Macadamia

Macadamia nuts are indigenous to Australia and native to northeastern New South Wales, along with central and south-eastern Queensland. What was known to the Aborigines as gyndl or jindilli was later renamed to kindal kindal by early Europeans, and ultimately renamed to macadamia in 1857 by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller, in honor of the chemist and politician named John Macadam.

These nuts have a high oil content and were originally consumed raw or roasted over hot coals. The Aborigines used stones for cracking the nuts, and some bitter varieties have been ground to a paste to make them edible. The oil from the nuts was also used for body painting and skin rejuvenation.

Europeans have slowly adopted these new nuts and started to grow them on plantations, and today, macadamia is produced in Australia, Hawaii, South Africa, Brazil, California, and Colombia, among others. Today, the nuts are used as a treat for special occasions, from spiced nuts to cakes and biscuits.

Their taste is reminiscent of hazelnuts, but the texture is smoother and almost buttery. It is recommended to pair the nuts with white chocolate or coconut-based desserts.