Nuts

In Shell

In-shell hickory is nuts of Carya species native mainly to North America 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 sweet to bitter depending on species—shagbark is prized, bitternut is not a dessert nut. Origin: eastern North American forests; pecans are a hickory relative treated separately in trade. Process: species identification matters; crack hard shells; cure kernels. Store cool and dry; discard nuts with holes, mould, or a dusty rattle. Do not grind bitternut hickory for dessert paste; species choice is the recipe. Allergen: tree nut (walnut family). 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.