106 – OCTOBER 2019
3
TOAST FOR THE MOST...
Eating a nut without toasting it is like eating a
potato without salting it—wholly unsatisfying
and kind of upsetting. During a stint in the oven,
their flavors intensify and nuts go from spongy
and bland to complex, crunchy, and rich. Toast
nuts whenever you’re not going to be cooking
them later (so definitely for a salad topping but
not necessarily for granola). You might be
tempted to dry-toast on the stove, but resist: The
oven provides an even heat that will envelop
the entire sheet, so there’s no stirring required.1
Whole Raw
Nuts Are
Your Best Bet
Versatility, dependability,
longevity. No, that’s not
our campaign slogan—
it’s the reason we buy
whole unroasted nuts.
(The exception to our rule?
Slivered and sliced
almonds. No one has time
for that.) First, they’re yours
to chop, flavor, candy,
“mylk,” and roast to your
liking (preroasted nuts are
never as well-toasted as
we’d like). Second, they’re
easier to quality-control:
You can do a visual check
to make sure they’re not
broken, wrinkled, or
misshapen. For the best-
tasting, freshest, highest-
quality nuts, shop from
stores with high turnover,
not the kind of place
that’s had those pistachios
on the shelf for a decade.
2
When Good
Nuts Go Bad
Nuts are pricey, which
means you might be tempted
to go overboard when you
see a sale, but be honest
with yourself: You’ll never
get through eight pounds of
macadamia nuts. Instead,
shop the bulk bin for what
you’ll eat in the near future,
and store your stash in an
airtight container in the
freezer. Protected from the
light and heat that would
make them go rancid faster,
they’ll stay good for at
least a year, maybe longer.
If you’re not sure what rancid
means exactly, you’ll know
it when you taste it: Bad
nuts have an off, chemically
flavor you definitely don’t
want in your cookie dough
or grain salad.
HERE’S HOW
TO TOAST
THEM RIGHT
Spread out nuts
in a single layer
on a rimmed
baking sheet—
one type at a
time since they
cook at different
rates. Roast at
350°, tossing
halfway through,
8–12 minutes.
Transfer to a
bowl or plate
immediately
so the nuts
stop cooking.
They’re best
within 3 days.4
...Or Grab the Butter
and Turn on the StoveFor something even more flavorful, cook nuts
on the stovetop in butter (the fat helps distribute
heat for even cooking). Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted
butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium
heat. Add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts and
a generous sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring
often, until nuts are golden brown, 5–7 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels
and let cool, then eat by the handful or sprinkle
over seared fish or salads. PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSEA KYLE (CAST-IRON PAN). FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES.