Almond

The almond is the Fruit of the Amandier (family of the Rosacées).

Description

Ovoid, covered with a velvety to the touch, green and fluffy skin, the almond is a Nut resembling small a green fishing, whose Chair remains thin, lasts and dries and never becomes juicy. It contains a core yellow crevassé and woody, with thick hull (Amandon) which contains one or two Graine S, also called “almonds”.

The almond (in this second direction) is a oleaginous Graine with the pale flesh, crunching, soft or bitter (for wild almonds). Oblong and flattened, pointed at the end carrying the Germ, it is covered with a slightly hairy brown skin. If this skin is withdrawn, the almond is known as Mondée.

The green almond indicates a fruit which is not ripe, collected in June and July, of tender and milky aspect and delicate savor.

By extension, one calls almond any seed contained in the core of a fruit (like the Abricot).

Origin

Originating in Asia central, known of the Romain S under the name of “Greek nut”, it was very much used with the Moyen-âge, to prepare as well Potage S as of the sweetened Entremet S.

Uses

Food use

The first fresh sweet almonds of the season are tasted in dessert, like green almonds.

Dried (whole, roasted, frayed, crushed, in paste, cream or milk), the seed is consumed such as it is and used the preparation of many cakes, cookies, candies and confectioneries (Dragée, Praline, touron); it accompanies the fish (trout), the meat (chicken, pigeon) and various preparations (couscous, jokes, butters made up).

The dried bitter almonds are toxic in great quantity because they contain Hydrocyanic acid . They are used however with low dose in Pâtisserie and Confiserie.

The Orgeat which one consumes nowadays is a drink manufactured starting from almonds. The almond is very rich in lipids, proteins and vitamins.

Composition:

Other uses

The almond oil extracted the core is, since the Antiquity, very much used for its properties cosmetic, lenitive and hydrating in the event of cutaneous ignition (healing and anti-inflammatory drug in Cosmétologie). It softens and invigorates the skin and is used in Dermatologie.

It is also excellent a Laxatif, used by the Vétérinaire S like Purgatif for the cattle.

The bitter almond oil is used as conservative, in particular in the Colle with paper (adhesive containing water and of Farine of Blé or sticky Riz).

A powerful antioxydant

A Chinese research team and American under the direction of Ning Li have just highlighted that by eating an almond handle each day, one increases his free defenses anti Radicaux and one to decrease the Stress Antioxydant which the substances contained in the smoke of Tabac cause.

The almonds contain also great quantities of Vitamine E, Fiber S, Phytostérol and unsaturated Fatty-acids, all the beneficial substances to health.

Production

Varieties

There exists more than 50 varieties of almonds of which most known are:

  • AI (Provence),
  • Nonpareil (California, Australia, Chile)
  • Hillock (California)
  • California (California, Australia),
  • Carmel (California, Australia, Chile)
  • Ferraduel (Provence, Corsica),
  • Ferragnès (Provence, Corsica, Greece),
  • Ferrastar (Provence, Corsica),
  • Lauranne (Provence, Corsica),
  • Longuette (" Largueta") * Marcona (Spain),
  • Planeta (Spain),
  • Texas (California, Greece)
  • Sfax (Tunisia)
  • Avola (Italy)

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