To prepare fresh nuts, crack open their shells and then pour boiling water over the nutmeats. Let them soak for about ten minutes until their skins are loose. Peel off the skins, then put the nutmeats in a pot full of boiling water, let it simmer for about thirty minutes, then drain. Canned nuts have already been shelled, skinned and boiled, but they're mealier than fresh nuts. Rinse them before using.
Unshelled nuts show up in the produce department of larger supermarkets in the fall and winter.
Shelled nuts are available year-round near the baking supplies. Before you use them, toast shelled hazelnuts in a 325 oven for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Pecans are a very close relative. One downside is that they turn your teeth orange. These rich and creamy nuts hail from Hawaii and Australia, where they're eaten as snacks, or incorporated into cookies or other desserts.