Green Almonds

Anybody know where to buy some green almonds in Chicago?

I just read about them here:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2006/06/#000265

I'm already picturing green almond smoothies, ice-creams, pestos, marzipan . . .

Oakton Market in Skokie has them often, or perhaps all the time.

Here in Montreal they're available at the top end Middle Eastern markets. TODG fell in love with them a few weeks ago, so now we've got piles sitting around the kitchen. They're kind of strange, to my way of thinking anyway, but tasty nonetheless.

Anyway, a good Lebannese or similar market should have them. If we've got 'em up here, they're down there somewhere, since they're in season.

Geo

I haven’t been recently but in past years Andy’s Fruit Ranch (4733 N Kedzie) carried green almonds.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to checkout this Market in Skokie. Its out of the way for me, but hopefully it'll be worth the trip.

Satiate wrote:Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to checkout this Market in Skokie. Its out of the way for me, but hopefully it'll be worth the trip.

It's worth the trip.

You'll find many references across LTHForum to "Marketplace on Oakton" or Oakton Market or other variations.

Marketplace on Oakton
4817 W. Oakton in Skokie,
847-677-9330
http://www.marketplaceonoakton.com/

Best,
Michael

Just saw these today at Marketplace on Oakton - I thought there'd been a more recent mention of someone looking for them, but thought I'd post here just in case.

Mhays wrote:Just saw these today at Marketplace on Oakton - I thought there'd been a more recent mention of someone looking for them, but thought I'd post here just in case.

M,

I posted about green almonds in the Sahar, but that was a while ago.

Thanks for the mention about Marketplace on Oakton, I'll probably pick some up in the next few days. I wonder if they have young fava beans as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

Did, indeed, see favas in the shell (which I assume were young) Also pea shoots (if you pass on the bagged ones in front they are loose in the Asian section,) and something I probably shouldn't have skipped called "sugar plums." Not to mention that they were crazy busy in the middle of a Tuesday.

Mhays wrote:Not to mention that they were crazy busy in the middle of a Tuesday.

Tomorrow night Passover begins. It's not surprising that they were swamped.

I bought some of the favas a couple of weeks ago and they did not seem especially young. The beans were large and not as tender as ones I had bought at the Evanston Farmer's Market last summer. Though they were considerably less expensive.

Hi,

GAF brought green almonds to the Small Household exchange last night. I thought I knew what they were, but what I saw was different than I expected. I sampled one, expecting some sort of almond flavor. Instead, it was like a juicy version of grass. If green registers as a universally understood flavor, it was very green.

I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture.

Again, I was glad to have a taste. Thanks, GAF!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Instead, it was like a juicy version of grass. If green registers as a universally understood flavor, it was very green.

C2,

Those were very young green almonds. Barely formed, at that stage you can eat the entire nut, shell and all.

Juicy version of grass, nice description.

Enjoy,
Gary

Palestinian folklore has it that these things are a cure-all. I agree. They are great fresh, and even bitter pickled. I am trying to convince my mom to pickle a batch this year while they are still in season.

Habibi,

I have never been a big fan of green almonds. However, the pickled green almonds sound intriguing - I would love to see the pickling recipe your family uses.

Thanks.

Jyoti

Like Cathy, I tasted green almonds for the first time on Monday night courtesy of GAF. I really enjoyed them and actually have been craving them since! I'll have to find a source closer to me, perhaps Sahar.

Found some green almonds at Al-Khyam this weekend. Juicy version of grass is the perfect description.

Against my better judgment, I also ate the whole fuzzy shell and thought it was delicious -- crunchy and a bit sour. It tasted exactly like unripe siniguelas.
I wasn't really sure if the shells are meant to be eaten but no GI distress so far.

As Rene mentioned, Andy's also carries green almonds and it's right across the street. Same price as Al-Khyam (4.99 / lb).

http://www.andysfruitranch.com

Al-Khyam
4746 N Kedzie

Kanin,

What stage were they at? Were the "nuts" inside nut-like, or were they "goo"?

Goo. Like half-set gelatin.

Just saw some today for the first time a Nature's Best in Westmont, at Cass and Chicago. What do you do with them?

For the most part I just eat them raw with a bit of salt.

Also tried a Moroccan recipe from Claudia Roden where whole green almonds are simmered with lamb and fava beans. The cooking softens the almonds and it loses its crunch. It was supposed to be spiced with mace but I used nutmeg instead.

It is green almond time again - Easter/Passover (I don't believe that there is a major Islamic holiday this time of year). But I was in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn today - one of the Arabic neighborhoods of the city. Green Almonds were in full bloom, but in addition I saw for the first time Green Sour Apricots (which are very, very sour - perhaps chopped up in small pieces they would be suitable in a tagine - but beware unless you like superstrong sour balls) and Green Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas - which taste very much like round, raw green beans - not bad as a novelty. The almonds are as good as ever. I don't know if these delicacies - other than the almonds - are available on Kedzie.

Saw them again at Natures Best in Westmont today

G Wiv wrote:

Mhays wrote:Just saw these today at Marketplace on Oakton - I thought there'd been a more recent mention of someone looking for them, but thought I'd post here just in case.

M,

I posted about green almonds in the Sahar, but that was a while ago.

Thanks for the mention about Marketplace on Oakton, I'll probably pick some up in the next few days. I wonder if they have young fava beans as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

I saw some at Sahar last Saturday.

Chez Louis' in the Marché Jean-Talon has the green pois chiches (chick peas!) since about a week ago. I'd never had them, but they're kind of fun: crack open the wrapper and there's this little tiny brain-like thing, bit of crunch, mostly just a green flavor, but not like C2's grass-green.

On the lookout for green almonds, haven't seen any...yet. But if they're in NYC, they'll be here soon enough.

Geo

GAF wrote:Green Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas - which taste very much like round, raw green beans - not bad as a novelty. The almonds are as good as ever. I don't know if these delicacies - other than the almonds - are available on Kedzie.

I saw fresh garbanzos at Lincolnwood Produce the other day.

Fresh chickpeas are my sister's favorite snack. She sautes them in their husks until the.y are pretty charred on the outside. A liberal dusting of coarse salt and they are ready to consume.

I saw yesterday that they have green almonds for sale at the Middle Eastern Bakery on Foster just west of Clark Street.

bjt

Green almonds were at Marketplace on Oakton this past Saturday.

It is now established that green almonds are as common as strawberries. But keep your eyes open for a green almond spotting at Whole Foods or even Jewel. Then we will know that they are this year's pomegranate.