A UK Christmas isn't complete without a bowl of nuts in their shells and and a pair of nutcrackers. Which nuts do you prefer? Are there any you dislike?
Your favourite nuts
- Thread starter Morning Glory
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Brazil nuts are far and away my favorite, and I found an excellent tip for easily getting whole nuts out of the shell (usually).
I've done the freezing and the soaking and all that with no success, but what works for me is to microwave them for about 20 seconds, then as soon as they're cool enough to handle (almost immediately), just gentle pressure in a few places with a nutcracker and they come right out, if not whole, then at least halves.
I'd put my success rate for whole nuts at about 80% or higher.
Least favorite...walnuts.
I've done the freezing and the soaking and all that with no success, but what works for me is to microwave them for about 20 seconds, then as soon as they're cool enough to handle (almost immediately), just gentle pressure in a few places with a nutcracker and they come right out, if not whole, then at least halves.
I'd put my success rate for whole nuts at about 80% or higher.
Least favorite...walnuts.
Excellent tip. Also - if you microwave garlic cloves for a few seconds the skin slips off.
My fave nuts are walnuts - I love the dry yet creamy sweet taste with the hint of bitterness from the brown nut 'skin'.
Least liked are cashews - to fatty & oily for me.
Where I'm from, we have a local variety of walnuts - black walnuts.
I hate them, they're pungent and musty and sour. Just nasty, but they have a dedicated following.
The one time my wife actually spit out and threw away ice cream was on her first visit here, to meet my parents. She got a black walnut ice cream cone, thinking it was just regular walnut. Took one bite (yes, MrsTasty literally eats ice cream in bites), gagged, spit it out and threw it in the trash bin.
I'd probably like them. Here we have pickled walnuts which are black - they are young walnuts pickled in their shells.
During the holiday season, I always make a big batch of glazed pecans. Pecans are native to Texas, so they are abundant.
I use equal measure of butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup (simmered in a skillet until the brown sugar melts) to coat the pecans, and bake them in the oven until the glaze hardens.
I also use chopped pecans in my chocolate chip cookies.
BTW, I pronounce pecans "puh-cons", not "pee-cans." Pee-cans are something long-haul truckers keep in their trucks so they can drive 10-hours without stopping.
CD
I use equal measure of butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup (simmered in a skillet until the brown sugar melts) to coat the pecans, and bake them in the oven until the glaze hardens.
I also use chopped pecans in my chocolate chip cookies.
BTW, I pronounce pecans "puh-cons", not "pee-cans." Pee-cans are something long-haul truckers keep in their trucks so they can drive 10-hours without stopping.
CD
Generally, I'll add, I don't really care for nuts cooked in anything, I just like to eat them out of hand. It's not a show-stopper, but if I'm making something like brownies, there will be no nuts.
And I say "pee-cans," but I think we already had this discussion.
And I say "pee-cans," but I think we already had this discussion.
medtran49
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Pecans (and they aren't pee around here), macadamia, cashews, and pistachios.
rascal
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My friend and I have talked about doing pickles walnuts. We've not done them yet. I'm not big on joint preserving.
Russ
rascal
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I have a bag of puh cons ready to do the candied nuts as you describe. I got the idea from another site.
The peecans, I've heard about them, did I tell you my son and I drove about 9 hrs straight so he could drive in a horse race? Lol.
Russ
rascal
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As a kid we always had a bowl of mixed nuts on the side board. I only ate peanuts and cashews.
My pet hates are almonds Brazil hazel nuts.
Faves are cashew by a street then walnuts. I have some chicken and walnut pate in the fridge right now. Pic to follow.
Russ
My pet hates are almonds Brazil hazel nuts.
Faves are cashew by a street then walnuts. I have some chicken and walnut pate in the fridge right now. Pic to follow.
Russ
rascal
Forum GOD!
Chicken and walnut pate, walnut for attention and to tell its not plain pate.
Russ
Russ
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
George
My siblings
Wonderful, loving, nuts.
My siblings
Wonderful, loving, nuts.
Elawin
Guru
I keep a supply of almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, pistachios, and pecan nuts because I eat some of them every day anyway. I have several hundred hazelnuts from the tree in my garden too. I don't buy macadamia nuts in case the dog gets hold of them, although I do like them. I haven't bought peanuts for years. I like the ones in their shells, but Tesco does not sell them and the Sainsbury's ones only had two good reviews, one of which was from someone who bought them for her parrots. If the weather gets a bit warmer like they say and if it stays dry I may take a trip down to the local shopping centre and see if I can get any from there.