SC - almonds vs, walnuts

[Gerekr at aol.com]

On 2/27/99 8:41 PM you wrote:

>From:	Seton1355 at aol.com

>My friend asked me this question, which I never considered but it seems a 
>good question to me.
>
>Why did they use so many almonds to flavor foods in medivel England?  They 
>had to be imported from the East.  Surely using English walnuts would have 
been
>cheaper. 
>comments?
>Phillipa

Can you say, "conspicuous consumption"?  That they were imported and 
expensive was a big part of their attraction!  (Not to mention, "I'm rich 
enough to keep kitchen drudges who do nothing but smoosh almonds by hand, 
in mortar and pestle, for my cook to have almond milk")  

Also, it seems to me that Walnut oil is more volatile... walnuts go stale 
and/or rancid in a relatively short time (3-6 months?)  I don't think 
I've ever encountered a "rancid" almond.

And while you can produce walnut oil for cooking from them, I don't think 
you'd have much luck trying to make "walnut milk" for use in meatless 
contexts (fast days, Lent, etc.)

Chimene
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