the nut borne by the beautiful almond tree, Prunus amygdalus, is delicately flavoured and highly versatile, has been cultivated since prehistoric times, and is the most important nut in commerce. The USA (California) is the main producer, supplying over half the world's crop, followed by Spain and Italy. Almonds are also grown in most other Mediterranean countries, and in Portugal, Iran, Afghanistan, and Australia.
The almond belongs to the same genus as the apricot, cherry, etc., but it differs from them in having a leathery fruit, which can only be eaten when immature, and a comparatively large stone and kernel. Its ancestors are thought to be several wild trees of W. and C. Asia, whose small, dry fruits produce bitter kernels. The tree fruits only in warm temperate climates, tolerating neither spring frosts nor tropical humidity. Thus, when it spread from its region of origin, this was along a restricted band of W. Asia to the W. Mediterranean.
The oldest mention of almond cultivation is in the Bible. Aaron's rod, which miraculously bore flowers and fruit, was of almond wood (Numbers 17: 8). The ancient Greeks cultivated almonds, and their name for the nut, amygdalon, has become, via Latin, the botanical name of the species and, in corrupted form, its name in modern European languages. The Romans regarded the almond as a Greek nut, calling it nux Graeca. In classical times Phoenician traders introduced its cultivation into Spain; and it was being grown in the south of France (Provence is just within the northern limit of its cultivation) as early as the 8th century bc.
Turkestan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir mark the almond's eastern limit. The Chinese, although they have tried at various times to cultivate the true almond, have generally used instead the indigenous ‘Chinese almond’ (see below).
Majorca, where large-scale planting began in the latter half of the 18th century, is an important place for almonds. Read and Manjon (1978) remark that ‘in the early spring Majorca is a sea of white blossom’, and describe the harvest which starts towards the end of August thus:
.The fruit is first shaken down on to large canvas sheets, the tough green skin is then cut off and the nuts are left to dry in the sun and then despatched in sacks for cracking, roasting or milling. The female kernels, which occur in pairs, are usually ground for confectionery, while the larger male nuts are roasted or salted
Both bitter and sweet almonds are cultivated. Those with bitter kernels contain prussic acid and are poisonous; but their taste is so disagreeable that no one is likely to eat enough of them to be made seriously ill. The poison and much of the bitterness can be driven off by heat, so that bitter almonds can be used in various ways, e.g. the extraction of a wholesome oil for flavouring purposes. Varieties used for dessert are sweet. These have the characteristic ‘almond’ flavour, but only mildly and some varieties not at all.
The main commercial distinction is between hard (or thick) shell varieties; softshells; and the extra thin papershells. The last two kinds are generally preferred both for dessert and for processing.
Well-known varieties include Jordan (nothing to do with the country of that name, but a corruption of the Spanish jardín, meaning garden) and Valencia, both semihard-shelled Spanish types, and the Californian papershell Nonpareil and softshell Ne Plus Ultra. The numerous Italian varieties of almond are almost all hard shelled. Their names are subordinate to commercial quality classifications such as ‘Avola scelta’ (choice Avola).
Uses of almonds are in many instances of great antiquity. They were of great importance in early Arabic and medieval European cookery, partly as a source of the ‘almond milk’ which was used in early versions of blancmange (and which is still current in refreshing drinks such as orgeat and horchata—see chufa). Since then, although ‘green’ (immature, soft) almonds are eaten in some places as titbits and many almonds are roasted and salted for consumption as snacks or with drinks, the main importance of the nut has been to the confectionery industry. Such products as marzipan and nougat (and its many relations) and macaroon all depend on it. The Spanish range of almond-flavoured cakes, biscuits, etc. is probably the most extensive in the world.
Products of the almond are numerous. Almond paste, much used in confectionery and baking, is the basis of marzipan, as mentioned above. To produce the paste, blanched kernels of sweet almonds are ground, mixed with water and sugar, and cooked to a smooth consistency. Ground or powdered almonds, both sugared, are available. See also sugar almonds.
The terminology of oils, essences, and extracts of almond is confusing, and, as remarked in Law's Grocer's Manual (c.1895), ‘it is highly important to be certain as to which is intended’.
Almond oil, a delicate and expensive product, formerly in high repute as a superfine culinary oil, is made from bitter almonds; it is still used in some superior confectionery.
Oil of bitter almonds, or almond essence, is not the same. It is made from the presscake left after the extraction of almond oil. This residue retains poisonous substances, and has to be steeped in water for half a day, then distilled. The result is a highly concentrated almond flavouring.
Other ‘almonds’. Because the almond is so well known and so highly esteemed, the name has been borrowed for application to other nuts. The ‘Chinese almond’ is a near relation; it is a special kind of apricot grown in China for its kernels alone. But some other ‘almonds’ are of unrelated species. The indian almond is described separately; the ‘Java almond’ under pili nut. The name ‘almondette’ is used for the calumpang nut, and ‘almendrón’ (Spanish for ‘big almond’) for a relative of the souari nut.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
