I do like nuts though. My favourites are cashews and peanuts, the salted kind. I also like walnuts, almonds, Brazils, pistachios, pecans and macadamias. Pecans and macadamias are my BMWs of nuts. They are more expensive and less readily stocked in the supermarkets where I live in Kuala Lumpur. But, readily buyable online. For my husband and me, that was the one upside of the many lockdowns – discovering nuts online.
My in-shell walnuts were the inspiration for this post. I had ordered shelled walnuts or so I thought until I opened the packaging to find not-shelled walnuts. My first thought was how am I going to break the shell without a nutcracker. Strangely (just like in the movies), I got transported to the few Christmases that I’ve had in England. A variety of nuts in a bowl and a nutcracker always sat on a corner table with other festive offerings of biscuits, chocolates, cakes and mints at my parents-in-law.
What to do? I used my hand to try to crack one open. Surprisingly it broke apart instantly. Splinters of shell and crumbled walnut meat scattered all over the kitchen top. I was a little heavy handed simply because I didn’t expect the shell to be as thin as it was. No complaints as shelling the walnuts was no longer a problem. In-shell walnuts make a nice change but they require a bit of work and are a tad messy. My next walnut order will surely be shelled.
My nut-interest was piqued. Apparently, there are two predominant types of walnuts. The English walnuts. Which are also called Persian walnuts because of their Middle East origin. They are light gold in colour, have a mild flavour and come with softer shells that are easier to shell. I’m sure that’s what I inadvertently bought. The other is Black walnuts from the US. Darker with stronger, earthier flavours, they have very hard shells that make them more difficult to shell[1]
Next, my top favourite is the cashewnut. Cashews are actually fruits that come from the cashew tree. Through a variety of complex processes, they are turned into ‘nuts’ sold in shops. The entire journey of the cashew is complex[3]. The complexity is very likely because… raw cashews come concealed in a double shell which contains a resin called urushiol. It’s toxic to consume … the resin is used to make brake liners and auto paint[4]. Cashews are in the same plant family as poison ivy[5].
My other favourite – peanuts. Peanuts don’t grow on trees like other nuts, but grow underground. This I know from the Ngan Yin peanuts (the thumbs up brand) sold locally. Peanuts grow alongside beans and peas. Are classified as legumes and not tree nuts as their seeds are enclosed within pods[6]. In 2018, the global consumption of peanuts was approximately 42.6 million metric tons, making peanuts the most popular nut consumed in the world[7]. And, about 540 peanuts make a 12-ounce/340gm jar of peanut butter[8].
This I didnt know. Brazil nuts don’t come from Brazil. Most of them are from Bolivia. Just like Japanese nuts don’t come from Japan but from Mexico. Cashews should be called Brazil nuts as cashews do originate from Brazil[9]. Hmm…
Almonds, meanwhile, need honeybees to pollinate them so they can grow[10]. Also, 40% of the world’s almonds are bought by chocolate manufacturers. Because not many people like almonds on its own unless they are accompanied by a layer of sweet chocolates. I am one of them. Pistachio is known as “happy nut” in Chinese but “smiling nut” in Iran. Nice. Green-faced pistachio is green thanks to the high antioxidant content! This has been attributed to the chlorophyll content, similar to other vegetable [11].
Pecans are one of the most antioxidant-rich nuts. Rich in vitamin E, they are usually ranked in the top 15 of all antioxidant rich foods[12]. Macadamias are the most expensive nuts in the world, at $25/RM105 per pound. The flowering macadamia trees originated in North-eastern Australia and take 7 to 10 years to begin producing nuts. The nuts can only be harvested a few times a year[13]. A likely factor as to why it’s expensive. This is important to know – macadamias are toxic to dogs. They can cause weakness, depression, vomiting in dogs[14].
Nuts are yummy to eat. And, they provide an interesting read.
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