Almonds are the fruit of the almond tree. This is a tree native to Asia. It grows up to 5 meters tall, its bark is dark and cracked, its stem is smooth, green and sometimes yellow when young. There are many varieties of almonds, but they can be divided into two large groups: soft shell and hard shell. The most commons are:
- Marcona is the best known variety. A round and fat almond, sweet and with little percentage of bitterness. It is one of the most used, the most expensive and the most demanded by the confectionery and nougat industry.
- The mollar almond has a soft shell that is easy to break, and has a certain percentage of double almonds.
- Bitter almond is poisonous because it contains amygdaloside (amygdalin), a cyanogenic glycoside.
The almond is an oval-shaped nut, ending in a slight point, it has a white color inside, that is, the fleshy part. They are covered by a very fine brown skin and protected by a hard and resistant shell. Its flavor is mild and sweet, with a buttery texture. It can be found both with or without shell. These occur all year round, although they are cooler in the summer.
