Uses of the walnut have evolved with the passage of time. The history of the walnut can be traced back to Egypt, where walnut oil was utilized to preserve mummies. Today, people are still finding creative uses for it. NASA, for example, uses pulverized walnut shells as heat insulation in the nose cone of rockets. Eating walnuts also has health benefits.
Recent studies suggest that moderate walnut consumption can help reduce cholesterol levels.
In fact, inhabitants of the Perigord region have the second lowest heart attack rate in the world even though their diet is laden with rich, heavy cuisine such as goose liver pate and truffles fried in goose fat. Although Americans are much more familiar with walnuts in their cookies and candies, Toussaint provides a variety of tantalizing walnut recipes that even the more inexperienced cook can try. The book provides a mixture of traditional recipes along with new creations by Toussaint. Better still, according to Draine and Hinden, walnuts complement Wisconsin cheese especially well. Notes on substitutions and variations are provided because not all of the local ingredients are available in the United States.