On Food and Cooking

genus Juglans, of which there are around 15
species native to southwestern Asia, eastern
Asia, and the Americas. The most widely
cultivated is the Persian or English walnut,
Juglans regia, whose seeds have been enjoyed
since ancient times in western Asia and
Europe, and among tree nuts are second only
to almonds in worldwide consumption. In
many European languages, the generic term
for nut is also the word for walnut. The United
States, France, and Italy are the major
producers today. Walnuts have long been
pressed for their aromatic oil, were once made
into milk in Europe and China, and came to
provide the rich, flavorful backbone of sauces
in Persia (fesenjan), Georgia (satsivi), and
Mexico (nogado). In some countries,
immature “green” walnuts are harvested in
early summer and pickled (England), used to
flavor sweetened alcohol (Sicilian nocino,
French vin de noix), or preserved in syrup (the
Middle East).