Hi there!

I have a cashew tree in my backyard. I would like to know how i can harvest the nuts RAW to use for your recipes. Do you have any idea how i can do this without having the toxic shell or resin touch the nut?

Also, I have many almond trees in the neighboring parks. Are there any problems with harvesting these raw that i should know about?

Any advice appreciated!
Thanks!!
Niki

Where I live we don't have any cashew or almond trees, but I was recently in California where I had an opportunity to buy some raw almonds at a farmers market and to have a discussion with the grower.

I bought some which had been shelled, and some still in the shell. The ones in the shell had no processing at all, and the farmer advised me that most almonds that are sold in the shell have been somewhat dehydrated so that the shells will not spoil. Without the dehydration, the in-shell almonds should only be expected to last around a month. The completely unprocessed nuts were amazingly yummy, but after a couple of months, the shells did begin to mold.

i read this here: [www.thewisegardener.com]

Can I shell cashews at home?
Yes, but this must be done with care as the caustic Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) contained within the shell can cause skin irritation and severe burning. It is critical to extract the kernel without contamination with CNSL.

The simplest and safest way to extract the kernel is by the 'freezing method'. The nuts are placed into a freezer until the CNSL solidifies, and then before the nut thaws the kernel is removed after breaking or cutting the shell. Care is required to ensure CNSL does not contaminate the kernel or come in contact with exposed skin.

id probably still wear thin latex gloves as well n i checked a few other sites and freezing / cracking seems to be the preferred home method .. also mentioned was wearing safety glasses in case the toxic juice gets in your eyes. id also probably rinse the nuts several times after just to ensure no liquid remains!

please be carefull !!!

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2009 05:13PM by Jgunn.

Wow. . . anything that needs that much work to be edible probably shouldn't be eaten.

hehe indeed but isnt it the forbidden fruit that got us all here in the first place lol

sometimes the hardest things to achieve are worth having the most

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Ah, yes, Jgunn . . . but that's really a whole different topic. (wink)

The cashews sold raw are hand-shelled, that's why they're so expensive. They use specially-designed tools to split open each cashew. So I guess you can try to find the tools.

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