Smyrna times., 1877-09-19
Edible Nuts.

Nuts are true seed, and differ from fruits
i'll having hard shells without any soft or
pupy enclosure. From tho earliest time
nuts, especially aCorns and chestnuts, have
been used for food, and at the present day
IN Southern Europe chestnuts form large
portion of the food of the laboring classes.
who beside eating them raw and roasted
make puddlngs of them and polenta for
pastry. The chestnutis the most farinaceous
and the least oily Of all the nuts, and there.
fore 1t is the most easy of digestion, but it
requires boiling or roasting to burst the
starch cells and render it digestible. The
chestnuts of Southern Europe are far
superior in size and perfection to those
that grow in. colder climates Though
little used on our tables, they make deli
cious desserts
The walnut is native of Persia and its
fruit is much used in the green state as a
pickle. The nut is very oily, and on the
continent its oil, when fresh, is used in
cooking as substitute for olive oil In
Switzerland the poor people use the refuse
matter after the oil is extracted. for bread
Walnuts and hickory nuts are often used
by fancy cooks for shortening and flavor.
ing cake; the addition of these nuts makes
delicious but very indigestible article.
Acorns from remote antiquity have been
used as food for both man and animals
The ancient Britons lived mostly on
acorns; so, says Galen, did the Arcadians
They were prepared in many shapes, boiled
and roasted, dried and ground and made
INTO bread. At present they are chiefly
used Tor tattening hogs, deer and poultry,
though In Norway and Sweden thev are
boiled and mixed with cornmeal to make
bread
Hazel nuts and filberts are the fruit of
the same tree, the former in its wild and
the latter in its cultivated These nuts are
quite free from oil. At dessert they are
eaten with salt
Fresh roasted peanuts are very agreeable
IN their flavor and quite nutritious, instead
OF being munched between meals in all
sorts OF places, if they were eaten at the
table as part of the meal and thoroughlv
they would prove more whole
some.
The cocoanut is product of ono of the
palms, and grows abundantly in all tropical
regions. The kernel, in its fresh state. is
very nutrltivc, and when grated makes ex.
cellent cakes or fritters. The milk Of the
forms delicious beverage in It's
native country: large nut when fresh
VIII give hall pint of milk. When il is
very young the pulp is so soft that it may
DC eaten with spoon, and the shell is so
thn and transparent that it NAV be
used as lantern. The oil obtained bv
pressure from the kernel is used for burn.
ng IN lamps and for making fine soap.
There is no part Of the tree but is emploved
Tor some useful purpose, though with
respect to fruit the cocoanut is one of the
east productive of the palm tribe. One
-ree IN good soil produces 100 cocoanuts
Sweet almonds are nutritive, but difficult
'f digestion. The brown husks that sur.
'ound the kernel is unwholsome. and on
account of its injurious qualities almonds
hould always be blanced. This is done bv
simply pouring boiling water upon the |
ierneis. Bitter almonds are poisonous to |
vi classes Of animals Though thew do not |
contain prussic acid, yet, when chewed n |
chemical change is affected by which |
1russlc acid is formed The essence oF |
Itter almonds is a most potent poison,
hough 1T IS extensively used for havoring, |
n the hands Of u careless or ignorant cook |
IS dangerous, and there arc a great MANY |
Iavorings that could we'll take its nlace |
Together