I miss you Sam!!

I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Cashews??? Who Knew??

Let me know if you are unable to see the photos -- weird stuff again????
Ever wonder where cashews come from?You might think they grow inside a shell like any other nut, but their origins are far more bizarre. 
First of all, cashews are not actually nuts, but rather fruits from the cashew tree, a large evergreen tree that thrives in tropical climates.
The tree produces red flowers, which in turn produce yellow and red oval structures resembling apples. These so-called cashew apples are very juicy and pulpy, and their juice is often added to tropical fruit drinks.
 However, cashew apples are not actually fruits in a scientific sense...the real fruit of the cashew tree is the kidney-shaped formation growing at the end.
These fruits, also called drupes, are harvested and become what we know as a cashew nut. In their raw form, the other layer of the fruit contains multiple toxins, including anacardic acid, a powerful skin irritant similar to the toxin found in poison ivy that must be removed prior to eating.
 

Roasting the cashews destroys the toxins, but roasting must be performed carefully outdoors because the smoke can irritate the lungs, sometimes to a life-threatening degree.
Cashews, when they are roasted, change from their natural greenish-gray color to the light brown nut sold in stores.
Next time you crack open a tin of cashews, take a moment to appreciate the long journey those little c-shaped nuts took to get from the tree to your table! It also explains why they are so expensive!

14 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

Interesting...very interesting. I don't like cashews, but Bud does so I'm gonna go inform him right now.

Jo said...

All but one of your photos appeared for me, Sylvia. I want to say: well, I never, about the Cashew nut/fruit story. Amazing. These nuts are the most popular nut here in Tanzania, I think because it's used in Indian cuisine. I trust you're having a great day. Jo

TexWisGirl said...

the 3rd one wouldn't load up for me, but i enjoyed the knowledge anyway!

laughed at the new header!

Maude Lynn said...

I had no idea!

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
...etherwobblies been plaguing this side of the world too, Sylvia. Sunflares I'm told......

As to cashews - we had a tree in Nigeria and let me tell you there is nothing like the freshly harvested and hot roasted kaju. Bought ones will never match up - but it's better than having none at all!!! (They make great curry BTW.) YAM xx

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I love Cashews --and had read this one before. Amazing though --and interesting since most of us don't or didn't know this....

Hugs,
Betsy

Dan said...

I did not know these facts. Interesting and one has to wonder how they discovered the proper process to prepare these nuts. Trial and error I suppose.

All your pics loaded perfectly.

Ugich Konitari said...

Yes. The cashews once inspired a poem on my blog

http://kavitalihi.blogspot.in/2012/04/primigravida-musings.html

EG CameraGirl said...

I had no idea! Thanks for this very informative post, Sylvia.

Karen said...

Cool info, I didn't know that. All the pics loaded for me.

magiceye said...

In Goa we have cashew feni (liquor) :)

Jack said...

So who first decided that, "Hey, I'm going to roast these things and see what happens?"

Lowell said...

I had no idea. I love to chew cashews! You are always enlightening!

Pat Tillett said...

I had no idea that my favorite nut, isn't actually a nut! thanks for info. Now I want cashews...

What Can I Say?

What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.

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