Nuts

From Peanut Butter cookies to Chocolate Chip cookies with pecans, cookies and nuts provide a great flavor combination.
The outer brown skin is usually bitter but can be removed by a process called blanching. So when a recipe calls for blanched nuts, it refers to nuts with the skin removed.
Toasting them in the oven also enhances the buttery flavor and gives them a golden color with added crunch.

Almonds

Almonds are the number one nut crop in America. They are grown in Australia, South Africa The Mediterranean and California. Their flavor is mellow and sweet. They are sold whole, sliced, slivered, or ground with skins on or off.

Cashews

Buttery and slightly sweet, cashews are grown throughout the world. They have a high fat content which means they can turn rancid very quickly. They should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to preserve freshness.

Coconut

Coconuts, the fruit of a palm tree, are native to Malaysia but are now found in parts of Africa, South America, India, Hawaii, the Pacific Islands. The largest of the nuts, the average coconut weighs 1 1/2 pounds.
Dried sweet or unsweetened coconut comes packaged in plastic bags or cans and is available shredded, flaked, and sometimes toasted. Packaged coconut will usually keep about six months at room temperature but keep it away from moisture. Always taste before using to make sure it has the wonderful coconut taste, not a dull, dusty flavor.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts, also called filberts, are grown in Spain, France and Turkey.
They are sweet and rich tasting.
Once out of the shell, Hazelnuts have a dark papery skin over the nut. To remove the bitter skin of the nut, toast them in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for 15 minutes until skins begin to flake. Remove from oven and place the nuts in a towel. Roll up the towel and let them sit for a few minutes then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove the skins. Let cool before using. Toasting the nuts not only removes the bitter skins but also enhances the flavor of the nut. 

Macadamias

Macadamias have a hard brown shell that is difficult to crack. So most macadamia nuts are sold shelled, either raw or roasted. Rich and buttery, this nut is grown primarily in Hawaii. Macadamias are expensive because cultivating them is very labor intensive and it takes 100 pounds of harvested nuts to produce 15 pounds of edible nuts.

Peanuts

Peanuts are grown throughout the Southern United States. The most common varieties are the Virginia and the Spanish peanut. More than half of the national crop is used to make peanut butter. Peanuts are sold in a variety of forms: with or without its shell, salted, unsalted, roasted, or dry roasted. With its buttery flavor, they are wonderful as a snack or used in some of our favorite cookie recipes.

Pecans

This sweet nut is a member of the hickory family. They are a native American nut. The best pecans are from Georgia and Texas. Pecans have a buttery, slightly bittersweet taste that is enhanced when toasted. To toast pecans place them on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven until lightly browned. Be careful and watch them closely. It is very easy to burn them.

Pistachios

This sweet nut originated in Turkey and is now grown in central Asia and California.
The tan shell of the pistachio nut is almost impenetrable before the nut matures. Once it ripens though, the shell cracks open to reveal a delicate, sweet flavored nut.
They are available year round shelled and unshelled. If you can find them, buy the shelled kind to make it easier on yourself.

Walnuts

Walnuts are a type of hickory grown in temperate climates. They are the second ranking nut crop in the United States. There are two types of walnuts; Black or American, and English or Persian walnut. The Black or American walnut is harder to find. The nut has a hard shell that is darker in color than the English, and has a stronger flavor. For time purposes, you should buy walnuts that have already been shelled.

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