Nuts

In Shell

In-shell shea nut is the seed of Vitellaria paradoxa from African savannah parklands 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 shea butter for food is mild and fatty; much global shea is cosmetic, but edible grades exist in regional cooking. Origin: West and Central African shea belt. Process: women-led traditional collection and butter processing remain culturally central. Store cool and dry; discard nuts with holes, mould, or a dusty rattle. Specify edible vs cosmetic shea for kitchen use; not all retail shea is sold as food. Allergen: tree-derived fat; food vs cosmetic grades differ. 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.