Pistachios cashew or Anacardium occidentale , like their scientific name, surprise you when you see them on the trees before they are harvested and their processing starts.
The Fruit of Cashew — Cashews are native to Brazil, but the Portuguese explorers have transported it to other countries. In India, where it is from the 1550s, it is considered to be a traditional part of Indian cuisine.
Cashews are grown all over the world, as the evergreen trees that produce them can be grown in a variety of tropical climates.
Their taste has long been recognized by the peoples of Brazil and Asian countries who eat both pistachios and the “fruit” hanging from the tree.
And “fruit” are the colorful red or yellow bulbs above each cashew, which is the true seed of the tree, and are known as auxiliary fruits.
Unlike an apple or pear, the cashew contains no seeds other than pistachio, and can be eaten raw, made jam or juice.
Juicy “fruits” have a taste between mango and grapefruit. They are unlikely to be in a supermarket because they have very thin skin, which means they can easily spoil and are very difficult to transport.
Please note that cashews are related to poison ivy and need to cook well in order to destroy their toxins and consume them safely.
Source: Mother Nature Network / Wikipedia Commons Images / Gudsol Editor
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