Let's face it, as the holidays near things kinda go nuts.

From the crazy uncle to the wacky aunt, it seems like this is the time of year when people have the option to expel all their pent up thoughts from the whole year together in a family setting.

For those of us who are more reserved and hold back from releasing that energy, we look for alternatives to relieve the stress of life.

There is no scientific proof, none whatsoever, but we strongly believe the best way to combat nuts is with nuts.

This week we're talking about nuts for your nuts.

Not only are nuts good for your health. They are, in fact, good for your nuts.

Whether they belong to you or someone else, consumption of these little morsels does everyone some good. Almonds to walnuts to Castanhas do Para, consumption of these crunchy little bits creates joy.

Science tells us that the healthy fats, antioxidants, and minerals like zinc and selenium in nuts helps keep our blood flowing, which is critical for our bodies to keep functioning in a healthy way. Nuts can help you improve your posture, keeping you more upright, a straighter stance if you will.

Nuts are one of the great snacks you can eat that satisfies without the evil of calories derived from sweetness.

Nut mixes have this wonderful way of occupying your brain whilst you pick and choose which nut to consume first. They keep you interested in the group as a whole, as you get variety of crunch and flavor, all the while satisfying your cravings. And sometimes you just want to grab a handful and toss it in your mouth!

During the holiday season, having nuts on hand is a given, why not have a bowl(s) nearby, ready when you are, to help relieve the stress of it all. Nuts are great morning, noon and night!

Nuts of all kinds help keep you healthy and your brain alive!

Be happy, Eat nuts!

Botanically almonds are not nuts, but the seeds of a fruit called a drupe, yet we speak of them as nuts. Like many things we eat that we call nuts are not actually nuts. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios are all not nuts.

Click Here To See All Our Nuts!

"Made for me originally by a friend in a wonderful cottage on the lake. We sat with friends and ate the nuts along with a cool drink. Who would think that nuts, as simple as this, would be so perfect on one summer afternoon! Cheers!"

Based on Danny Meyer's Union Square Cafe Bar nut recipe. If your are in NYC have dinner there!

See The Best Bar Nuts Recipe here!
 

If I am not making my own nuts these are the ones I pine for!

A handful of these make me happy! We have had them so long that they remind me of the holidays and summer family gatherings!

A handful of mixed nuts are hard to beat. Finding the right mix is harder to do than you think. And that's where Fastachi's Cranberry Nut Mix, which has been with us for virtually forever, comes into play.

This bag of mixed nuts with cranberries is our go-to, always-have-in-hand staple—the best bag of nuts you can find.

This mix, the nuts themselves, hand-salted with sea salt to perfection, double-sifted to ensure whole nuts in your hand, with just the right combination of soft, hard, harder, crunchy and salty. It doesn't get much better than this!

A handful of the right nuts is a good mouthful for creating joy for life!

The Fastachi cranberry nut mix is simply roasted in small batches with sea salt for clarity, perfection, and a clean, distinctive flavor. We have enjoyed these assorted roasted nuts for years and they are perfect for an office snack or a party mix—these are good!

And to be honest, the way he handles the salt on these nuts is the best and better than I can achieve at home.

Shop now for Fastachi Cranberry Nut Mix here!

These are good! Like hazelnuts from Piedmont and Sicilian pistachios, Marcona almonds from Spain are prized the world over. Some even say Marcona almonds are the finest in the world.

Almost round and very flat, Marcona almonds look different from California garden-variety almonds, and they have a richer, more intensely nutty flavor.

Our Spanish Marcona almonds are toasted in sunflower oil and lightly salted, and the result is a crisp, tender, and super-flavorful almond. If you haven't had them, try them at least once...and you might be hooked for life!

You might think that almonds in olive oil would be better, and they might be when freshly oiled and eaten soon after. But, we discovered that by the time they arrive from Spain, they taste oily and we find we prefer the almonds in heart-healthy sunflower oil.

Shop now for Marcona Almonds!

This is the gift that I look forward to every year from my friend! Bonus!

See the Spiced Mixed Nut and Honey Recipe here!

Fried almonds with the skin on!

When you take a look, at first they look like someone made a mistake and fried them too long. When you find out that they have their skins on and you taste one, you realize what genius they are!

The salt, the almond and the fried skin make just the right combination to this nutty (well, actually seedy) treat. Like candy, fried Marcona almonds seem to draw your hand to them.

The salty crunch is addictive and good for you. Like the golden raisins, it's a great snack, and better than a bag of candy corn or malted chocolate sport balls. Mix them with salted marcona almonds and you have a delightful appetizer. Just for you!

Shop now for Skin-on Marcona Almonds here!

Much bigger than you'd expect.

First, there is a dusting of cocoa powder and then, almost twice the thickness of the almond itself, chocolate!

