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| Image by Mahesh Patel from Pixabay |
Hey, want to hear some fun facts about cashews? Of course you do. You’ve probably watched everything there is to watch on Netflix at this point, so you might as well. Well, guess what? We’ve got your fun cashew facts right here. Read on to be surprised, or just hop over to Try My Nuts to get your own cashews.
The Cashew Fruit Looks Like...This
Okay, first of all, we need to talk about the cashew fruit. What, you thought that cashews just grew right off the tree looking like normal cashews? Nope! They grow off the tree looking like this.
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| Image by PDPics from Pixabay |
Look at that thing! If someone told you to picture a cashew fruit, there’s no way your mind would have come up with this.
They call this misshapen boxing glove a “cashew apple.” That’s not an apple. That is a pepper that lost a fight with a squirrel. And look at that little cashew looking all smug on top of it.
Cashew apples don’t taste like peppers, though. They actually taste sweet. Apparently, you can eat them raw or make them into beverages. Let us know if you ever taste one, because we’re curious now, and we’ve only ever dealt with that smug little guy on the end.
In The Future, You Might Use Cashew Shells To Fuel Your Car. And Paint It.
You know those TV characters who are all tough and caustic on the outside but sweet on the inside once you get to know them? The cashew’s shell is like that character’s leather jacket.
There’s a reason why we don’t sell cashews in the shell the way we do for, say, peanuts. Long story short, it’s not good for you.
It’s great for other things, though! Cashew shell oil is being studied as a potential fuel. Imagine a world where you could power your car with cashews. Cashew shells apparently also make great paint material, and they have potential in the world of nanotechnology.
And you just thought you were having a snack.
Cashews Make Great Desserts
So you want to bake with nuts. Great! What nuts are you reaching for? Most people go for pecans or walnuts, which are great baking nuts. However, you’re missing a lot of potential if you don’t consider cashews, too.
Cashews make fantastic desserts. They’re softer and sweeter than a lot of other nuts, which makes them a good choice for baking. They mix well with other ingredients. You can bake them into brownies or do something more elaborate. You have a lot of options here.
We’re still several months away from Thanksgiving, by the way, in case you wanted a head start on planning the cashew pie that’s going to leave Aunt Marge’s pecan pie in the dust.
They’re Related To Mangoes
Did you know that cashews are related to mangoes? We actually don’t have a lot to say here. That might’ve been a bigger revelation if we had told you before we mentioned the “cashew fruits look like bloated cocoons” thing.
Still. They’re definitely related to mangoes. And if you want to host a small family reunion, then you should know that there’s real mango in our Category 3 Hot Sauce. Do with that information what you will.
Cashews Are Extremely Nutritious
We always laugh when we hear a health nut scoffing at cashews. It’s usually someone who’s on some trendy diet, anyway.
The truth is that cashews are packed with nutrition. They have an excellent carb to fat to protein ratio, which makes them a great snack choice if you’re looking for energy to help you power through the rest of your day. They also contain all sorts of important vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, iron, selenium, and more.
Cashews can help with heart health, eye health, blood health, and immune health. It turns out that the real health nuts were the cashew eaters this whole time. So the next time someone scoffs at cashews, go ahead and freak them out by showing them the cashew apple pictures up there. Tell them it’s a GMO or something.
You Can Totally Make Cheese Out Of Cashews
People have made a lot of things over the past few months. Sourdough bread was having a moment for a while. Some people got really into desserts, which we once again remind you that you can pair with cashews.
If you’ve already tried making everything else, here’s a suggestion: cashew cheese.
Yep, it turns out that you can totally make cheese out of cashews, and according to some vegans on the internet, it tastes weirdly similar to actual cheese. Go ahead and try it, and then let us know how it goes. Again, we’re curious.
Cashews Pair Well With Almost Any Flavor
The great thing about cashews is that you can eat them almost any way you want. Well, except with the shell. The shell is already being used to make paint. But anything else goes!
Sometimes, all you need is a lightly salted cashew. Cashews are delicious enough on their own. If you want to add more flavor, you can go in a savory direction with garlic cashews. To satisfy your sweet cravings, go for chocolate covered cashews. You can also go for a sweet and spicy combination with honey roasted chipotle cashews or honey roasted sriracha cashews.
We’ve already discussed cashews and their versatility before. At the end of the day, cashews work with just about any flavor. Go ahead and try all of them. See which one you like best.
Try My Cashews!
Had enough of our fun cashew facts? Ready to get to the real thing? Then hop over to the cashews page at Try My Nuts. We’ve got lots of cashews for you to try. Let us know which flavor you like best and whether or not you try to make it into cheese.