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