Next to the hazel-nut and its varieties — which include the
Constantinople nut, the American nut, and those brought
over kiln-dried from Spain — the chestnut probably ranks
second in importance in Europe as food for man. In Italy
and Spain the chestnut groves yield food much appreciated
by the lower orders, who not only eat it in its natural state,
but also make it into meal ; and a pudding made of this
meal, under the name of polenda dolce, is sold in the
streets of Italy, and forms a staple food of the Italian
peasants. The sweet chestnut, although it will grow in
England, and even in Scotland, and produce eatable fruit,
is not largely cultivated at present, although it appears to
have been one of the trees introduced by the Romans, for
it is found among the relics unearthed at Rushmore by
General Pitt-Rivers. The ornamental horse-chestixut, red
and white, is one of the best known trees of our parks, and
we often wonder that some use has not been found for the
abundant nuts it produces, which are too acrid even for the
taste of children, who delight in them as playthings. These
nuts were formerly used in washing instead of soap, and
have lately been made into soap, which is especially useful
for coloured garments ; and we are told that a portion of
the flour of these nuts added to common flour improves its
quality.
174 OUR VIANDS
The walnut, which is very valuable as a timber tree, is
also useful in many other ways, the green fruit being used
for pickling, and the green outer skin for dyeing, for which
purpose the gipsies employed it largely, centuries ago. It
is now sometimes used as a hair dye, but the fruit is the
product most highly and generally esteemed. It is too well
known to need description, but there is one way in which it
is prepared on the Continent which might be easily carried
out wherever walnuts are abundant. In Italy, they take
and peel the fresh walnut, dividing it into quarters, which
are stuck on small white sticks and dipped into melted
barley sugar. The Venetians treat other fruits, such as the
almond and orange, in the same manner, but none equal
the walnut in flavour.
The hickory nut, so much talked of in American books,
is a species of walnut, but not equal in flavour to the
European.
In the early spring the almond forms the chief ornament
of our gardens, with its bright pink blossoms on a leafless
stem, respecting which Moore writes : —
' The hope, in dreams, of a happier hour,
That alights on misery's brow
Springs out of the silvery almond flower
That blooms on a leafless bough. '
The almond does not come to perfection in our cold
climate. It is a native of the East, and was considered one
of the most important of the products of Palestine. In
Rome it was known as the Greek nut. The almond is
much used in cookery ; the oil of the bitter almond is a
powerful poison, but in very small quantities it is useful for
flavouring.
NUTS AND APPLES 175
Our viands
1893Page 85
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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Next to the hazel-nut and its varieties — which include the
Constantinople nut, the American nut, and those brought
over kiln-dried from Spain — the chestnut probably ranks
second in importance in Europe as food for man. In Italy
and Spain the chestnut groves yield food much appreciated
by the lower orders, who not only eat it in its natural state,
but also make it into meal ; and a pudding made of this
meal, under the name of polenda dolce, is sold in the
streets of Italy, and forms a staple food of the Italian
peasants. The sweet chestnut, although it will grow in
England, and even in Scotland, and produce eatable fruit,
is not largely cultivated at present, although it appears to
have been one of the trees introduced by the Romans, for
it is found among the relics unearthed at Rushmore by
General Pitt-Rivers. The ornamental horse-chestixut, red
and white, is one of the best known trees of our parks, and
we often wonder that some use has not been found for the
abundant nuts it produces, which are too acrid even for the
taste of children, who delight in them as playthings. These
nuts were formerly used in washing instead of soap, and
have lately been made into soap, which is especially useful
for coloured garments ; and we are told that a portion of
the flour of these nuts added to common flour improves its
quality.
174 OUR VIANDS
The walnut, which is very valuable as a timber tree, is
also useful in many other ways, the green fruit being used
for pickling, and the green outer skin for dyeing, for which
purpose the gipsies employed it largely, centuries ago. It
is now sometimes used as a hair dye, but the fruit is the
product most highly and generally esteemed. It is too well
known to need description, but there is one way in which it
is prepared on the Continent which might be easily carried
out wherever walnuts are abundant. In Italy, they take
and peel the fresh walnut, dividing it into quarters, which
are stuck on small white sticks and dipped into melted
barley sugar. The Venetians treat other fruits, such as the
almond and orange, in the same manner, but none equal
the walnut in flavour.
The hickory nut, so much talked of in American books,
is a species of walnut, but not equal in flavour to the
European.
In the early spring the almond forms the chief ornament
of our gardens, with its bright pink blossoms on a leafless
stem, respecting which Moore writes : —
' The hope, in dreams, of a happier hour,
That alights on misery's brow
Springs out of the silvery almond flower
That blooms on a leafless bough. '
The almond does not come to perfection in our cold
climate. It is a native of the East, and was considered one
of the most important of the products of Palestine. In
Rome it was known as the Greek nut. The almond is
much used in cookery ; the oil of the bitter almond is a
powerful poison, but in very small quantities it is useful for
flavouring.
NUTS AND APPLES 175