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It's a little shocking when you see the list...most of what we consider to be nuts, aren't actually,

botanically, nuts at all! Peanuts, cashews, macadamias, almonds - NONE of these are nuts! The peanut is a legume, the cashew is a seed and the macadamia is a kernel.  And the almond, well, it's a drupe

 

That's right - the almond is in the same family as nectarines and plums. If you've ever had the unique pleasure of a fresh green almond, whose season is JUST beginning now, then you might not be surprised by this. The soft, fleshy center is tucked inside a fuzzy green skin, not dissimilar to the skin of a peach!

 

More familiar is the almond in its mature form...and when it's toasted and seasoned, or ground and sweetened, we cannot keep our hands off of them. 

So which nuts are actually nuts?? Turns out, not a lot!

Hazelnuts, chestnuts and beechnuts...oh, and acorns. 

truffle almonds

NEW! Truffle Almonds

from Miller Farms


We'd challenge you to find a better snack to accompany a glass of crisp ros�,  

an ice-cold beer or a glass of bubbly  

at your summer cocktail parties.

 

Miller Farms in Modesto, California has been growing almonds for four generations and they've got it down to an art...it's all done sustainably and with an eye toward tradition. Here, they've taken their fresh almonds, roasted them with olive oil and seasoned them with the truffle salt from Casina Rossa that we've been selling for years. The earthy truffle and sweet almond flavor make us wonder how this hasn't happened sooner! 

almonds and Cabot

Truffle Almonds and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

 

 

Besides the relentless snacking you'll do, we came up with a couple of ideas for using these...not that you'll have any left.  Pulse them in the food processor and toss with toasted breadcrumbs for topping pasta.  These truffled-almond breadcrumbs also make a savory crust for chicken.

 

Order a tub of this unstoppable snack now for $12.00  

 

Truffle Almond Gremolata

 

This Milanese preparation is classically served atop a long-braised lamb shank, osso buco, but it's great on grilled lamb chops, pork chops or even grilled chicken. Our addition of Truffle Almonds takes it to new heights...a little sprinkled over pasta is a marvel.

  • 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Truffle Almonds
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Of course, you could make this in the food processor.  But you'll run the risk of ending up with a puree and that is NOT what you want.  Sharpen your knives and spend the time to do this by hand - it'll pay off in the end. You're not looking for a sauce, but rather a topping. 

 

Finely chop the parsley and toss in a bowl with the lemon zest.  Mince the garlic (or use a microplane) and stir to combine.  Chop the almonds into a fine crumb and combine. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and serve.



marzipan

BACK IN STOCK!  Organic
Sicilian Marzipan from Stramondo
 

 

How is it that marzipan, which by definition is simply sweetened almond paste, is so often packed with other ingredients? Stabilizers, thickeners, fillers...we don't  

see the need!

 

Thankfully, the folks at Stramondo in the western Sicilian town of Salemi seem to agree with us. Maybe it's because they've been doing it since 1940 and remember the way things used to be. Their incredible marzipan is unparalleled in flavor and uncomplicated in its ingredients...two types of organic almonds (Palma Girgenti and Mandorla Cuore), pure cane sugar and pure vanilla...that's it! But again, what else do you really need?

 

Stramondo owns gelaterias across Sicily and their marzipan can be found in their delicious  

almond gelato. On a hot summer day in Sicily, you won't walk far without seeing a stand offering Latte di Mandorla. Marzipan and water are blended together and served over ice, often with a dash of fruit syrup...we love it with a drizzle of the Cherry Syrup from Morello. Find the recipe under the photo here

 

Order a box of Organic Sicilian Marzipan now for $15.50 

Save

10%

Take 10% off of any order placed online at MarketHallFoods.com.  

Simply enter coupon code ALMOND at checkout to receive the discount.

 

Offer valid only online at MarketHallFoods.com. One redemption per customer.

May not be combined with other offers, applied to past orders or redeemed for cash value.

Offer Expires: April 29th, 2011