Which Almond Variety Has the Best Taste or Flavor?
As an almond farmer, I get asked this question often, or what is your favorite, and I respond, I don’t know, what day of the week is it? A little sarcastic but true. I like them all. I grow Nonpareil, Monterey and Fritz. All are great for snacking.
That said, currently California Almond growers cultivate about 30 different varieties. Nonpareil is definitely the most popular but that preference is most likely because it wins the beauty contest and is therefore easy to market. It was first developed in 1879 in California. It is medium size and light blond colored skin. Its shell is soft, meaning you can hand twist shell the nut, however we let the machines do that. Some people feel they are sweet. I have found that while you can roast them, there are other varieties which roast better.
So if nonpareil is such a winner, why doesn’t every farmer grow only Nonpareil. The answer is until very recently, almonds require cross pollination. Therefore every farmer plants at least 1 other variety, but Nonpareil represents typically 50% of every orchard. It is typically the first variety ready to harvest in August.
The next variety I grow is Monterey. It is a good producer. It has a little more flavor than Nonpareil and is a larger nut with darker colored skin. It tends to have doubles or twins. It also will get more machine shelling damage (blemishes) largely due to it being a later harvest and a hard shell. Seems to be a favorite with naval orange worm damage too. It is however a wonderful nut if you can look past the blemishes. My customers that make almond milk, really like to include this nut in the recipe. It adds additional creaminess to the milk. It seems to do fine if roasted too.
The last nut I grow is Fritz. It is a smaller nut, dark skin, also a hard shell. It has more a full, rich flavor and “almondy” taste. This nut is really getting popular and I don’t think you’ll see it much in any stores, but I sell it from my website. It is related to the famous Mission almond type. Spanish missionaries introduced the Mission (or Texas) almond to California in the 18th century. Fritz, Padre, Butte and Marcona are all Mission varieties. If roasting, you’ll like the results. In spring it blooms first and has a more pink tint to the blossoms. From my perspective, while it’s a wonderful, flavorful nut, it’s a pain in the butt to grow. The nuts don’t all ripen at the same time, so I lose many that fall on the ground. It is the first to bloom and last to harvest.
So there are many more varieties, but I have chosen cultivars that work best for my situation and environment. I really can’t judge the other varieties since I don’t grow them but you can’t go wrong with what I offer.
What do you think? Please make a comment. Be sure to share this article with your friend who might be interested and who are looking for a top notch orchard to buy real almonds from.
Brian
The Farmer
Almonds may not be cheap, but they are cheaper than the doctor or hospital. Eat well, live well, and support your organic farmer and family farm.
You can buy unpasteurized raw almonds and almond butter directly from the California farmer at Capay Hills Orchard. Order off the website, www.chorganicalmonds.com or by calling or texting 530-507-8222.
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