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How About Almonds?

McLaren Vale some 30 kilometers south of Adelaide city, capital of South Australia, is noted for its fine wines, particularly Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It is also a haven of almond groves. In the spring time the valley is a mass of almond blossom with rows and rows of almond trees next to the vineyards.

A fifteen hectare patch can produce a good family income with yields of one to two tonnes per hectare. A major problem is that the birds have other ideas. Hundreds of rainbow lorikeets and little corellas at times descend upon the trees and can do many thousands of dollars damage. The gas-operated cannons will scare them off. You get used to the periodic Boom, Boom of the battlefield and soon realize that all is well politically... no revolution has started.

Spring is the time to see the almond blossom. In summer, by mid-February, the ripe furry pods split open and the hard brown nuts start to fall. On small holdings the traditional method of harvesting is used. The trees are banged with long poles and the nuts fall onto sheets placed below the trees. The nuts are gathered and transferred to trailer bins.

On larger groves mechanical harvesting is done sometimes by contract with equipment costing up to $200,000 dollars. A truck mounted shaker grabs the tree trunk and gives it a violent five second shake. A shower of almonds ensues. The nuts lie on the ground for a few days to dry out in the hot sun.

In the next stage of harvesting a sweeper goes along the rows blowing the nuts into windrows then a harvester with a rotating drum scoops the nuts onto a wire mesh conveyor belt. The fine rubbish and grit falls through the mesh and clean almonds end up in a trailer bin. Further processing and grading is done at the cooperative. The retail customer buys the product at $15 to $20 per kilo depending on the variety offered.

At McLaren Vale village on the main road is located a tourist railway carriage called the Almond Train. It is a little "Almond Museum" with old photos and curios of the local almond industry. Also you can buy a wide range of almond products, such as whole almonds, shelled, blanched, slivered, flaked, chopped, and roasted almonds, almond bread, almond decorated cakes and biscuits, almond chocolate and many other delicacies.

The shelled almonds can be eaten as is but taste better lightly grilled or roasted as a snack. Grilled nuts can be feed into a blender with a little salad oil until you get the required consistency. This "almond butter" makes a nice change from peanut butter for sandwiches or a midnight snack.

Alternatively, shelled almonds can be blanched by placing the nuts in a pot of water and boiled for a few minutes to help removal of the skins. Drain and cool and squeeze the white nut from the brown skin. For a snack, the blanched almonds can be grilled or lightly fried in butter until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and spices.

The blanched almonds, either whole or chopped, have a multitude of uses in decorating cakes and biscuits and as additives to stuffings, sauces and salads. Stir fry vegetables, rice and fish dishes need almonds to give that exotic touch. My favorite use is to make almond milk. Try blending blanched almonds with milk and keep cold in the refrigerator. Almond milk is delicious on breakfast cereal and museli.

So while you are exploring the vineyards of McLaren Vale give a thought to the local almond industry and buy up some almond delicacies to have as tapas with your evening vino!

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Learn more about this author, Allan Taylor.
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