What’s in your Easter basket? I’ll tell you what’s in mine: treats from Maisie Jane’s! Almond candies are naturally egg-shaped. That makes them traditional for Easter in places like Portugal where amêndoas de Páscoa (Portuguese Easter almonds) are exchanged by practically everyone! Amêndoas are pretty much the same as the many chocolate almond treats we […]
Do you remember red pistachios? I do! In fact, when I was a child pistachios were considered a treat because they were expensive, almost always imported, and they all had shells that were dyed red. Now, I don’t miss the red color—it always distressed me. But I’ve always wondered: why were they dyed red and […]
If you’re allergic to dairy products or have adopted a vegan lifestyle, I know you must have searched for replacements for some of this culture’s favorite foods. Life without cheese? How would I live?! Coffee without cream? Blech. I need dairy alternatives! Honestly, I know I could manage without this but since I discovered how […]
Did you know that according to the 2012 USDA Agricultural Census, there are around 6,800 almond farms in California? Almost 75% of those farms are just 100 acres or less—most are under 50 acres. And even though California produces 100% of the U.S. almond supply and more than 70% of the almonds produced worldwide, 91% […]
Have you ever seen cashews growing on the tree? They are so weird-looking! The seed (what we call the “nut”) actually grows outside the bell-shaped fruit— like a clapper on the bell. Understandably, people have been curious about why they grow that way. In the Philippines there is even a popular folk legend about it: […]
Looking for a way to liven up broiled meat or fish? I have been! I eat WAY too many stir fries and other sauteéd dishes. I also want to eat more fish but don’t really like it unadorned. Today’s recipe is a delightful combination of almonds, apricot, scallions, lime, and ginger. It’s so easy and […]
It’s time to think of Maisie Jane’s as your go-to place for healthy—and just plain delicious—snack opportunities. We have so many to choose from. I thought I’d count the ways you can bring little moments of enjoyment of life to your daily routine! Wait, should I say something more about that first? Well, I’ve been […]
The Almond Trees are in blossom! It’s such a glorious time of year. And every year as I write this blog my thoughts turn to the artists who loved almond blossoms just as much. In the late winter of 1941, Post-Impressionist French painter Pierre Bonnard wrote to his friend Henri Matisse: “Today I saw the […]
In just two days it will be Holi Festival time—the festival of love and color celebrated many places in the world but particularly in India and Nepal. It’s a Hindu religious festival that has become popular with many non-Hindu people because it is just so joyous and fun! In fact, that’s the point. It celebrates […]
Did you know that if you dream of eating pistachios that you’re dreaming about wealth or prosperity? Yup! Especially if you come from the Middle East, the region where pistachios originated, eating pistachios is associated with blessings of all sorts. If the pistachio is mature, it could mean easy money is coming your way. If […]