The Tradition of Almonds and June Weddings

Juno and Jupiter

It’s June, the biggest month for weddings. Have you ever wondered why? Well, the tradition dates back to ancient Rome when they celebrated the festival of the Roman God Jupiter and his wife Juno on the first day of June. The month of June is actually named after Juno. She was the goddess of marriage […]

Posted on June 1st, 2018

Nuts in May (Song or Nursery Rhyme)

May Day Maypole Dance

Here we go gathering nuts in May, Nuts in May, nuts in May, Here we go gathering nuts in May, On a cold and frosty morning. Who will you have for nuts in May, Nuts in May, nuts in May, Who will you have for nuts in May, On a cold and frosty morning. We’ll […]

Posted on May 4th, 2018

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