Almond lore
Greek mythology tells of the beautiful princess Phyllis, who was left waiting at the altar on her wedding day by her intended, Demophon. Phyllis waited for years for him to return, but finally died of a broken heart. In sympathy, the gods transformed Phyllis into an almond tree, which became a symbol of hope. When the errant, remorseful Demonphon returned to find Phyllis as a leafless, flowerless tree, he embraced the tree. The tree suddenly burst into bloom, a demonstration of love not conquered by death. A similar legend is popular in Portugal.Almonds in uneven numbers of three, five, or seven are given as tokens of good fortune and happiness for christenings, weddings and religious ordination ceremonies. A combination of shelled almonds and raisins are good luck symbols for Jews.
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 |
