Nuts

Whole

Whole cashew, as a catalog form, means the intact harvested nut as traded—either still in its hard shell as raw cashew nut stock or as unbroken shelled kernel units ready for the kitchen. Buying whole gives the cook control over roast level and grind size compared with pre-ground meal of unknown age. Shelled wholes show the classic kidney curve and should look plump and pale; in-shell stock is almost always a processor or specialty item because of the caustic shell liquid. Use intact nuts when you want to roast to order, chop at the last minute, or present garnishes that still look like cashews. Reject mouldy, insect-bored, or paint-smelling lots before they enter pastry. Cool, airtight storage matters more than fancy packaging once the bag is open. Whole stock is the starting point for every other form—flour, butter, oil—so its freshness sets the ceiling for everything you grind later.