Guide Note

Almond trees, related to peach trees, bear a dry, inedible fruit whose kernel is eaten as a nut. The trees are native to the Middle East, and the nuts are now exported from there and from California, Spain, and Italy. There are two main types of almond: the sweet, which are eaten, and the bitter, which are made into almond by-products like almond oil.

Fast Facts

1. Latin name: Prunus dulcis
2. Eaten raw or toasted
3. February 16: National Almond Day
4. High in monounsaturated fats
5. Amount of protein, by weight, comparable to that of eggs
6. Related to peaches
7. Rich in Vitamin E, manganese, magnesium
8. Almond milk is a substitute for dairy milk
9. Almond butter is an alternative to peanut butter

While its wild relatives produce toxic seed kernels, the 'sweet' variant we know today was perhaps the first domesticated fruit tree, due to its ability (unlike apples) to grow 'true' from seed. Almonds spread early across the Middle East and Europe, and are now grown in quantity in California. They are used in traditional confections such as marzipan, and in innumerable other sweet and savory dishes including baklava and French amandines.