Shelled almonds Usa

Almonds originate from Iran but today the United States of America (in reality we should say California, the production all comes from there) is by far the world's leading producer. This highly prized dried fruit is used in the cuisine of many countries around the world, almost always in the preparation of desserts.

Benefits and properties of almonds

If we refer to tradition over the centuries, almonds have been attributed beneficial properties in every field, including the inevitable aphrodisiac effects. But we prefer to focus on those that have been confirmed by scientific studies or that at least seem plausible given the nutrients contained in almonds. So let's see them, the most surprising is that almonds can be diet friendly, it seems strange for a food which like all dried fruit is full of calories (579 kilocals per 100 grams) but studies have been conducted which have revealed that part of these calories (10-15%) is not absorbed due to the poor digestibility of some nutrients. Furthermore, almonds give a sense of satiety which can be used to control hunger in those on a diet, provided that obviously you stick to the recommended dose of 30 grams per day and take their caloric intake into account.

Then almonds are full of antioxidants, both in the form of good fatty acids and vitamin E. Therefore they lower bad cholesterol (LDL), furthermore thanks to the presence of polyphenols (these, however, are mainly contained in the peel) they do not limit themselves to lowering it but counteract its oxidation which is a crucial step in the process that favors heart disease. The high magnesium content (100 grams of almonds provide 75% of the average daily requirement) could help lower blood pressure.

Finally, the fact that like all dried fruit, almonds are rich in fat but low in carbohydrates can help those at risk of diabetes to ensure an adequate caloric intake not deriving from sugars.

Plant and fruit

The almond tree (scientific name Prunus amygdalus) belongs to the same genus and subgenus (prunus subgenus prunus amygdalus) to which peaches belong, after all we can all notice how similar the stone of peaches and apricots is to almonds, the difference lies in the fruit, that of the almond tree is leathery and not fleshy and juicy. The plant is a deciduous tree (i.e. which loses its leaves in autumn and whose fruits fall when ripe) which normally grows between 4 and 10 metres. Pollination depends entirely on insects, in the USA every year more than half of the entire bee population raised by beekeepers across the country is rented and trucked to California for pollination.

History of almond cultivation in the USA

Almonds originate from Iran and neighboring countries (Azerbaijan and Armenia), already in ancient times they spread throughout the Mediterranean basin (Southern Europe and North Africa) and more recently in other areas of the world.

Almonds were introduced into California by the Franciscan friars as early as the 18th century but it took more than a hundred years for cultivation to take hold successfully because the Spanish found themselves dealing with a (relatively) cooler and decidedly more humid climate than the one they knew. But already at the beginning of the 20th century the almond growing industry in California was fully developed and new varieties had been created through cross-breeding. Over the last 30 years, production has increased by as much as 400%, leading the United States to ensure well over 50% of world production and, given the growing demand from the market, to export to countries which are themselves historic producers of almonds such as Italy itself.

Currently, 13 commercially important varieties of almonds are grown in California, but the really important ones are: Carmel, Padre, Butte, Fritz. Monterey, Independence, but above all Nonpareil which constitutes 40% of total production. Consider that almond cultivation in California extends over an immense area between San Joaquin, Fresno and the Sacramento valley which amounts to more than half a million acres, i.e. more than 2023 square kilometres, which is just under the size of the entire province of Benevento.

Californian almonds in the kitchen

Almonds, in addition to being consumed as asnack, are widely used in the kitchenand in the food industry, especially in the production of sweets, practically worldwide.

In our country, as is well known, they are used in some of the most iconic holiday desserts: the Easter dove and in nougat (as an alternative to hazelnuts), while small amounts of the bitter variety are used in amaretti biscuits. In Germany, almonds are part of the recipe for an Osterbrot (Easter bread), which is eaten for breakfast on holidays.

Nougat is also produced in Spain, particularly in the Alicante area, where the famous Turron de Jijona, a mixture of honey and ground almonds, is made.

In France, a dessert called Dacquoise is made of layers of almond and hazelnut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream on a butter biscuit base.

But among the recipes online, there's no shortage of recipes that use almonds in savory dishes, especially in exotic dishes or those inspired by Asian cuisine. We've chosen:

Tempeh with Basmati Rice and Almonds

(Tempeh is a traditional Javanese dish made from fermented soybeans)

Ingredients for 4 people

• 250 g tempeh
• 240 g basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce
• 20 g almonds
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil olive
• 1 onion
• Thyme

Preparation

1) Put a pot of water on the stove (to cook the rice).

2) Cut the tempeh into pieces.

3) Chop the onion and sauté it in two tablespoons of oil in a pan.

4) When it is soft, add the tempeh, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and sauté over high heat, stirring gently for about 5 minutes.

5) Add the almonds and continue cooking.

6) Drain the rice when very al dente and Sauté it in the pan, adding the remaining soy sauce.

7) Serve piping hot with fresh thyme.

Recipe source: Melarossa