They were first brought here by an English sailor before the turn of the century. They have a mild flavor and often accompany vegetable and grain dishes. The peanut is actually a legume, not a nut at all. Unfortunately since they are a legume, raw peanuts can be hard to digest. They come from the same family of trees and were a staple in the diet of many Native American people before the arrival of the Europeans.
Hickory nuts grow wild in the northern states.
These trees grow in many parts of the world from the U.S. to all around the Mediterranean coast. They are especially popular in Italian foods, such as pesto. They are also a great snack straight out of the bag. Domestic cultivation only began in 1976, yet has grown rapidly. The English walnut is light brown and grows all over Europe.