Almonds Are Fruit! Should you Eat Them?

Green Almond Fruit

Did you know that in some parts of the world almonds are eaten as a fruit? It’s true! The nut that we typically eat in the Western world is actually the inner seed of the almond fruit pit, known as a drupe. Almonds are in the botanical family “Prunus” which is the same family as […]

Posted on April 2nd, 2018

Almonds — The Early History of One of the World’s Most Ancient Foods

Did you know that almonds are probably one of the first domesticated nuts? I think the history is pretty fascinating so I thought I’d share a little about that today. Almonds originated in Western Asia (most likely, Persia) but the type that originally grew there —bitter almonds—are too poisonous to eat. However, sometimes a sweet […]

Posted on March 20th, 2018

Unlocking the Secret of Nuts in Your Dreams

This writer has always had a fascination with dreams. I used to sleep with a dream journal next to my bed so I could record them when I woke up. I took a class in dream interpretation in college. I have also had a lot of fun acting as an amateur dream interpreter for my […]

Posted on February 20th, 2018

Happy Tu B’Shevat from Maisie Jane’s

almond blossoms

“The almond tree is blooming And the golden sun is shining, Birds atop each roof Bless the arrival of the festival. Tu B’Shevat has arrived.” Happy Tu B’Shevat to all our Jewish friends—it’s the Jewish Birthday of the Trees! And the symbol of this holiday is the Almond Tree. In ancient times, the Jewish people […]

Posted on January 30th, 2018

The Sacredness of the Season in a Nutshell — the Mandorla

Have you ever seen the illuminated manuscripts of Medieval times that depict Jesus or Mary in an oval with a somewhat pointed top and bottom? That oval has a special significance. It is called the Mandorla and it means almond in Italian! They were showing Jesus in an almond shell?!! Why? In ancient times there […]

Posted on December 21st, 2017

Delightful Cashew Butter to Nourish Your Body and Delight Your Soul

Delicious Cashew Butter Treat

Look at this gorgeous photo a Maisie Jane’s fan —sweeterthanabumblebee—shared with us on Instagram for a delicious breakfast: baked banana oats topped with a sliced peach, berries and our very own cashew butter! It reminded me of how much I loved it when my mother would serve us a simple breakfast like oatmeal and get us […]

Posted on December 14th, 2017

Nuts Were Enjoyed at the First Thanksgiving

Vintage Thanksgiving Card

I can hardly imagine a Thanksgiving without nuts. Big bowls of walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and beechnuts to crack with nutcrackers were always present at our holiday table, a tradition that dates back to the earliest records of the holiday feast. In 1779, Juliana Smith described their celebration in a letter to her cousin Betsey. The […]

Posted on November 14th, 2017

What Does it Mean to Be Nuts About Nuts?

Maisie Jane's Almonds

We’re nuts about nuts at Maisie Jane’s . . . but why exactly do we use the term “nuts” like that? Well, it turns out tracking down the origin of the expression is a tough nut to crack! It seems that the use of the word “nuts” to mean crazy about something evolved over a […]

Posted on October 26th, 2017

Health Benefits of Adding Cashew Nuts to Your Diet [Infographic]

bowl of cashews

At Maisie Jane’s, we talk a lot about almonds, but we go nuts for our cashew products too. Here’s a fun fact: did you know that what we think of as a cashew nut is actually a seed from the cashew fruit known as a cashew apple? Cashews are soft and sweet nuts that are […]

Posted on March 12th, 2017

7 Reasons to Go Nuts on National Almond Day!

Excited toddler girl

Sandwiched in-between National Gumdrop Day (February 15) and National Cabbage Day (February 17) is National Almond Day (February 16)! You might think that almonds sound about as exciting as gumdrops or cabbage, but there are many reasons to go nuts about almonds! Keep reading to learn how almonds can help your heart, health and any […]

Posted on February 15th, 2017