Nuts

In Shell

In-shell ginkgo nut is the seed of Ginkgo biloba, eaten cooked in East Asian cuisine sold still protected by its hard shell for longer storage and table cracking. Shells slow oxygen and light, often keeping kernels fresher than poorly stored shelled nuts. Guests crack their own for interactive snacking; bakers shell ahead for control. Flavour once opened should be soft, mildly sweet-resinous when cooked, with a distinctive ginkgo aroma. Origin: China, with long culinary and cultural use in Japan and Korea as well. Process: remove outer flesh carefully (irritant), shell, and cook; limit quantity because of ginkgotoxin concerns especially for children. Store cool and dry; discard nuts with holes, mould, or a dusty rattle. Cook thoroughly and serve in modest amounts; outer fruit pulp can irritate skin during processing. Allergen: specialty seed with food-safety portion guidance—not an unlimited trail mix nut. Provide a bowl for shell waste so fragments do not migrate into desserts. Use a proper cracker on very hard shells to avoid smashing kernels to dust.