Treats for Your Easter Basket

Family Fun Gift Basket #2

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 […]

Posted on April 16th, 2019

Whatever Happened to Red Pistachios?

Roasted Salted Pistachios

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 […]

Posted on April 11th, 2019

Almond Dairy Alternatives—More Than Just Almond Milk

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 […]

Posted on April 9th, 2019

Almond Farming is a Family Affair

Hurtado Family

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% […]

Posted on April 4th, 2019

Enjoy the Legendary Cashew Nut

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: […]

Posted on April 2nd, 2019

Almond Apricot Sauce for Fish or Meat

Almond Apricot Sauce on Pork Medallions

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 […]

Posted on March 28th, 2019

Maisie Jane’s is Snack Opportunity Central

Snack Opportunities form Maisie Jane's

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 […]

Posted on March 26th, 2019

Almond Tree in Blossom by Pierre Bonnard

The Almond Tree by Pierre Bonnard

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 […]

Posted on March 21st, 2019

Make Almond Thandai for the Holi Festival

Thandai

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 […]

Posted on March 19th, 2019

Bring In the Wealth of Pistachios

Pistachios

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 […]

Posted on March 15th, 2019