Nuts For The Almonds!

Every year I buy a bag of nuts at Christmastime and tell myself we should eat them more during the year. But somehow we never do. I listened to Farming Today on Radio 4 the other morning, with a feature about Hurstwood Farm in Kent and the wonderful Kentish Cobnuts [it was at 5.45am, but I had woken early I do not usually listen to Farmers Radio!] It made me want to dash out and get some cobnuts. Here in Leicester they call them filberts. The mascot of Leicester City FC is even called Filbert Fox

I have bought  a bag of mixed nuts, and dug out the nutcracker.

My favourite nuts are almonds, and always have been, even before I met Bob.

I like peanuts too, but technically they are not a nut, but a legume. Pistachios are great I love the green colour. Not so keen on walnuts. Roasted chestnuts are lovely [and easy to do in the microwave] Brazils are tasty, but such hard work to shell. Pecans are OK. Cashews are defined botanically as a seed.

These are my wooden handled nutcrackers inherited from my MIL, and the nuts in my hand-crafted wooden bowl [a treasured Christmas gift from Chris a few years back] I somehow feel that nuts should be kept in a wooden bowl I love all the shiny browns and different textures.

What is your favourite nut and do you eat them simply shelled just as they are, or use them in cooking? If so what recipes can you recommend?