I am crazy about nuts. I mean positively nutty. I always have to have a few nuts at hand to throw into salads, for baking sweet treats, or for a healthy quick snack. I love nuts enrobed in dark chocolate or mixed with dried fruits. Nuts are also great to munch on while having drinks with friends. Nuts tend to be a 'democratic' food in that every individual has a nut they are fond of. Naturally, those with allergies stay far away and always have to carefully look at labels, because many manufactured items are processed on factory lines where nut products are also produced.

Here in Jamaica we have native tree nuts such as almond, cashew and black walnut; this latter species is rare, but exists. I have a cashew tree in my garden and look forward to the season as we also make juice from the fruit. The island also grows peanuts. In St Elizabeth in particular, you see plots of land with rows and rows of peanuts, and in Middle Quarters some of the food spots serve delicious peanut porridge. Jamaican men love to make peanut punch as it is claimed to be an aphrodisiac and makes them strong. I really like Jamaican peanut brittle, and it's been a while since I have enjoyed a piece of that nice caramelised treat.

Commercially, you will often find available nuts that are honey-roasted or simply salted. This can be done easily at home if you have an oven. I like to buy nuts in their raw state and then prepare them as I wish. I also quite enjoy nut butters such as peanut butter spread on celery for a fast healthy snack or almond butter on toast. I love resinous pine nuts for my Italian meals; naturally most times I can only use them for special occasions because they are quite expensive in Jamaica. I sometimes ask friends to bring me some when they come for visits. Likewise, those big bags of pistachios are available here, but pricey. I love the nutty creaminess of a good Italian pistachio-flavoured gelato.

One of my preferred French classic salads is pear with blue cheese and candied walnuts. The combination is sublime. I have a weakness for American pecan bars and pecan pies. The pairing of pecans with caramel is oh so sinful. Let me not forget my beloved hazelnuts. I grew up with these in the UK and love them in chocolate and in biscuits with my tea. For special almonds, the Spanish variety Marcona is absolutely scrumptious. I had an almond-based soup there which was absolutely delightful and it's just fabulous in turron, Spain's wonderful nougat. I miss winters in England and eating hot roasted chestnuts wrapped, their heat making one feel good, toasty and warm while walking the streets. In France I quite enjoyed chestnut mousse.

The beauty of nuts is their versatility and function in many dishes. They add texture and crunch and make simple dishes extra special. Brazil nuts give plenty of mouth feel and are filling. I like to add them with pieces of coconut to create body in my smoothies. Most nuts are protein-rich and vegetarians use them as meat replacements: nut roasts are good examples of this — they're so yummy. Nuts pair well with cheeses, and as I mentioned in the first part of this piece, some fruits go especially well with nuts like bananas, apples, and citrus. Gosh, I don't have enough space to wax lyrical about my passion for these little gems with their various shapes, flavours and uses. So start experimenting and enjoy the world of nuts today and add them to your expanding culinary repertoire.

Peanut and Thyme-Encrusted Pumpkin Wedges

You all know by now that I am in love with pumpkin; I could write a pumpkin book with the number of recipes created around this squash. This lovely recipe makes a fun side dish for a group dinner.

Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin, cut in half, seeds removed, peeled and sliced into wedges

2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

100g/ 1 /2 cup panko or breadcrumbs

100g/ 1 /2 cup Parmesan, grated

200g/ 1 cup peanuts, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil for brushing

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, mix together thyme, panko/breadcrumbs, Parmesan and peanuts, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lay pumpkin wedges on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil.

Press down peanut mixture on each slice.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Almond Cookies

I love making these almond cookies to serve with tea or coffee. Their light deliciousness is perfect for an afternoon break or after-dinner sweet treat.

Ingredients:

200g/ 1 cup all-purpose flour

250g/ 1 1/4 cups icing sugar

100g/ 1/2 cup chopped almonds, plus a few for decorations

100g/ 1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 drop almond extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl add flour, icing sugar and chopped almonds.

Make a well in the centre and add the butter and drop of almond extract, then use your fingertips to incorporate all of the ingredients together until dough is formed; shape into a ball.

Flour a surface and roll out dough onto it until a 1/4 inch thick.

Use cookie cutters and cut out cookies; dough should yield about 18 to 24 depending on the size of your cutters.

Lay on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve dusted with more icing sugar and almonds.

Bon Appétit!

Warmest thanks to my weekly sponsors MegaMart. Contact me at juicycheffoodmedia@gmail.com for any food questions you may have in relation to the recipes.

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