Photo credit: Koyaanis Qatsi
On a day like this, fraught with historic significance, one that may alter the course of our republic, it is only meet and right that we should consider a topic of the greatest pith and moment.
I refer, as you must have already guessed, to the topic of nuts in food.
Philip over at the Thinklings has posted an essay that testifies both to his extreme good taste and his courage.
My wife has a theory, and I think she’s right. She says “Nuts are a girl thing.” I think you all put them there because it makes your food “nice”, or more impressive for company. So if you are making food for a gathering, it makes it more special to put nuts in it. Kind of like a bow on a present or getting out the nice china. If it’s for public consumption, you think that nuts make it better.
But you’re wrong. Us guys don’t like it. We just want the sandwich or the cookie. Nuts get in our way. OK, so maybe not everybody’s allergic. And maybe not every guy DESPISES nuts, but they are at least a nuisance. He eats your food in spite of the nuts, not because of them. Ask a guy why he eats your nut bread. It’s because it’s there. Ask him, “If I put out two brownies, one with nuts and one without, which one will you choose?” He’s picking the one without nuts. We deal with enough nuts in our lives: at work, on the road, in Congress. We don’t need ‘em in our dessert.
I cannot tell you with what pleasure I read this delightful, insightful think piece. All my life I’ve been choking down food containing nuts (or just skipping it altogether), and I’ve been secretly ashamed. Obviously everybody else likes nuts. I must be the strange one. Peculiar. Unnatural, perhaps.
But Philip informs me that not only is it normal to dislike nuts, it’s MANLY!
Even if the Republicans don’t take the House tonight, that makes me feel good.
Chocolate Easter eggs? No nuts. Brownies? No nuts. I’ll agree to that. But my grandfather grew walnuts, and homemade chocolate chip cookies without walnuts just don’t taste right. The walnuts have to be ground fairly fine, mind you; I don’t like big chunks of walnut in my cookies.
And I’m afraid that when it comes to candy bars, peanuts and chocolate just go together, as do chocolate and almonds (though to a lesser degree).
Gentlemen, you all need pistachios. A boatload of them. They are a truly noble nut, whether by themselves or in food.
I love nuts, but then again I’m not very manly. And as a vegetarian, I need any source of protein I can find.
I forgot about Pistachy . . . Pistat . . . green nuts. I love those. I think I’d go for large chocolate chunk cookies with big walnut pieces too. Man, that’d be good.
Well, I can see the votes are against me. So I choose to ignore the votes.
Lars, just because some of the votes go against you it doesn’t mean you’re wrong. It only means that some of your readers are nuts.
Lars, my husband would agree with you. The obvious exception being, pecan pie. He also dislikes coconut, and doesn’t want anything put in his jello either!
But he buys canisters of Emerald nuts by the armload. He loves the mixed nuts and eats some every night.
Lars, it is the macho Cashew that is the king of nuts! My doc says to eat one or two hands-full each day to keep me healthy.
Spanish peanuts are also good health nuts as are regular “cocktail” peanuts if they aren’t too greasy. “Eaten in moderation”, is the key here!
All the above from the docs in my doc’s clinic. I also read the same here on the net so you know it must be true…..
As for nuts in the cookies or brownies, etc…
leave the nuts home. If ground-up in a small way, I will eat, but would prefer just the cookie.
On the other hand, my wife only burns cookies, nuts or not, so I’ve not had occasion for years to eat real home-made cookies…. so …. such a deal……..
To me, it’s entirely a matter of context. I’m fine with most types of nuts all by themselves or mixed.
I used to think (years and years ago) that I didn’t like nuts in brownies and that sort of thing, but I can take them or leave them in most baked goods–with one major exception: My wife’s brownies. She makes ordinary box-mix brownies into a thing of beauty by dumping a bunch of chocolate chips and finely chopped walnuts–and sometimes colored sprinkles–on the top before baking. If I were to commit suicide, eating these brownies until I expire of delight would be my method.
But liking/not liking nuts as a measure of manliness? That’s just crazy talk.
Dude, you’re harshing my mellow. Which, by coincidence, is what nuts also do when I find them in a cookie.
I agree with you, Lars, in that I do not like nuts in cookies. However, I *really* like nuts as snack food, and walnuts (Large pieces, please) in brownies. What can I say, besides “to each his own”.