The Greeks were the first to grow almonds in Europe. The
Greek scholar, Theophrastus, mentions in his history of plants, written about
300 BC, that almond trees were the only trees in Greece that produced blossoms
before leaves. Greek physician Hippocrates used almonds to treat coughs and
regarded them as good for the bowel and an aid to healing lung infection. The
Romans, who referred to almonds as “the Greek nut,” brought almonds to Italy
around 200 BC. The Romans used almonds primarily in the form of sweets and showered
newlyweds with them as a fertility charm. The Bible makes numerous references
to almonds as an object of value and symbol of hope. Throughout history, almonds
have maintained religious, ethnic and social significance. The Bible's Book of
Numbers tells the story of Aaron's rod that blossomed and bore almonds, giving it
the symbolism of divine approval. As far back as 3,000 BC, Almond trees were
domesticated and have been part of Mediterranean culture for millennia. Originally
from central and southwest Asia, almonds became a staple food there that helped
sustain the long journeys of nomadic tribes.
Arabs and Moors made extensive use of almonds in their
cuisine. When the Moors conquered Spain in 711 AD, they brought almonds with
them, along with the techniques of growing and irrigating the trees that
produced the nuts. Since the Moors were not driven out of Spain until 1492,
almonds and almond trees were well established in both the local cuisine and landscape by the time
they left.
Approximately 1.7 million tons of almonds are produced every
year around the world. Spain is the second-largest almond producer in the world
after the United States, it was Spanish missionaries who brought almonds to the
United States in the 18th century. Andalusia and Valencia are its main producing
regions. Thanks to its well-advertised health benefits, almonds are enjoying
global demand with an increase in health- conscious diets, they are increasingly
popular and the demand is booming. They
are used as dairy and wheat alternatives, as they are a source of protein for
vegetarians and vegans, almond flour can replace wheat flour in gluten-free
diets for coeliac's and people who wish to avoid gluten. Almond milk is a
common substitute for cow’s milk for people who are lactose intolerant. In
actual fact, almonds are not a nut but a fruit similar to the peach. It is said
that just to eat a handful a day with give you good health for life. Almonds
contain lots of healthy fats, fibre, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health
benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure
and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight
loss, so make for a healthier snack.
Almond trees add a
special magical charm to the landscapes of Spain. Some are White and others are
Pink. The White blossoms produce sweet almonds, while the Pink ones produce the
bitter variety. (The latter contain cyanide which must be removed before
consuming the extract of these nuts) The colours and scents of their blossoms
bring the springtime countryside to life from mid-January to early March. It’s
an amazing experience to drive through large expanses areas of land and
Mediterranean coastal areas, cultivated with elegant almond trees, even more wonderful
is to walk through the groves and smell the delicate fragrant flowers and see
the beautiful trees in full bloom. I have been fortunate to see this several
times and it is one of the most glorious spring scenes you will ever see.
In the Mediterranean area, almond trees can live for between
60-80 years, sometimes even as long as 100 years, they are very robust,
long-lived trees like the olive tree. It is one of the main trees cultivated
for industrial purposes along the Mediterranean coast. Both trees share similar
climatic requirements an average temperature between 15-18 °C, mild winters and
hot summers and no more than 600 mm of rain. They complement olive tree
harvesting since the same tree “shaker” machines can be used on both crops
using the same machinery and so are often grown together.
Today, In Spain, farmers are replacing growing wheat with planting
almond trees. There are many advantages to this; almond trees are relatively
low-maintenance needing little or no watering and they thrive in the dry
climates of the Mediterranean area. Although, the tree may take two to three
years before generating nuts, it can continue generating fruits for over fifty
years.
Over a hundred different varieties are grown in Spain today,
but there are five major commercial types. They are defined and selected from
among the top-quality varieties: Marcona, Largueta, Planeta, Valencias and Comunas.
Three of them – Marcona, Largueta, and Planeta are native Spanish varieties.
The typical Spanish almond is known for its properties appealing to the senses
particularly its sweet flavour which differentiates it from almonds of other
origin. The quality of Spanish almonds is exceptional because of their higher
oil content, making them juicier, smoother and more intensely flavoured.
The bitter almond- Prunus Amara- is used primarily for flavouring
and it is the sweet almond- Prunus Dulcis that we eat. The Bitter almonds are also
a valued ingredient in cosmetics.
Almonds are a special treat in Spain. The Spanish love to flavour
desserts and other traditional dishes with almonds: Ajo Blanco is the chilled white gazpacho soup based on ground almonds, crushed almonds go into sauces such as pepitoria and
they feature in many popular tapas. Garapiñadas are the crunchy caramelized
almonds sold on street stands, which are very tasty indeed.
Almonds are used for special occasions and linked to occasions like Easter and Christmas: Panellets, are a traditional sweet from the region
of Cataluña, prepared for All Saints Day or Día de Todos los Santos. They are made
of equal parts of ground almonds and sugar formed into balls and decorated with
pine nuts, or rolled cocoa powder, candied cherries or coconut flakes. A St.
James Cake, named in honour of Santiago the patron saint of Spain, is a moist
and light almond cake with less than one cup of flour. This is sold in Santiago
de Compostela and is popular with tourists and pilgrims alike. Turrón is a Christmas sweet you will find
throughout Andalusia and is nougat made from roasted almonds and honey.
Polvorones are eaten only at Christmas, they are round biscuits with almonds
inside. Pan de Cadiz is a variety of marzipan, this almond-sugar-egg sweet is
stuffed with sugar-coated fruits. All very delicious if not very good for your
waistline.
I hope you would agree that almonds are still a sweet,
superfood in our times, not just for the Greeks, Romans and Moors!
No comments:
Post a Comment