NUT GROWING 



1441 



mens analyzed. It is perhaps well to sug- 

 gest that nut candies and other candies 

 which sometimes cause digestive disturb- 

 ances would be more satisfactory if eaten 

 in a rational way and at the proper time. 

 Since they are concentrated foods they 

 should naturally replace an equivalent 

 amount of some other food material and 

 not be eaten in quantity simply for their 

 palatable flavor in addition to an other- 

 wise adequate daily ration. 



Jfnt Coffees 



A number of coffee substitutes made 

 from nuts have been devised and placed 

 on the market, peanut coffee and acorn 

 coffee being by far the most common. The 

 nuts are parched and sometimes otherwise 

 treated. Such coffee substitutes lack the 

 stimulating properties of true coffee, and 

 the infusion does not have the high nutri- 

 tive value which is sometimes claimed for 

 it. 



Green Xnfs 



A number of kinds of nuts are used be- 

 fore they are fully ripe, and are esteemed 

 a delicacy. In California in spring the 

 markets quite commonly offer green al- 

 monds — that is, the almonds picked from 

 the tree while the husk is of a decided 

 green color and easily separated from the 

 soft and immature shell. The kernel, af- 

 ter the skin is peeled off, is eaten with 

 or without salt, and is relished by many 

 persons. The price of green almonds in 

 California markets commonly varies from 

 al)out 20 to 35 cents per pound. Green 

 almonds are found to a limited extent in 

 fancy fruit shops in Eastern cities and 

 elsewhere, and are perhaps purchased as 

 much for their ornamental appearance as 

 for their palatability. They are much 

 more commonly used in Europe than in 

 the United States. Green English wal- 

 nuts and green hazelnuts are also eaten 

 to a considerable extent in Europe and 

 are great favorites. The nuts are gath- 

 ered when the shells are fully matured 

 but not thoroughly ripe. Sometimes these 

 green nuts are imported into the United 

 States. Many who have grown up in the 

 country will recall the delicate flavor of 

 the immature butternut and hickory nut 

 and the stained fingers which thev caused. 



Such green nuts have apparently never 

 been marketed. 



Whole green walnuts and some other 

 nuts are also used in a quite immature 

 state for pickle making. They are picked 

 when still tender enough to be easily 

 pierced by a large pin; then, after be- 

 ing kept in brine for a number of days, 

 they are exposed to the sun until they 

 turn black. Afterwards they are placed 

 in jars and covered with hot vinegar and 

 spices. Sometimes they are treated with 

 dry salt instead of brine before pickling. 

 It is claimed that nuts thus treated will 

 blacken without being exposed to sun- 

 light. Such pickled nuts are considered 

 by many as a very palatable relish for 

 use with meats and poultry. Walnut cat- 

 sup is also made from green walnuts. 



jViit Oils and Oil-f'ake Meals 



In some parts of Europe almond oil, 

 walnut oil, and beechnut oil are manu- 

 factured and prized as salad oils, and in 

 South America Brazil-nut oil is used for 

 table purposes. Cocoanut oil is an im- 

 portant oil in the tropics. Peanut oil 

 finds a large technical application and is 

 also used in large quantities as a salad oil 

 and for culinary purposes. Oils are also 

 made from the kernel or nut of the peach 

 and apricot, but these, like most nut oils 

 except those mentioned, are used for 

 medicinal or technical purposes rather 

 than for food. 



The various nut oils, which are prac- 

 tically pure fats, have a very high fuel 

 value, and like olive oil and other oils, 

 may constitute an important energy-yield- 

 ing constituent of the diet. It is com- 

 monly assumed that, like olive oil, these 

 oils are readily assimilated when proper- 

 ly combined with other food materials, as 

 in salads, as "shortening" for various 

 dishes, and in similar ways. 



The oil-cake meals, as the ground prod- 

 ucts remaining after the expression of 

 the nut oils are called, are much used as 

 food for-live stock and all kinds of poul- 

 try, and this is especially true of the pea- 

 nut and cocoanut oil cakes. It has been 

 su.ggested that such oil-cake meals might 

 be valuable dietary articles if properly 

 manipulated, as they of course contain a 



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