Nuts have a high fat content, so if you use a food processor, pulse briefly and pay close attention or you'll end up with nut butter. A nut pick helps coax out reluctant walnut or pecan meats. And freezing Brazil nuts for a few hours seem to make their hard shells easier to crack. English walnuts , the walnuts we see most often, originally came from Persia. Walnuts are easy to shell, but they turn rancid quickly, so shell them only as you use them.
Walnuts are delicious after dinner with cheese, pears, apples, and a glass of port.
Authentic Italian pesto often includes walnuts as well as pine nuts. Their flavor is strong, but in small amounts, they add exotic interest to cakes and cookies. Try them in a poultry stuffing. Black walnuts are hard to remove from their rock-hard shell, so you'll always see them sold shelled in broken pieces. Pecans are another native American nut.