Since the earliest of time and even before agriculture has been used from the Greeks to have better food sources,’Nuts’ have been a stable food and nutrient supply in the diet of manhood in the dark ages. During those occasions, nuts were plentiful, as there were much more woods as today, and well liked for their easy storage, that allowed individuals to keep them for occasions where food was difficult to discover.

Nuts have their place in most cultures and throughout virtually all cuisine across the world. Nuts are liked by men and women of all ages for their subtle taste and high fat and carbohydrate content. It’s this subtle taste that Chefs like when developing new dishes and variations.

DESCRIPTION & SPECIES

Under the group nuts, we all understand anything from a seed into a legume or tuber. The peanut, for example, is a legume, the Brazil nut and macadamia nut are almonds and seeds are the seed of a fruit much like a peach.

Botanically nuts are single-seeded fruits using a hard or leathery shell which contain an edible kernel, which is included in a soft inner skin.

Typically, all nut trees grow slowly but dwell long. Trees of walnut, chestnut or pecan continue to create nuts, often over hundred years following planting.

Nut trees of any species are found all over the world. Almonds such as are located in California, Spain, Morocco, Italy as well as Australia, where as the walnut can be found everywhere from North America to the Andes and Persia into Australia. Asia also has a fantastic number of nuts. Ginkgo nuts in China, candle blossoms in Indonesia and Malaysia, coconut in during southern Asia, cashew nuts in India and Malaysia and the Philippines, chestnuts in China and Japan, and the water chestnut which is located in China, Japan, Korea and the East Indies.

ALMOND

Scientist think about the almond for a stone fruit, much like cherries, peaches and prunes.

Because many people only know the seed (stone) of the fruit, it is generally called a nut.

Almond on the tree, look like little green berry. When ripe the casing will open and reveal the nut in its shell.

There are numerous assortments of almonds.

This same apricot was taken to Europe and became the apricot fruit, which is currently enjoyed all over the world. The bitter almond kernel is toxic in its raw state and have to be boiled promptly and invisibly in an oven before being further used. It is largely used in desserts like the almond bean curd.

The sweet almond is usually confined for fresh consumption. In 1986, California alone produced 70,000 tons of almonds, which will be half of earth ‘s production. The almond has been cultivated around the Mediterranean since ancient times and may still be found rampant in Algeria and round the darkened sea. Sweet almonds could be bought whole, shelled, cut in 1/2 with epidermis, without skin, flaked, blanched, slivered ground roasted or salted. they are used for snacks, marzipan, confectionery, and desserts as well as for the production of liqueur nature, cosmetic and oil solutions.

BUNYA BUNYA PINE NUT

The bunya bunya tree is a part of the pine family and grows almost everywhere in Australia. Only the female trees are creating a 2cm x 2.5cm nut at the pinecone.

In the old times, the bunya bunya pine nuts were stable meals for those aborigines and also used in ceremonials. These days, the nuts gain in popularity through the tendency of native food in Australia (bush food) in recent years.

The nut is rich in carbohydrate, like the chestnut, and therefore used similar to a potato than a nut. the bunya bunya nuts can be eaten raw but are usually boiled for simple removal of the skin. Shelled nuts are subsequently butter fried and flavored with pepper or sugar, or added to stews and soups.

RED BOPPLE NUT

The reddish bopple nuts are a relative of the macadamia nut, and indigenous to the tropical rain forests of the East Coast of Australia.

The nut is about the same size as a hazelnut and contains a thick (0.5cm 0 1cm), woody husk with a bright red outer skin, which only appears if the nut is fully ripe.

In contrary to most other nuts, the reddish bopple nut is very low on fat, but very high in potassium and calcium. The nuts are eaten raw or toasted.

COCONUT

Indeed each area of the coconut oil is utilized, but only the coconut milk and the coconut milk are foods. The casing can be used as charcoal, the husk is used to make ropes, brushes and clothing, and the trunk of this tree and leaves are used for roofs of homes and construction material respectively.

The fruit of the hands’cocos nucifera’ comes with a raw kernel and therefore qualifies as a nut. The palm tree is native to the Philippines, Malaysia, Brazil and Indonesia, and will produce 50 – 100 nuts per year, over a lifetime of 70 decades. Coconut palms grow best close to the beachfront but have been demonstrated to withstand high altitude, even though the manufacturing speed is diminishing as farther away in the sea that the tree develops.

The big thick green pod encloses a brown fibrous husk around a brown shell, which contains a layer of soft white flesh along with the clear water in the center. Sub-species found just on one island of the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, produces a nut frequently weighing more than 20 kg, which requires 10 years to ripen.

Coconuts are the worlds most commercially available employed nuts. Especially the meat, or copra, since it’s called after sun drying, is essential for its export industries, in coconut growing countries.

