All About Marcona Almonds

Of the many different varieties of almonds, the highly prized Marconas are a unique variety that consists of a short, delicately textured kernel that is noted for its sweet flavor. Its shell is particularly difficult to crack, as it is quite hard. The hard shell repels insects and keeps them away from the tender almond meat inside. Therefore, it is not necessarily to use pesticides when growing them. This makes the almonds safer to eat and some say, more delicious.

While their origin is not known, Marcona almonds have been grown in Spain for decades, where they are often used in the traditional Spanish dessert, turrón, a delicious confection made of sugar, honey, egg whites and the Marcona almonds. It is shaped into a round cake or rectangular tablet and is frequently served during the Christmas holidays in both Spain and in Italy. Turrón is also found in the Phillippines and in Latin America. In the United States, it is usually sold covered in chocolate and found in boxes of mixed chocolates. While once considered rare, Marconas are now widely distributed and can be found in most major cities of the world.

These unique nuts are rounder and plumper than other varieties of almonds. Their texture is softer than that of other almonds, and they appear to have an oilier, moister texture. Here is an example:

Now compare the texture and size/shape with regular almonds:

Along with the smaller, rounder shape, the smaller marcona almonds are also sweeter and used in a variety of foods. Marcona almonds come from trees that bloom very early in the year. This makes them vulnerable to the frosts of late spring. Many times, whole crops are lost due to the spring, making the surviving almonds a precious treasure among gourmets. Their groves can be found along the beautiful Mediterranean coastal regions near Málaga, and Tarragona.

It is not unusual to find these nuts in the finest gourmet culinary shops and featured on the menus of some of the world’s most famous restaurants. They are considered by many to be the finest almonds in the world. Over the last few years, sales have skyrocketed as their popularity has risen.

Nutritional Content of Marcona Almonds
Prized the world round for both their taste and nutritional content, Marconas come from trees that tend to produce large numbers of almonds each year. After harvesting, they are traditionally fried lightly in vegetable oil and lightly salted. In their raw state, Marcona almonds have approximately 180 calories per 1 ounce serving. They have 6.0 g. carbohydrates, 17 g. of non-saturated fat, 1 g. of saturated fat and 24.0 g. of high quality protein. Marcona almonds are especially noted for their high calcium content. A 1 ounce serving has 80 mg. of calcium, 1.4 mg. of iron and 110 mg. of sodium.

The Health Benefits
According to the Harvard University School of Health, people who regularly consume these almonds are less likely to fall victim to heart disease than people who rarely eat them. Major studies conducted at various universities across the United States show a 30-50% lower chance of suffering a myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease or sudden cardiac death in those individuals who eat almonds several times a week, as opposed to those who eat them less frequently.

What Brand Names Sell Marcona Almonds?
There are many different brands of these nuts available. The popular grocery chain Trader Joe’s sells them under their own brand name. Despana Brand, Kirkland, HotPaella and Peeler Farms are some of the other brand names of processors and distributors.

Recipes
Peeler Farms periodically publishes recipes for consumers of their almonds. A popular one is the Peeler Farms Chicken and Quinoa, Marconas, Cherries and Goat Cheese. Here is the recipe:

1 chicken breast or thigh per person
32 ounces of almond milk
½ lemon squeezed and placed in sauce pot
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Pepper and salt to taste

Poach the chicken on low heat for approximately 20 minutes. Check and continue to poach, if necessary. The liquid should simmer, but not boil. Make sure chicken is cooked through, and then allow cooling.

Add ½-cooked quinoa per serving
1 generous squeeze of fresh Clementine or Mandarin orange
Olive oil
3T fresh Bing cherries, pitted and halved
3T Marconas
1 celery stalk with leaves removed
½ C. rough chopped arugula
3T-shaved radishes
2 T goat cheese, crumbled (room temperature)

Add all ingredients in bowl and season liberally with pepper and salt.

Enjoy!

A great snack for parties or television watching are spiced Marconas. The recipe calls for:

1 large egg white
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. cumin (ground)
¼ teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
2 cups blanched Marconas
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk egg white, sea salt, cumin and paprika in bowl. Add Marconas and toss to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to paper towel or parchment paper when done. Allow to cool slowly.

Eat and enjoy!