Did you know that technically, almonds (also known as "cork nuts") are not actually a nut at all?  Almonds are actually the fruit of the tree. 

The Almond belongs to the same group of plants as the rose, plum, cherry and peach, being a member of the tribe Prunae of the natural order Rosaceae. The genus Amygdalus to which it is assigned is very closely allied to Prunus (Plum) in which it has sometimes been merged; the distinction lies in the fruit, the succulent pulp attached to the stone in the plum (known botanically as the mesocarp) being replaced by a leathery separable coat in the almond which is hard and juiceless, of a dingy green tinged with dull red, so that when growing it looks not unlike an unripe apricot. When fully ripe, this green covering dries and splits, and the almond, enclosed in its rough shell (termed the endocarp) drops out. The shell of the almond is a yellowish buff colour and flattened-ovoid in shape, the outer surface being usually pitted with small holes; frequently it has a more or less fibrous nature. Sometimes it is thin and friable (soft-shelled almond), sometimes extremely hard and woody (hard-shelled almond). The seed itself is rounded at one end and pointed at the other, and covered with a thin brown, scurfy coat. The different sorts of almonds vary in form and size, as well as in the firmness of the shell. The fruit is produced chiefly on the young wood of the previous year, and in part on small spurs of two and three years growth.

The tree is of moderate size, usually from 20 to 30 feet high, with spreading branches the leaves lance-shaped, finely toothed (or serrated) at the edges. The flowers are produced before the leaves early in March and in great profusion.

Throughout history, almonds have maintained religious, ethnic and social significance. The Bible's book of Numbers tells of Aaron's rod that blossomed and bore almonds, using them as a symbol to represent the divine approval of Aaron by God.  The Romans showered newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm. There have been documented findings that nutmeats and dried fruits were treated as delicacies of this time, because the cultivation of these foods was not as prevalent as today.  Explorers consumed almonds while traveling the "Silk Road" between Asia and the Mediterranean. Before long, almond trees flourished in the Mediterranean region to include such areas as Spain, Italy, Morocco, Greece and Israel.

Almonds are California's largest tree nut crop in total dollar value and acreage. They also rank as the largest U.S. horticultural export. There are approximately 6,000 almond growers producing nearly 100 percent of the commercial domestic supply and more than 80 percent of worldwide production.  California almonds are imported by nearly 80 countries, including Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China and Spain. The Pacific Rim nations are also a rapidly growing market for California almonds.

While the almond is most often eaten on its own, raw, toasted or CinnaNut-Roasted, it is also used in dishes. It, along with other nuts, is often sprinkled over desserts, particularly sundaes and other ice cream based dishes. It is also used in making baklava and nougat. 

The sweet almond itself contains practically no carbohydrates and may be made into flour for cakes and biscuits for low carbohydrate diets or for patients suffering from diabetes, etc.

In Greece, ground blanched almonds are used as the base material in a great variety of desserts, usually called amygdalota (αμυγδαλωτά). Because of their white color, most are traditionally considered "wedding sweets" and are served at wedding banquets.

Sweet almonds are used in marzipan, nougat and macaroons, as well as other desserts.  Almonds are a rich source of Vitamin E, containing 24 mg per 100 g.  They are also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two "good" fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol levels. 

The Marcona variety of almond, which is shorter, rounder, sweeter and more delicate in texture than other varieties, originated in Spain and is becoming popular in North America and other parts of the world. Marcona almonds are traditionally served after being lightly fried in oil, and are also used by Spanish chefs to prepare a dessert called turrón.  In China, almonds are used in a popular dessert when they are mixed with milk and then served hot. In Indian cuisine, almonds are the base ingredient for pasanda-style curries.

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Cashews

Cashews (Anacardium occidentale; Anacardium curatellifolium) is a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. It is native to northeastern Brazil.  The Portugese name for the fruit of this tree is "caju" which is where we get the American name, "cashew."  The tree is widely grown in tropical climates and grows to 32 feet tall, with a short, often irregularly-shaped trunk. The leaves are spirally arranged and leathery textured with a smooth margin. The flowers are produced in a panicle or corymb, each flower is small and pale green at first then turns reddish, with five slender petals.  What appears to be the fruit of the cashew tree is an oval or pear-shaped accessory fruit or false fruit that develops from the receptacle of the cashew flower. Called the cashew apple, better known in Central America as "marañón", it ripens into a yellow and/or red structure. It is edible, and has a strong "sweet" smell and a sweet taste. The pulp of the cashew apple is very juicy, and the skin is fragile, thus making it unsuitable for transport.  The true fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney or boxing-glove shaped drupe that grows at the end of the pseudofruit. Actually, the drupe develops first on the tree, and then the peduncle expands into the pseudofruit. Within the true fruit is a single seed, the cashew nut. Although a nut in the culinary sense, in the botanical sense the fruit of the cashew is a seed. The seed is surrounded by a double shell containing a dermatogenic phenolic resin, urushiol, a potent skin irritant toxin also found in the related poison ivy.

Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 75% of this unsaturated fatty acid content is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Studies show that oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health, even in individuals with diabetes. Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes. 

While some people are allergic to cashew nuts, cashews are a less frequent allergen than nuts or peanuts.  Due to their high content of oleic acid, cashews are more stable than most other nuts but should still be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for about six months, or in the freezer, where they will keep for about one year. Cashew butter should always be refrigerated once it is opened.

At CinnaNuts, we choose the mammoth and colossal sized cashews for our Cashew CinnaNuts.  Lightly salted and then Cinna-roasted, Cashew CinnaNuts are a delicious treat year 'round.  Most people can't taste the light salt, but notice that there's *something* different about these wonderful CinnaNuts! 

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Cinnamon has been known from remote antiquity, and it was so highly prized among ancient nations that it was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and other great potentates. It was imported to Egypt from China as early as 2000 BC, and is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 30:23, where Moses is commanded to use both sweet cinnamon (Hebrew קִנָּמוֹן, qinnāmôn) and cassia, and in Proverbs 7:17–18, where the lover's bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon, then lastly in Song of Solomon 4:14, a song describing the beauty of his beloved, cinnamon scents her garments like the smell of Lebanon. It is also alluded to by Herodotus and other classical writers. It was commonly used on funeral pyres in Rome, and the Emperor Nero is said to have burned a year's supply of cinnamon at the funeral for his wife Poppaea Sabina, in 65 AD.  Indonesian rafts transported cinnamon on a "cinnamon route" directly from the Moluccas to East Africa, where local traders then carried it north to the Roman market.

In 2006 Sri Lanka produced 90% of the world's cinnamon, followed by China, India, Vietnam and Central America. Indonesia produces 40% of the worlds Cassia genus of cinnamon. Most Cinnamon sold in North America is of the Cassia variety.

Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavoring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, chocolate, spicy candies, tea, hot cocoa and liqueurs. In the Middle East, it is often used in savory dishes of chicken and lamb. In the United States, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavor cereals, bread-based dishes, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon-sugar mixture is even sold separately for such purposes. Cinnamon can also be used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices that can also be consumed directly. Of course, cinnamon is an essential ingredient in CinnaNuts!

In medicine it acts like other volatile oils and once had a reputation as a cure for colds. It has also been used to treat diarrhea and other problems of the digestive system. Cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity and the essential oil of cinnamon also has antimicrobial properties which can aid in the preservation of certain foods. Cinnamon has been reported to have remarkable pharmacological effects in the treatment of type II diabetes. Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight bad breath and its regular use is believed to stave off common cold and aid digestion.

Cinnamon is also used as an insect repellent.

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Did you know that the word pecan is from the Algonquin language, meaning "a nut requiring a stone to crack?" The pronunciation of the word pecan is a source of friendly dispute among aficionados. Some people say [pə.ˈkɑn], while others say [ˈpi.kæn].

The Pecan (Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America. Historically, the leading Pecan-producing state in the US has been Georgia -- and Albany, Georgia is recognized as the Pecan Capital of the US, with more than 600,000 pecan trees), followed by Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma; they are also grown in Arizona and Hawaii in addition to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. Outside the United States, pecans are grown in Australia, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Peru and South Africa.

Pecan trees usually range in height from 70 to 100 feet, but some trees grow as tall as 150 feet or higher. Native pecan trees – those over 150 years old – have trunks more than three feet in diameter. The leaves are alternate long and pinnate with 9–17 leaflets. The flowers are wind-pollinated, and monoecious, with staminate and pistillate catkins on the same tree, with three to six flowers clustered together. The fruit is an oval to oblong nut, dark brown with a rough husk 3–4 mm thick, which splits off in four sections at maturity to release the thin-shelled nut. Pecan trees may live and bear edible nuts for more than three hundred years.

Pecans first became known to Europeans when the Spaniards brought the pecan into Europe, Asia, and Africa beginning in the 16th century. Pecans are one of the most recently domesticated major crops. Although wild pecans were well-known among the colonial Americans as a delicacy, the commercial growing of pecans in the United States did not begin until the 1880s. Today, the US produces between 80% and 95% of the world's pecans, with an annual crop of 150–200 thousand tonnes. The nut harvest for growers is typically around mid-October.

The nuts of the pecan are edible, with a rich, buttery flavor. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts but also in some savory dishes. One of the most common desserts with the pecan as a central ingredient is the pecan pie, a traditional southern US recipe. Pecans are also a major ingredient in praline candy, most often associated with New Orleans.  Pecans are also our most popular variety of CinnaNuts!

Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. A diet rich in nuts can lower the risk of gallstones in women. The antioxidants and plant sterols found in pecans reduce high cholesterol by reducing the "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. Research conducted at the University of Georgia has also confirmed that pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability. Clinical research shows pecans may help prevent coronary heart disease and gallstones, help lower cholesterol, aid in weight loss and support prostate health through their high dietary fiber qualities. Pecans are also loaded with antioxidants and more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin E.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following qualified health claim: "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." "This nut is an important source of ellagic acid. Pecan nuts are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects. They can also, if eaten correctly, lead to lower cholesterol levels."

In addition to the pecan nut, the wood is also used in making furniture, in hardwood flooring, as well as flavoring fuel for smoking meats.

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Sugar (the word stems from the Sanskrit sharkara) consists of a class of edible crystalline substances including sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple (in maple syrup), and in many other sources. It forms the main ingredient in much candy.

Sugar has been an important food ingredient for centuries. Experts place the origin of sugar in the South Pacific about 8000 years ago.

Regular, white cane sugar is pure sucrose. It contains no preservatives or additives of any kind, and has 15 calories per teaspoon. Sugar crystals are naturally colorless; there is no artificual bleaching or whitening necessary. This is the kind of sugar we use at CinnaNuts.

Sugar (and carbohydrates in general) are converted to blood glucose, the fundamental fuel needed by the brain.

Sugar softens the acidity in foods. Sugar improves the taste of salad dressings, tomato sauces and many other acidic foods by balancing their tartness. It also makes nutritious foods tasty enough to eat. Just imagine what healthy foods like oatmeal, grapefruit and bran muffins would taste like without a sprinkle of sugar! Sugar inhibits mold and yeast growth and increases the useful life of jams and jellies by binding the water needed by mold and yeast for growth. Sugar caramelizes under heat. This caramelization gives cooked vegetables a pleasing taste, color and aroma. Sugar in glazes and sauces provides caramelized flavors for cooked meats. Sugar also helps foods brown. When bread is toasted or cookies are baked, sugar combines with proteins to produce the appetizing brown color and pleasing aromas.

Did you know that sugar helps heal wounds? Sugar has been used for centuries to successfully aid in the healing of wounds. Sugar dries the wound thus preventing the growth of bacteria!

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Vanilla extract is a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin.

Pure vanilla extract is made by extracting from vanilla beans in an alcoholic solution. In order for a vanilla extract to be called pure, the FDA requires that the solution contain a minimum of 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon. Double and triple strength vanilla extracts are also available. Natural vanilla flavoring contains real vanilla bean but no actual alcohol. Imitation vanilla extract is usually made by soaking alcohol into wood, which contains vanillin. CinnaNuts uses only regular strength pure vanilla extract.

Vanilla was cultivated as a flavoring by pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples; at the time of their conquest by Hernán Cortés, the Aztecs used it as a flavoring for chocolate. Europeans became aware of both chocolate and vanilla around the year 1520.

Vanillin is most prominent as the principal flavor and aroma compound in vanilla. Cured vanilla pods contain approximately 2% by dry weight vanillin; on cured pods of high quality, relatively pure vanillin may be visible as a white dust or "frost" on the exterior of the pod. Natural vanillin is extracted from the seed pods of Vanilla planifola, a vining orchid native to Mexico, but now grown in tropical areas around the globe. Madagascar is presently the largest producer of natural vanillin.

As harvested, the green seed pods contain vanillin in the form of its β-D-glycoside; the green pods do not have the flavor or odor of vanilla. After being harvested, their flavor is developed by a months-long curing process, the details of which vary among vanilla-producing regions, but in broad terms it proceeds as follows: First, the seed pods are blanched in hot water, to arrest the processes of the living plant tissues. Then, for 1–2 weeks, the pods are alternately sunned and sweated: during the day, they are laid out in the sun, and each night, wrapped in cloth and packed in airtight boxes to sweat. During this process, the pods become a dark brown, and enzymes in the pod release vanillin as the free molecule. Finally, the pods are dried and further aged for several months, during which time their flavors further develop.

The largest single use of vanillin is as a flavoring, usually in sweet foods. The ice cream and chocolate industries together comprise 75% of the market for vanillin as a flavoring, with smaller amounts being used in confections and baked goods.

Vanillin is also used in the fragrance industry, in perfumes, and to mask unpleasant odors or tastes in medicines, livestock fodder, and cleaning products.

Vanillin has been used as a chemical intermediate in the production of pharmaceuticals and other fine chemicals. In 1970, more than half the world's vanillin production was used in the synthesis of other chemicals, but as of 2004 this use accounts for only 13% of the market for vanillin.

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