Almonds

The fruit of the almond tree, the almond, is a nut that is very tasty and nutritious. It is cultivated in the Mediterranean countries and in America.

Almonds are divided into two categories, sweet almonds, which are eaten, and bitter almonds, which are used to make amaretto liqueur. They are sold in shell, which can be broken with a nutcracker, and without shell.

Almonds were one of the nuts consumed by the ancient Greeks with honey and sesame seeds. They passed this love on to the Romans, who offered them at weddings.

Almonds are rich in protein and unsaturated fats and can be eaten raw or roasted, salted or unsalted, plain or caramelized.

They are used in confectionery, grated, roasted, cut or whole, but also in cooking. For vegans, almond butter and almond milk are now on the market.

Traditional sweets have almonds as a basic ingredient, such as the almond loaves of the islands, and kourabiedes.