Almond history
Part of the plum family, the almond tree (Prunus dulcis; Prunus amygdalus) is native to North Africa, West Asia and the Mediterranean. The English word almond is derived from the French amande, which in turn is a derivative of the old Latin word for almond, amygdalus, literally meaning "tonsil plum." Ancient Romans also referred to almonds as "Greek nuts," since they were first cultivated in Greece. Almonds date back in print to the Bible. A recipe from the Forme of Cury, dating back to 1390, uses blanched, ground almonds in a gravy for oysters.Botanically-speaking, almonds are a fruit. On the tree, the fruit or drupe looks like a small, elongated peach with a hard greenish-gray husk. When mature, the husk splits open to reveal the shell which in turn contains the nutmeat. Spanish missionaries are credited for bringing the almond to California, now the world's largest producer of over 100 varieties of almonds.
More About Almonds:
• What are Jordan almonds?
• What are bitter almonds?
• Almond History
• Almond Lore and Legends
• Almond Selection and Storage
• Almond Equivalents
• Almond Forms and Health Issues
• Almond Recipes
Photo © 2006 Peggy Trowbridge, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Cookbooks
| • | Totally Nuts Cookbook |
| • | Party Nuts! |
| • | The Book of Edible Nuts |
| • | The New Food Lover's Tiptionary |
| • | More Cookbooks |
