Almonds
First cultivated in the Middle East, the almond was most likely introduced in Sicily before 1000 B.C.  There are several varieties of almond including bitter and sweet almonds, all related to prunus amygdalus.

There are numerous Biblical references to almond trees, which early in history became symbolic of various virtues and myths. In ancient times, almonds were cultivated across southern Eurasia, from Spain to Turkey to India to China, and today are widely grown in warmer climates in the Americas. Today Italy is one of the major producers of almonds, which have come to be the world's most widely grown and consumed tree nut.

In Sicily almonds blossom in February. During this month, when the almond trees are in bloom, Sicilians celebrate the blossom with the Almonds Blossom Festival or Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore in the valleys of the temples in Agrigento. During this folkloric event, townspeople dress in folkloric costumes and there are dances, shows and concerts.

Sicilian almonds are harvested in July, if not earlier. Very few find their way into the export market. Most Sicilian almonds, like Sicilian pistachios, are used in confections, though some are used to make sweet liqueur and even almond-flavored wines, thought to be an aphrodisiac.

A time-honored custom in Sicily is to throw sugar-coated almonds at the bride and the groom at wedding to symbolize the ancient practice of "marriage by capture". This practice, a bit foreign to other Italian regions, has not quite died in Sicily. In fact, there are still some districts where a mock kidnapping of the bride is staged, with the groom’s men helping to carry her away, while the opposition, representing perhaps the bride’s family, perhaps other potential suitors protecting their future chances, feigns resistance. The missiles of this ritual battle are the almonds, but now the almonds are oftentimes, replaced by traditional confetti.

Almonds are an essential ingredient when making amaretti, the traditional Italian cookie.  In addition to the almond nuts themselves, the seeds yield a tasty oil and certain potentially toxic substances (the cyanides). Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and are a good source of healthy monounsaturated fats.

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