And it's not a layer of milky chocolate, these Spanish chocolate-covered almond nuts taste like a nice dark chocolate with excellent dry notes.

You might only need one or two to satisfy your desires!

Shop now for Spanish Chocolate-Covered Valencia Almonds here!

Sugar-Coated Almonds!

Handful ready, Valencia almonds from Spain are some of the sweetest almonds in the world, and when you top them with a sweet, sugary coating you have one of the best treats to eat, one by one or by the handful!

As you know, wild almonds are bitter, even toxic, and when consumed in even small quantities can be fatal! However, domesticated almonds are not. Even before grafting, domesticated almonds could be as old as the Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC). Even King Tut had a few in his tomb.

The natural process of selection of almond trees by the human species unintentionally and then intentionally in almond orchards brings us the sweet almond of today.

Valencia almonds, with their flatter, more pointy tip, make them one of the distinct shapes in the almond world. And when specifically from Spain, these are some of the sweetest grown. Out of the top ten largest producers of almonds in the world, second behind California, Spain produces about 9% of the world's total.

These candied Valencia almonds have crunch from the sugar and bite from the almond to blend perfectly in the mouth. Not too sweet at all, the sugar instead complements the almond's slight bitterness and the milky almond flavor, blending into the perfect chomp. And the best part is that the sugar is not heavy or hard like some sugared almonds.

Instead it breaks away cleanly without any fear of tooth fragmentation. In fact, if you place just one almond in your mouth, the sugar melts away in a wonderful dissolution leaving the almond to be minced up and swallowed.

Combined variables of Valencia almonds and sugar, make each nut crazy good and not just good tasting, but fun to eat. Try a jar of these sugar-coated almonds!

Shop now for Candied Valencia Almonds!

Just about perfect. Not too much salt, just enough to satisfy your desire (need) for savory. Add the herbs and they are just plain tasty good. It is almost a salad wrapped around a nut. Well, maybe not quite a salad, but it certainly is not so much a nut anymore!

No need to eat by the handful, one at a time is perfect! Just a few are so tasty and satisfying, think of them as a diet food!

Shop now for Valencia Almonds with Herbs!

Having consumed our fair share of bagged corn nuts with overly giant-sized kernels, we were intrigued. You know the old saying, bigger is better? More fun to say than it is in practice! It is when it comes to corn nuts, anyway!

When it comes to taste, flavor, and crunch, these little, normally-sized corn kernels are da bomb! Crunchy through and through, each one crunches just right. Eat one at a time, and you will get 11 crunches (of biting) before you are done, depending on your crunch speed, about 6 seconds of time!

Starting with non-GMO corn kernels, the just plain "Toasted" version is my favorite. A little oil and salt, and it is perfect in every possible way! I thought bigger kernels were better, but not anymore.

It's hard to explain exactly why we love these so much, but they are the perfect munch food. For your desk or a long car ride, they are the just-right grab-and-bite-sized treat.

Toasted corn is exactly that, corn kernel unpopped, unboiled, but toasted and most often oiled and salted.

CornNuts (Kraft Foods), Cornick (Philippines), Diana (El Salvador), Cancha (Peru, Ecuador) are all variations of a Corn Kernel that is toasted. The base variation is seasoned with oil and salt. Garlic, chili cheese, adobo, BBQ, ranch, etc. are some of the many flavor variations available today.

The Toasted Corn Kernel was first introduced here in the US by Albert Holloway in Oakland, California, in 1936. Originally sold as a free tavern snack food (in 1900 there were an estimated 265,000 legal and illegal taverns), it later became the CornNuts with a hybrid of the Cuzco corn from Cusco, Peru, being grown in California.

Shop now for Toasted Corn here!

I love these nuts! And though I eat them out of hand every day, I am really enjoying them the most in baked goods!

Just lightly baked and they make the perfect bite, crunch, and the flavor is just that much more than out of hand.

Probably the most beautiful walnuts you've ever seen, with a buttery taste to match. All the health benefits of walnuts (Omega 3 fatty acids) with the addition of red polyphenols. The California organic red walnuts are a perfect upgrade to our recipes.

Shop now for Organic Red Walnuts here!

No fancy packaging here, this commercial tub of Mandelin premium almond paste is the real deal.

You can shape this white treat into little animals for your next birthday cake. Or into leaves for the top of an apple pie.

Shape and eat! OR just eat it. It's that good.

This is a professional, premium almond paste that is made with 66% almonds, whereas most almond paste is made with 50% or less almonds.

Our almond paste contains bitter almond oil for an extra boost of almond flavor, a flavor the Europeans are known for.

Did you know that most of the almond paste used in countries like Switzerland and France is made from almonds grown in California, including some that is exported back here to the USA!

Shop now for Almond Paste!

