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.
Back
to Ingredients
