"national macadamia nut day" news and stories

Happy National Macadamia Nut Day!

For being one of the most buttery nuts in existence, macadamia nuts weren't first recognized for their edible qualities but rather for the ornamental purposes of their shady green trees. Native to Australia, macadamia nuts are named for the chemist known for cultivating them, John McAdams.

Sprouting in particularly durable shells, macadamia nuts are typically sold shelled, either raw or roasted. Their uses range from sweet to savory; check out these recommended recipes for some inspiration:

• Pasta with macadamia pesto
• Macadamia-crusted yellowtail
• Banana-macadamia nut pancakes with orange butter
• Mahimahi with citrus sauce and macadamia nuts
• Salad with goat cheese and macadamia nuts
• Candied macadamia nuts
• Macadamia nut butter cookies
• Macadamia caramel clusters

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured on the site.

I used to hate macadamia nuts with a passion. When I was a child and then a teen they just didn't taste right to me. Maybe it was from years of eating just cashews and pistachios and almonds all the time, I don't know, but I just didn't enjoy them at all.

Then I went to Hawaii in the 80's, and everything changed.