Jean Galton's (recipe maven) positively addictive Sugar & Spice Pecans are made with an exotic blend of flavors, including Ceylon Cinnamon. These cinnamon-sugar pecans make the perfect homemade holiday gift.

See the Sugar & Spice Pecans Recipe!

Our friend John loves this sugar, and swears it is the very best for his morning chai.

Pale, delicate, and large-grained, Demerara Mauritius sugar is an English version of turbinado sugar. It gives an appealing sparkle to the tops of cookies, simple cakes, or bread puddings, eliminating the need for frostings or drizzles. Since it has just a hint of molasses flavor, it's also a good choice for hot breakfast cereals, yogurt, or a steaming cup of morning coffee or tea.

Shop now for Mauritius Demerara Sugar!

To be clear, I love sesame seeds of all kinds. If I see something that's sesame seed centric I am buying it to try it and rarely am I disappointed....

Though, to find one that others might like with as much excitement as I have about these Wasabi Sesame Seeds is rare.

And in this case, these WASABI sesame seeds are the bee's knees!

What else could you want in life?

These wasabi flavored sesame seeds are a handful of joy!

Like all new ingredients, we test them taste them and then use them before we share with you.

It's been very difficult for me to test them other than in the palm of my hand or my open mouth. That's how I've been testing them and I absolutely love them.

A teaspoon in your hand is worth the joy of crunchy sesame and a touch of wasabi in your mouth.

I am sure that you can find a way to use them. Topping baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, bagels with cream cheese, really almost anywhere.

Me, I just like to put them in my mouth.

Do I think that there's too much wasabi or is is overpowering, no I don't think so. It definitely has a little bit of a punch, but in a nice way. They are the fox's socks!

Be sure to check the ingredient list if you're a sensitive person.

Shop now for Wasabi Roasted Sesame Seeds!

As a lover of Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon, this is one of my favorite recipes. Quick, simple, perfect.

See the Spaghetti with Lemon Recipe here!

The crystals of tyrosine multiply after two years and keep appearing in this science experiment (that's what cheese is!), of proteins and fats trapped together amongst like kinds (of other fats and proteins) in a conglomeration called cheese. And as they get together, after time, they start to unravel and in the process, create these wonderful tiny pockets of crunch.

And this is really good for you, by the way. You won't find it in a younger cheese! Proving once again that sometimes age has its benefits!

One way in which Parmigiano-Reggiano differs is the season during which they were started. This is a summer cheese, meaning that it is made using milk harvested during the summer, and the cheese-making process was begun in the summer. Parmigiano-Reggiano is also made at other times of year, and each of them have their merits.

Summer cheeses are often the most heady and dense in flavor due to the concentration of strong summer grasses where the cows forage during that time of year. As compared to, say, milk collected in the winter when the cows are fed a higher concentration of dry hay.

We expect to cut the cheese around Oct 25th to the 31st.

Pre-order Summer Parmigiano-Reggiano Now!

 

Hand-wrapped and tied with a shimmering ribbon, this golden cake carries the bright perfume of Sorrento lemons. It's one of the most delicious panettone we've ever tasted! Albertengo's Sorrento Lemon Panettone is a fragrant holiday cake that swaps the classic raisins for lightly candied Sorrento lemons. You can almost smell the heavenly scent right through the wrapping!

Each bite is airy, citrusy, and light, with the natural sweetness of sun-ripened lemons lifting the rich, buttery dough. It will melt in your mouth, and the aroma and flavor of the Sorrento lemon will drive you to distraction.

Have one of these always on hand for any surprise guests or if you need an emergency hostess gift.

Though every time I have brought a panettone to a holiday potluck the host squirrels away the cake immediately saying they aren't sharing!

Pre-order Albertengo Sorrento Lemon Panettone Now!

We have spent the last 2 years looking and testing for a new ChefShop cocoa powder to replace our original recipe and venerable favorite which is no longer available.

This Deep Dark Dutch-processed dark unsweetened cocoa powder is in a class unto itself. We have removed less fat from our cocoa (22-24% fat content), which results in a more intense and immediate chocolate flavor.

This "service pack" of ChefShop cocoa powder is designed for commercial users like baristas, bakers, and gelato makers. It is sealed in a thick zip-lock style bag for production baking with a Plain Jane label. Like many of the foods and ingredients that go to the back of the house, the contents are more important than being pretty.

And price relative to quantity is also a crucial part of the commercial kitchen. So that is why we have chosen this cocoa, for the quality and consistency of product relative to the cost.

And that's what we have here in this bag of exceptional cocoa powder. The resealable bag keeps the cocoa powder fresh and it can last a good long time.

The new size is now available!

Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder here!


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Gift Certificates available for any amount you choose.

Choose the amount in $25 increments by changing the quantity number and we will take care of the rest.

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