It's easy to make almond milk at home: just blend some raw, blanched almonds with water, add a little honey or maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon for extra flavor, and strain out the solids. Nutritionally speaking, almond milk is just a smidgen lower in calories and fat content than soy milk.
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While traveling through northwest France, I was on the hunt for new, nutty discoveries in Brittany. Strolling through the tiny historic tourist village of
Rochefort en Terre, I stumbled upon a tiny shop,
L'Art Gourmand, and was blown away by all the nutastic treats. Almost every nut is represented here:
almonds, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, even humble pignolis, not to mention one of the largest, most playful assortments of marzipan I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of marzipan). Puppies, dinos, bunnies, pigs, and an assortment of fruits—all in marzipan form.
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Almonds are available in myriad shapes, sizes, and textures for cooking and baking. Have a favorite go-to type that you like to use in your kitchen?
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They are rounder and plumper than the traditional teardrop shape we've come to expect from our almonds. The texture has been described by many as a cross between a traditional almond and a macadamia nut. Indeed, traditional almonds seem "woody" compared to the soft, buttery crunch of a Marcona. Marconas are popping up all over—as a dessert pairing with dark chocolate, an alternative to croutons in salads, and even emulsified into sauces.
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As a promoter of all things peanut, I am constantly frustrated by people who think they can't possibly be good for you. Many assume that other nuts, especially almonds, are "better for you," which just isn't true. Find out how they compare in fat and protein. You might be surprised.
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Vampire Weekend is one of my favorite bands, partly because they have a song called Horchata. You got to give them props for stringing together a rhyme like horchata and balaclava. The creamy almond-based drink is soothing, sweet, and "milky" yet dairy-free. It's a perfect foil to any chili pepper laden dish.
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Marzipan gets a lot of attention in December. You'll find it on cakes, tucked inside chocolates, and molded into festive shapes. Marzipan is even the name of a character in the Nutcracker ballet. But have you ever wondered about where marzipan comes from, what it's made of, and why we eat it?
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Cheese and crackers is always on the party potluck signup sheet; a boring ol' standby. Try the retro ball-shaped snack instead, and fancy it up with combos like
cheddar and pecans, Stilton and walnuts, and chevre and almonds. They're fun to serve as bite-sized canapes or as a single large ball surrounded by crackers and crudite. Plus, they always make the vegetarians happy.
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Some years, it seems like summer is nothing but a string of weekends spent at weddings of friends and family. And if you're attending a number of weddings this summer, you'll no doubt find yourself at a reception with one of my favorite nutty confections—
the Jordan almond. [
Photograph: ©iStockPhoto/JamesBrey]
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Green Beans Almondine, a favorite go-to side in Mom's weekday kitchen playbook growing up, was my first introduction to nuts as an integral component to a savory dish, and it remains a favorite to this day.
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