soaps, detergents, shampoos, face cream, | | | | Red Bobble Nut ) |
| perfumes and candles.It is also a major ingredient | | | | Candle Nut ) Malaysia |
| in glycerin, synthetic rubber, safety glass and | | | | Palm Nut ) Philippines, |
| hydraulic brake fluid. Coconut juice or milk is the | | | | Brazil |
| natural juice of the nut, but not the water inside | | | | Coconut ) Indonesia,China |
| the coconut. It is won by shredding the raw | | | | Water Chestnut ) |
| coconut meat, then adding water and straining the | | | | Brazil Nuts ) South America |
| mixture through a cotton cloth. The coconut milk | | | | Beech Nuts ) USA |
| has then the consistency and color of skim milk | | | | Pecan Nuts ) North America NUTRITIONAL |
| and is available canned or frozen.CANDLE NUTThe | | | | VALUE AND INFORMATIONNuts are rich in fat |
| candle nut gets her name, from when threaded | | | | (40-60%) and dietary fiber (5-15%) with |
| tightly on the midrib of a palm leaf it has been | | | | moderate amount of protein (2-25%) and small |
| used a primitive candle. More recently, the nuts | | | | amounts of starch (up to 10%). As mentioned |
| were grounded to a paste, mixed with copra | | | | above chestnuts are an exemption to this general |
| (grated coconut meat) and ten formed into a | | | | rule.The fats in nuts are mostly monounsaturated |
| candle.Candlenuts are the seed of the candle | | | | and polyunsaturated and contain no cholesterol as |
| berry tree native to Indonesia and Malaysia but | | | | nuts are harvested from plants. Only the coconut |
| widely spread throughout south East Asia, the | | | | and palm nut contain saturated fats.Significant |
| South Pacific and Sri Lanka.The nut has a very | | | | amounts of minerals can be found in nuts, including |
| high content on fat and is valued for the | | | | zinc, calcium, iron, phosphorus and |
| extracted oil for lighting as well as cooking. The | | | | magnesium.They also contain some provitamins |
| nut is colored gray to black, about 5cm in | | | | and vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and |
| diameter, with a thin, papery husk containing one | | | | vitamin E & C.Nuts contain very little natural |
| or two nuts.Candlenut oil for lighting purposes is | | | | sodium and have a high amount of potassium, |
| extracted by roasting the nuts when they are | | | | which in this constellation is recommended for the |
| only half ripe as oil for cooking is extracted by | | | | control of blood pressure.Unfortunately nuts are |
| roasting the nuts when they are fully ripe. For | | | | often sold salted as snacks, which upsets this |
| human consumption, the nuts have to be roasted | | | | natural balance, and by a over consummation of |
| as raw once have been causing sicknesses.Ripe | | | | salted nuts people take in a lot of fat and |
| candle nuts are roasted, then pounded into a meal | | | | salt.Nuts are also a great source of energy and |
| and mixed with salt, chilies or shrimp paste for | | | | often used in diets for athletes.Used in moderate |
| usage in curries or as a spicy condiment to | | | | amounts, nuts in unsalted forms are nutritionally |
| curries. Traditionally, the Javanese have roasted | | | | valuable food.USAGE OF NUTS FOR THE |
| the nuts for eating in the whole.PALM NUTThe | | | | PROFESSIONAL CHEFOne does not know where |
| palmyra palm native to most South East Asian | | | | to start where to compile information about the |
| Countries produces a hard, shiny nut, from which | | | | usage of nuts and nut related product in today's |
| a sweetish sap or gel is extracted. While this sap | | | | hospitality. In the kitchens, there is no limit on the |
| is used in the Indonesian cuisine for soups and | | | | amount of dishes and creations a Chef can use |
| desserts, it is on other well known product that is | | | | nuts or nut products for. From appetizers to |
| begin produced out of the palmyra palm - The | | | | salads, soups and desserts, with cheese, fish, |
| Palm Sugar (gula melacca).There are not reliable | | | | pasta, meats and vegetables, nuts are very |
| data available on the nutritional value of the palm | | | | versatile and do not have a over powering flavor, |
| nut, but it is widely known that the fat is | | | | and its subtle taste and crunchy texture adopt |
| saturated.MACADAMIA NUTNative to Queensland | | | | early to almost all given products as a |
| and New South Wales in Australia, the macadamia | | | | supplement.Nut oils are also widely used for |
| nut takes its name from Dr John McAdam, a | | | | dressings, frying and flavoring of hot and cold |
| scientist and early promoter of the cultivation | | | | dishes. Nut liqueurs can be a welcome supplement |
| Australia.The macadamia trees are evergreen and | | | | to savory sauces as well as pastry sauces and |
| reach a height of up to 20 meters. The edible | | | | creams, marzipan and other nut pastes are often |
| seed of the silk oat tree has a very hard, light | | | | used to produced chocolates and confectionery |
| brown shell, 2 - 3cm in diameter.In 1888, | | | | items. In the Indian cuisine, a cashew nut paste is |
| macadamia trees have been planted in Hawaii | | | | often used for the thickening of curries and |
| where through careful cloning and hybridization, it | | | | sauces. Through the wide spread of different nuts |
| became an important commercial product.Today, | | | | around the world, nuts are used in almost all |
| macadamia nuts are also cultivated in South | | | | cuisines known and its nutritional value make it an |
| Africa, Zimbabwe, California and parts of South | | | | asset to so many diets since the ancient days.In |
| and Central America.It is very difficult to crack | | | | the beverage outlets, nuts are used in form of |
| the macadamia nut as it's shell is very hard and | | | | lacquers (Hazelnut, Almond) and liquid (coconut |
| so tight to the kernel that when cracked the nut | | | | Milk), and as snacks served with drinks (Salted |
| is smashed. In Hawaii, American scientist | | | | Nuts)Thomas Wenger is a Chef and Author his |
| developed a way of separating the kernel from | | | | career has spanned the globe for the past 25 |
| the shell by shrinking them in drying bins. They | | | | years. His keen interest in regional Asian cuisines, |
| then developed the first commercial cracker. It | | | | cultures and traditional cooking techniques, |
| was through these two developments that the | | | | combined with his background of a traditional |
| macadamia nut could be formed to the | | | | continental European culinary training, define his |
| commercial importance it has today.This is also | | | | cooking style and cuisine today. |
| the reason why macadamia nuts are only available | | | | |