Ingredient: Walnuts
Category: Nuts
Season: All
The word walnut derives from Old English wealhhnutu, literally "foreign nut", wealh meaning "foreign" (wealh is akin to the terms Welsh and Vlach; see *Walha and History of the term Vlach).
The walnut was so called, because it was introduced from Gaul and Italy. The previous Latin name for the walnut was nux Gallica, "Gallic nut".
The walnut harvest in Europe starts in October; the Californians send their uniform, high quality crop a little later.
When walnuts are farmed on any scale, as they are in parts of France like the Dordogne, the nuts are gently dried in huge ovens to make sure they will keep.
A wet walnut is simply one that has not been dried.
Walnut oil has a rich walnut flavour and a high level of healthy fats to recommend it.
The nuts of all the species are edible, but the walnuts commonly available in shops are from the Persian Walnut, the only species which has a large nut and thin shell.
A horticultural form selected for thin nut shells and hardiness in temperate zones is sometimes known as the 'Carpathian' walnut.
The nuts are rich in oil, and are widely eaten both fresh and in cookery.
Walnut oil is expensive and consequently is used sparingly; most often in salad dressing.
Walnuts are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, and have been shown as helpful in lowering cholesterol.
They need to be kept dry and refrigerated to store well; in warm conditions they become rancid in a few weeks, particularly after shelling.
Oil painters, often employs walnut oil as an effective binding medium, known for its clear, glossy consistency and non-toxicity.
Flour made from walnut shells is widely used in the plastics industry.
In some countries immature nuts in their husks are preserved in vinegar.
In England these are called "pickled walnuts" and this is one of the major uses for fresh nuts from the small scale plantings.
In Armenian cuisine, walnuts are preserved in sugar syrup and eaten whole.
In Italy, liqueurs called Nocino and Nocello are flavoured with walnuts.
In Georgia, walnuts are ground along with other ingredients to make walnut sauce. |