Use

Pure, the delicious organic macadamia is a real treat. Salted or aromatically seasoned, the fine nut kernels are a component of exclusive snack mixes. Coated with chocolate, processed in chocolate and pralines, they taste just as good with creamy nuts. In the pastry shop they are used to decorate fine cakes or are processed in the dough. Sweet and spicy nut creams and spreads taste just as good with Organic Macadamias. In Pestos, they provide the delicate, nutty melt and go just as well with rice dishes and vegetable pots as they do with ice cream creations.

Production

The “queen of nuts”, as the macadamia is called, is demanding all round. The trees place high demands on growing conditions, and cultivation is expensive. Harvesting and processing the round nuts is also a time-consuming and complicated affair. This is reflected in the high price at which macadamias are traded.

Macadamia integrifolia thrives as a tree, often dividing the trunk into several individual trunks. Depending on the growing conditions, the nut trees grow between 6 and 18 m high. Strong board roots serve to ensure nutrient supply despite adverse weather conditions. The pseudo-clustery inflorescences are hermaphroditic. After fertilization, spherical stone fruits with a diameter of 2 – 4 cm form in the course of the growing period. When ripe, the seed shells open along a seam and release the seed, usually only one.

In addition to Macadamia integrifolia, M. tetraphylla is occasionally cultivated as a second edible Macadamia species. However, their nuts are less suitable for roasting. The macadamia kernel, freed from its brown shell, weighs between 2.4 and 3.4 grams.

Origin

The most probable origin of all species of macadamia trees is assumed for Queensland in Australia. Also for South-Wales, which borders this region, there are old proofs. Therefore the macadamia is considered to be the oldest plant originating from Australia, which brought it to such a trade volume worldwide. The valuable nuts, however, now also thrive in Hawaii, New Zealand, on the African continent, in South America and in California in addition to Australia.

We source our organic macadamias from Kenya, where they grow on selected plantations around Mount Kenya. The cultivation conditions and the elaborate processing, but also the demand for the extraordinary nut, are the reasons for the high price. However, the consistency and taste of the macadamia are always worth it.

Sustainability

Although the transports are long, the economic importance that the cultivation of organic macadamias has for the families in Kenya makes up for this disadvantage. Organic certified companies create jobs and ensure fair conditions. Mixed and secondary crops not only provide income in the event of crop failures, they also contribute to soil improvement. The outer shells of the macadamias are also returned to the natural cycle. They are removed after harvesting and incorporated into the soil of the plantations.

Harvest

The organic Macadamia is still handmade. To make the harvest more even, the workers carefully beat the ripe nuts from the tree with sticks. Partly with specially designed machines, partly by hand, the nuts are picked from the ground. The hard shells do not break when falling. The fibrous shell is then completely removed. The macadamias are dried, if the natural moisture content is reduced, they can be cracked more easily.

Flavor

Crunchy in bite and tenderly melting due to its high fat content, Organic Macadamia is a special treat. It is mild and yet tastes convincingly nutty.

Yield

Australia brings a good 40,000 tons of macadamias onto the market every year. Hawai is a little behind with about 30,000 tons. The harvest in Kenya cannot keep up in terms of quantity, but it convinces with its excellent nut quality.

Special feature

Valuable ingredients such as minerals and vitamins make Organic Macadamia not only a tasty, but also a health-conscious pleasure. Pets like dogs and cats, however, should not be allowed to eat the delicious nut kernels. Why they react with symptoms of poisoning is not yet known.