Walnuts
Nuts. Lately, there has not been a day when I have not eaten nuts. It started during my student days when I would eat “Students’ breakfast” that contained predominantly peanuts and raisins. My student days are over, thank goodness, and my daily menu includes raisins and nuts, but not as much as before and usually not together (but the combination is still delicious).
That is now a memory, and even though peanut butter is still one of my favourite nut butters, there are so many more that I enjoy. To be honest, there is not type of nut that I don’t love. But I do have my favourites – walnuts and macadamias. A good walnut from Grenoble or Perigord (France) will cheer me up on even the drabbest day, but a few macadamias will save me when everything is falling apart around me.
Nuts are essential because they contain most of the minerals your body needs – selenium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, cobalt, iodine, and copper – as well as vitamins – B, C, E, P, K, and A – and unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and protein. It’s no surprise that the countries with populations that include nuts in their daily diet enjoy the greatest longevity and least amount of illnesses.
I could sing songs of praise for these nuts every day, several times a day. Why? Because I love them. A lot. But only good quality walnuts. Nothing can be worse than the smell and taste of stale and slightly moldy walnuts. It’s been several years now that I’ve had two, freshly shelled walnuts every morning. They grow in the wild in Malaysia, the Balkans, Iran, China, Afghanistan, the Himalayas and western Tibet, and they are grown in Western Europe, the USA, Ukraine, and Moldova, but I think none compare to the famous Grenoble walnuts. Excepting, maybe, those from Italy or the French region of Perigord.
The long-living walnut, or the Greek nut tree, is large, up to 30 m tall, with large leaves that does not bear fruit for a while – the first harvest could come 10–12 years after planting, but it will continue to bear fruit well into old age, even 400 years old. The heart of the fruit is the walnut, or Greek nut, that is in four parts and resembles the brain. Like almonds, walnuts are special in many cultures particularly where they grow in the wild – they symbolize bounty and longevity.
About 1000 years ago, a Greek trader brought walnuts to Russia resulting in this second name for walnuts – Greek nuts. Today they are eaten with everything and pressed into oil, but the ancients used them as a cure-all for all sorts of illnesses. The Greeks called them “rulers’ acorns” and gifted them to each other. They were an essential part of wedding ceremonies for the Romans. There is a superstition in the Caucuses and Moldova that a walnut tree planted after the birth of a child will give that child bodily vigour and give its soul strength and faith.
Walnuts are delicious and rich in calories. They contain 18% protein, up to 75% oil, vitamins C, E, P, K, B, provitamin A, minerals un microelements – iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, calcium, cobalt, iodine, and copper.
We generally know one type of walnut, but there are many in the world. I recently tasted red walnuts in California, and I have had several “classical” walnuts, but I have yet to try black walnuts. But that’s not all. There are also white walnuts (sweeter than the English or black), grey, Zībolda jeb ailantlapu, Manchurian, heart-shaped, miniature, and royal walnuts.
Purchasing
If buying shelled walnuts, choose heavy and large ones. If in the shell, the shells should not be damaged or porous – that indicates the presence of mold. If buying them loose, check that they are not too shriveled and dry. Smell them to check for mustiness.
Storing
Because of their high levels of polyunsaturated fats, walnuts go rancid quickly. Shelled nuts should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months or in the freezer for one year. Nuts in the shell should be kept in the fridge or in a cool, dry place for no longer than 6 months.
