The One About Almonds

“If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds." - Genesis 43:11

History

While its' exact country of origin is unknown, its' history takes us all the way back to biblical times where they were offered as gifts to dignitaries. The almond contains cultural and religious significance as it is considered to be of divine approval. The Romans believed that almonds were a charm for fertility. In Sweden, it is a christian custom to hide an almond in rice pudding. Whoever finds the almond is blessed with good fortune for the year. In the U.S. it is customary to gift sugared almonds to represent good fortune, children, romance, good health, and happiness. The people of India often consume them because they believe it is good for the brain, which may be true since there is some convincing evidence that it improves memory function.

It is often debated exactly where almonds originated from, though it is often to be from Asia. Many travelers would devour almonds while on the Silk Road between Asia and the Mediterannean. Eventually, Almonds made their way to Spain, where the almond industry began to flourish. They eventually made their way to California in the 1700's by the Franciscan Padres. Unfortunately, California's climate did not initially provide suitable conditions for almonds to grow in. It wasn't until the 19th century that they were successfully planted inland.

Today, California makes about 80% of the world's almond production. It is the largest U.S. specialty crop export. 25 types of almonds are grown worldwide.

Nuts and Bolts

There are two varieties of almonds : sweet almond (dulcis variety dulcis) and bitter almond (dulcis variety amara). The bitter almond has the prussic acid removed and is used to make flavoring extracts for food and liqueurs. The sweet almond is what you're used to if you've ever eaten almonds out of a can or on a pastry. It is also used to make almond oil for cooking or almond meal/flour. Almonds are one of the most nutritious nuts, containing about 12% of our protein needs.

Almond Flour/Meal

Almond flour is a great option that can add a nice nutty flavor to your sweeter pastries. With 150 calories and 60 mg of calcium per 1/4 cup, it is low in calories and high in calcium. Almond flour is a great source of vitamin E, which helps prevent aging and decreases your risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's.

Almond flour contains a high amount of magnesium. It has been said that magnesium aids in controlling blood sugar and improving insulin function.

Almond flour is easy to make at home. All you need to do is but some blanched and peeled almonds in a blender and blend until you reach a powder. Be careful not to over blend because then you'll have almond butter. The process is the same with making Almond Meal, except for the fact that they are not blanched to remove the skins, which results in a much coarser flour.

Note that when substituting almond flour for AP flour, you may need to add more of a binding agent (usually eggs) and baking soda/powder. Usually a 1:1 ratio of almond to ap flour works with recipes, but sometimes this doesn't work. As always, experiment and see what works best with the recipe.