The copra could be brought shredded or desiccated and is used in confectioneries, ice creams and also to coat chicken or fish for frying. However much of it is pressed because of its oil also referred to as coconut butter as it’s white and fatty at room temperature. Not only is it used for cooking and also to make margarine, but it also goes into soaps, detergents, shampoos, face cream, candles and perfumes.

It’s also a major component in glycerin, artificial rubber, security glass and hydraulic brake fluid. Coconut juice or milk is the pure juice of this nut, although not the water inside the coconut. It is won by shredding the raw coconut meat, then including water and straining the mixture through a cotton fabric. The coconut milk has the consistency and color of skim milk and can be obtained frozen or canned.

CANDLE NUT

The candle nut receives her name, from when threaded tightly on the midrib of a palm leaf it’s been used a crude candle. More lately, the nuts were grounded to a paste, mixed with copra (grated coconut meat) and then formed into a candle.

Candlenuts would be the seed of this candle berry tree native to Indonesia and Malaysia but broadly spread throughout south East Asia, the South Pacific and Sri Lanka.

The nut has quite a high material of fat and can be appreciated for its extracted oil for light as well as cooking. The nut is colored gray to black, about 5cm in diameter, using a thin, papery husk containing one or two nuts.

Candlenut oil for lighting purposes is expressed by roasting the nuts when they are only half ripe as oil for cooking is extracted by massaging the nuts when they’re fully ripe. For human consumption, the nuts need to be roasted as raw once have been causing sicknesses.

Ripe candle nuts are roasted, then pounded into a meal and mixed with salt, chilies or shrimp paste for usage in curries or as a spicy condiment to curries. Traditionally, the Javanese have roasted the nuts for ingestion in the entire.

PALM NUT

The palmyra palm native to most South East Asian Countries creates a tough, glistening nut, where a sweetish gel or sap is expressed. Though this sap is used in the cuisine for desserts and sauces, it is on other well known product that is begin produced from the palmyra palm – The Palm Sugar (July Malacca).

You will find not reliable data readily available on the nutritional value of this hands nut, but it’s widely known that the fat is saturated.

MACADAMIA NUT

The macadamia trees are evergreen and attain a height of around 20 meters. The seed of this lace oat tree has an extremely hard, light brown casing, 2 – 3cm in diameter.

In 1888, macadamia trees have been planted in Hawaii where through cautious cloning and hybridization, it became an important industrial product.

It’s quite difficult to crack the macadamia nut since it’s shell is quite difficult and so tight to the kernel that if cracked the nut is crushed. In Hawaii, American scientist created a way of dividing the kernel from the shell by decreasing them in drying bins. Then they developed the first business cracker. It was through these two developments the macadamia nut can be shaped to the commercial importance it has today.

This is also the main reason why macadamia nuts are just available today de-shelled.

They are available roasted and salted. When purchasing macadamia nuts, take good care that they are packed with a air tight or vacuum bags, as they become easily rancid once opened.

Macadamia nuts are used for confectioneries or as snacks, but also gain in popularity in the kitchen as they have a very mild and subtle flavor and add texture to salads, and hot dishes. It’s oil makes excellent vinaigrette and cold sauces.

WATER CHESTNUTS

The title refers to some nut like tuber of an aquatic plant named Trapa. The plants are common to a number of parts of the world but are mainly utilized in Japan, China and Thailand in which it is additionally sought after ingredient in it’s cuisines.

The rape plant roots in ponds and lakes and transmits, its’ leaves to the surface, very similar to a water lily. The water chestnut grows on the roots beneath the water surface. They’ve a soft black skin and white flesh similar to the flesh of a coconutoil. Once peeled, they are sometimes eaten raw, or dried and are a well enjoyed ingredient since of its crispy texture, also sweet, subtle taste. Water chestnuts are also boiled and made into flour, which is used for thickening of dishes and sauces, much like cornstarch.

CHESTNUT

Chestnuts are considered to have originated from Southern Europe and Persia even though they’re also located in China, Japan and Northern America.

The blossoms of the chestnut tree have a brown, glistening color and leathery shell. They may be eaten raw, but mostly are consuming boiled, baked or roasted or as a chestnut puree sweetened or unsweetened. They are also sold in syrup because of marron glaces.

Chestnuts are the sole nuts, which can be treated like a vegetable because they contain more starch (30%) and much less fat 3%.

Chestnuts can also be made to a flour high on starch and fiber.

CASHEW NUT

Originating in the West Indies and indigenous to the north of Brazil, Portuguese explorers introduced the nut to India and Malaysia as well as parts of Africa.

The hard-shelled nut grows inside the cashew apple. When older the cashew nut seems in the conclusion of the yellow or red apple. The cashew tree is a member of the poison ivy family and farmers need to take great precautions when extracting the nuts. The hard shell includes an oil, which disrupts the skin, hence the nuts are heated to extract the kernel. The smoke and steam, which happens however may continue to be harmful to skin and eyes. When heated the cashew nuts are benign and may be extracted.

GINKGO NUT

The ginkgo is that the ancient maidenhair tree, which survives as a wild tree only in China.

