The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-11
Edible Nuts.

Nuts are true seeds, and differ from fruits IN
wing hard shells without any soft or puppy
closure. From the earliest times nuts, espe-
ally acorns and chestnuts, have been used lor
cd, and at the present Gay IN Soutnerh hu,
ne chestnuts form large portion OF the 1000
the labOring classes, who besides eatlnS
EN- raw and roasted, make puddings OF them
ID nolenta for pastry. The chestnut is the
ost farinaceous and the least oily OF all the
nc. and therefore it is the most easy OF dlges'
IN, but it requires boiling or roasting 10 pursl
starch cells and render it digestible. The
lestnuts of Southern Europe are far superior
size and perfection to those tlat grow III
drr climates. Though little used on our Ia
es, they make delicious desserts.
The walnut is a native Of Persia, and its fruit
much used in the green state as pickle
his nut is very oily, and on the Continent its
|. when fresh, is used in cooking as Il substi-
lte for olive oil In Switzerland the poor
,ople use the refuse matter, after the oil is eX-
acted, for bread Walnuts and hickory nuts
re often used by fancy cooks for shortening
nd flavoring cake the addition of these nuts
lakes a delicious but very indigestibe article
Acorns from remote antiquity have been
n sed as food for man and animals. The an
lent Britons lived mostly on acorns; so, says
-alen. did the Arcadians. They were pre-
Jared in many shapes, boiled and roasted, drled
Ind ground and made into bread. At present
lev are chiefly used for fattening hogs deer ano
oliltry though in Norway and Sweden they
re boiled and mixed with cornmeal 10 MAKE
read
Hazel nuts and filberts are the trult OF tht
anne tree, the former in its wild ana the la'icl
n its cultivated state, These NUS are quit'
rec from oil At dessert they are eaten VIII
alt
Fresh roasted peanuts are very agreeable in
uheir flavor and quite nutritious. Instead o.
,cinp munched between meals in all sorts o.
faces, if they were eaten at the table as par
f the meal and thoroughly masticated they
yould prove more wholesome.
The cocoa nut is a product OF one OF th'
palms, and grows abundanty in all tropical re
rions The kernel, in its fresh state, is very
iutritive, and when grated makes eXcellen
axes or friters. The milk of the cocoa nu
orms delicious beverage in its native coun
nv; a large nut when fresh will give half {
. ,int of milk. When it is very young the pull
: so soft that it may be eaten with spoon
Ind the shell is so thin and transparent that
nav be used as Il lantern. The oil obtained b!
pressure from the kernel is used for burning IL
amps and for making fine soap. There is M
part of the tree but is employed for some use
| full purpose, though with respect 10 lruiI th
|rocoanut is one of the least productive of tn
palm tribe. One tree in good soil produce
about 100 cOcoanuts annually
Sweet almonds are nutritive, but difficult
' digestion. The brown husk that surrounds tn
kernel is unwholesome, and on account OF 1t
Injurious qualities almonds should always b
| blanched. This is done by simply pourin!
boiling water upon the kernels. Bitter aim
onds are poisonous to all classes Of animal,
Though they do not contain prussic acid, ye
| when chewed, chemical change is effected b,
which prussc acid is formed. The essence 0
u bitter almonds is most potent poison, though
| it is extensively used for tlavoring. In til
/ hands of careless or ignorant cook it is dan
gerous, and there are a great many tiavOring
That could well take its place altogether.