The almond is native to North Aftica, West Asia, and the Mediterranean. Botanically it's a fruit – in fact, it is an ancient ancestor of the stone fruits (apricots, peaches, plums, and cherries) and culinarily, goes beautifully with all of them. Almonds were introduced to California in 1843 by Spanish missionaries, and now the majority of the world's crop is produced here. Of all the nuts, the almond is the most widely eaten, and the most versatile.

There is much folklore and legend about the timeless almond, with many traditions ascribing to this nut the power to bring good luck. In Greece, gifts of almonds in odd numbers are considered to attract good fortune. In ancient Jewish lore, almonds combined with raisins were expected to magically confer happiness. My favorite almond story, from Portugal, tells of the wedding between a Portuguese prince and a Scandinavian princess. When the princess moved south to live with her new husband in the foreign, temperate climate, she became homesick for the snowy winters of her childhood. To alleviate her yearning, her husband planted thick groves of almond trees, so that their white blossoms would fall like snow each spring and make her feel at home. Talk about true love.

Nutritionally speaking: Almonds are highly nutritious, rich in vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and folic acid. To get a concentrated dose, make almond butter a regular part of your breakfast (spread on toast) or lunch (in a sandwich with fresh fruit).

Culinarily speaking: To maximize freshness, buy almonds whole and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer. Chop, grind, toast (or whatever) shortly before using. When purchasing, split one open, and look for a solid, white kernel inside the thin brown skin. This is a sign of freshness.

NOTE: I recommend buying organic almonds whenever possible.

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