The fruit looks like a very small plum but has a foul and bitter shell. The Chinese wait for the smelly hull to complete off, then paint the nuts and use them to get festive decorations, before they crack them open to eat the nut. The nuts are available fresh or canned.

HAZELNUT/FILBERTS

The nut of the hazel bush is indigenous to Europe and North America and was mentioned in writings as far back as 2838 B.C., also has been imputed to currying many individual ills in addition to being considered outstanding for Boldness and use as a hair strand. Some state that the title filbert stems from Saint Philibert, a French abbot whose feast day on 22 August coincides with the ripening of their first nuts at the Northern hemisphere.

Hazelnuts have a very hard shell, which has to be cracked by a nutcracker before getting into the kernel. Hazelnuts are available, raw, blanched, or toasted, chopped, ground, cooking in addition to hazelnut spirits.

PEANUT

The peanut is not a real nut. It’s the seed of a leguminous plant using a soft, brown colored brittle shell and belong to the Botanical household of peas and beans. However, they are usually considered in addition to the nuts because of they’re physical characteristics and nutrient value. The nuts grow on the long branches of the plant and beneath the ground. The peanut is native to Brazil and has been discovered there ever since the first recording in 950 B.C..

Peanuts produce oil that is excellent, which can be used for salads and cold dishes as well as for frying. Peanuts also produce peanut butter, margarine, and also used in lots of sardines. Peanuts are used in many different types in everything from salads to main courses and desserts.

PINENUT

These are the edible seed of this pine tree and increase in the cone. Pine trees are found in the Southern USA, Mexico and around the Mediterranean sea. It’s very difficult to establish a pinenut business since the trees are growing really slow and don’t carry a lot of fruits until they’re 75 years old.

Pine nuts are mostly obtained raw and then toasted, grilled or fried. Pine nut oil is utilized for the cosmetic market. Pine nut flour is used in confectionery.

PISTACHIO NUT

The pistachio nut is a tiny green kernel, which develops on the pistachio tree coming in Syria, Palestine, and Persia.

The natural colour of the shell is grayish white, but some times the blossoms are coloured red to cover up some of the staining.

Pistachios are usually sold in their own shell or shelled and blanched.

The greenish seed is used as flavoring in candy, cooking and ice cream.

WALNUT

The walnut is related to the hickory and pecan tree and grows anywhere from North America into the Andes and Europe to China. All those walnuts have different shells and kernels but the English walnut with it’s tough, rippled shell and yellowish brown kernel has become the most popular and broadly known as’The Walnut’.

Walnuts are purchased in the shell or de-shelled and are sought after for their oil, which can be used for cooking as well as for dressing and cakes.

OTHER COMMONLY USED NUTS INCLUDE:

Macadamia Nuts)

Red Bobble Nut )

Candle Nut ) Malaysia
Palm Nut ) Philippines, Brazil

Coconut ) Indonesia,China
Water Chestnut)

Beech Nuts ) USA
Pecan Nuts) North America

NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND INFORMATION

Nuts are high in fat (40-60percent ) and dietary fiber (5-15percent ) with moderate amount of protein (2-25%) and tiny quantities of starch (up to 10 percent ). As stated above chestnuts are an exemption to this general rule.

The fats in nuts are mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated and contain no cholesterol since carbohydrates are harvested from plants. Only the coconut and palm nut contain saturated fats.

Significant amounts of minerals can be found in nuts, such as zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

They also comprise some provitamins and vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin E & C.

Nuts contain hardly any natural sodium and have a high amount of potassium, which in this constellation is recommended for the control of blood pressure.

Unfortunately nuts are frequently sold grated as snacks, which disrupts this natural equilibrium, also from an over consummation of salted nuts people take in a great deal of salt and fat.

Nuts are also a great source of energy and frequently utilized in diets for athletes.

Employed in moderate quantities, nuts in unsalted forms are mutually beneficial food.

USAGE OF NUTS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL CHEF

A person does not know where to begin where to compile information about the use of nuts and nut related product in today’s hospitality. From the kitchens, there’s not any limit on the amount of innovations and dishes that a Chef can use nuts or nut products for. From sandwiches, soups and desserts, with fish, cheese, pasta, meats and vegetables, nuts are very versatile and don’t have an overpowering flavor, and its delicate flavor and crunchy texture adopt early to almost all given products as a supplement.

Nut oils can also be popular for dressings, frying and flavoring of hot and cold dishes. Nut liqueurs can be a welcome supplement to savory sauces as well as pastry sauces and lotions, marzipan and other nut pastes are frequently used to produced chocolates and confectionery items. Through the broad spread of different nuts around the world, nuts are employed in just about all cuisines understood as well as its nutrient value make it an advantage to numerous diets because the ancient days.

In the beverage outlets, nuts are used in form of lacquers (Hazelnut, Almond) and liquid (coconut Milk), and as snacks served with beverages (Salted Nuts)