Nuts have a variety of uses and are grouped accordingly. Edible nuts, often called dessert nuts, are eaten plain or used in cooking. Other nuts are employed in the commercial preparation of oils and fats.
Edible nuts are available in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and sizes. Although they are often used interchangeably, each type has its own special characteristics.
Almond
There are two main types of almonds - sweet and bitter. Sweet almonds are used extensively in cooking and are known for their distinctive flavor. When toasted, salted, or sugared, they flavor is more delicate. Bitter almonds, used primarily for oils, are stronger in flavor. Beechnut
These nuts are triangular in shape which makes them readily identifiable. Used in a variety of homemade cookies and candies, they have a sweet, mild flavor. Beechnuts are in greatest supply around New England and in the northern United States. Brazil nuts
A big, three cornered, brown nut with a rough, hard shell, this nut comes from South America. Its unusual shape indicates how several nuts grow together in tiers inside the shell. The flavor of Brazil nuts is rich and oily. Butternut
Related to the walnut, butternuts are most plentiful in the eastern United States. Somewhat sweet in flavor, they are used locally in baked foods. Cashew
The single seed of a tropical fruit called the cashew pear, this nut hangs from the bottom of the fruit as it grows. Unlike other nuts, it has no shell. Cashews are always roasted before eating to remove an inedible skin. Chestnut
This nut was abundant throughout the United States until the 1930s when a blight destroyed most of the nation's chestnut trees. Although new trees are now bearing, most of the chestnuts on the market are imported from Italy. Chestnuts are roasted, used in stuffings, or in baking. Filbert
Names for St. Philibert, filberts are cultivated members of the hazelnut family. The pointed, helmet shaped shell resembles that of the wild, European hazelnut, but it is darker and plumper. Filberts are often substituted for hazelnuts. Hickory
The fruit of an American tree belonging to the walnut family, hickory nuts have light tan, paneled shells. Most of the nuts are gathered locally, where they grow wild in woods and forests. Hickory nuts have a rich, oily flavor and, at one time, were a food of the American Indian. Macadamia
Native to Australia, these nuts are grown commercially in Hawaii. They are round, creamy beige in color, and have a flavor reminiscent of almonds. Peanut
The three most common varieties of peanuts on the market are Virginia, Runner, and Spanish. The large Virginia peanut is long and slender; the Runner variety is small and stubby; and the Spanish peanut is round. Commercial production of peanuts is greatest in India, China, West Africa, and the United States. Pecan
Closely related to the hickory nut, pecans have a very hard, dark golden brown shell that is smooth. The cultivated paper shell varieties look much the same, although they have a much softer shell. The flavor of pecans is very delicate. Pignolia or Pignoli
Commonly called pine nuts, pignolias are the edible seeds from several varieties of pine trees. The trees are cultivated in America, Europe, and Asia. The kernel has a pale yellow to creamy white color. The nuts are sometimes roasted after blanching. Pistachio
The only nut that has a markedly colored meat, pistachios are pale green inside a dark brown skin. The exact shade of green depends on the variety. The kernel is small and oval with a delicate flavor, resembling that of sweet almonds. The shell is oval, pale beige, and sometimes split at one side. The shells are often lightened with a dried salt brine or dyed a deep pink color before marketing. Walnut
The most popular walnut varieties are the black and Persian walnuts. The black walnut has a very hard, thick, black, rough shell. The met is rich and oily with a flavor that mellows with storage. Persian walnuts have a large, round, brown shell that is slightly rough and has two distinct halves.
To maintain freshness, store unshelled nuts and unopened cans, jars, or packages of shelled nuts in a cool, dry place. After opening sealed or packaged shelled nuts, store in the refrigerator or freeze in a tightly covered container. Unshelled and unsalted nuts generally stay fresh longer than do shelled nuts.
