Hawaii’s favorite nut, the Macadamia nut and the array of flavors, is a big contributor to the economy of the Big Island and a top favorite among tourists. Native to Australia, the macadamia nut was introduced to Hawaii in 1882. However, it was only in 1946, after twenty years of extensive research on the appropriate strains, that the first plantation was successfully established.
The conditions on the volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa are perfect for growing macadamia nuts, or “mac” as they are affectionately referred to by the locals.
The world’s biggest producer of macadamia nuts, also named Mauna Loa, has nearly 10,000 acres of orchards with its primary processing plant located in Hilo. At the visitor center attached to the plant, get information on harvesting procedures and recipes for macadamia candies. Try free samples and pick up several packages or tins of the nuts in the gift shop.
Wide range of flavors
With growing demand, Mauna Loa keeps expanding its varieties of the Macadamia nut and the array of flavors. You can now buy the nuts packaged in boxes or tins in the following flavors: -
- Dark or milk chocolate
- Caramel
- Dry roasted or salted
- Honey roasted
- Salt free
- Brittle
- Kona coffee glazed
- Butter candy glazed
- Maui onion and garlic
The macadamia nut is an unbelievably hard nut to crack, requiring 300 lbs of pressure per square inch of shell. Mauna Loa had to conduct research to solve this problem, as it needed to keep the kernel intact while cracking the nut. Fortunately, research has paid off, kernels are kept whole and the growing demand for premium whole nuts has been sufficiently met.
Lengthy growth period and yields
The tree takes as long as 7 years to grow and as many as 15 years to produce a good yield. This lengthy growth period explains the high prices of the Macadamia nut and the array of flavors. Fortunately for the farmer, the trees last for a long time and a 70-year old grove is considered middle-aged.
There is no premature harvesting of the nuts. Instead, they are left to fall from the trees and gathered by hand during the harvesting season which typically runs from August to June.
Here are some interesting facts about the Macadamia nut and the array of flavors: -
- There are around 700 farms in Hawaii and as many as 8 processing plants.
- Total employed in farms and factories is estimated at 4,000 workers.
- The US accounts for more than half of the sales; Japan comes second with 15%
- Mauna Loa’s plantations and factory were bought over by Hershey’s in 2004.
Most other macadamia nut producers are small businesses. Purdy Macadamia Nut Farms is a working farm in Molokai. It is a family business, which owns a grove of 50 trees that are more than 70 years old. During its guided tours, visitors learn how to crack and roast the nuts.
The macadamia nut and its array of flavors are widely used in cooking, especially in baking cookies, brownies and cakes. Innovative Hawaiian chefs use the macadamia nut as a crust for fish and meats. At the swanky Tidepools restaurant in the Grand Hyatt in Poipu, the signature dish is mahimahi crusted with banana-macadamia.
Here is a basic recipe to make about 36 cookies with white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose floor
1 tsp baking soda
10 ozs of white chocolate chips
1 cup of chunk macadamia nuts
salt to taste.
Vanilla optional
.
Directions:
Beat butter, both types of sugar, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Beat the two eggs in a large mixing bowl, sift in flour and baking soda. Add in the butter mixture slowly to ensure an even blend. Stir in the nuts and the chocolate chips.
Drop a rounded teaspoon of the mix onto a cookie sheet. In an oven pre-heated to 375°F, bake for between 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove and cool completely.
For variations, substitute the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate. Add in raisins for even more sweetness and texture or bake the cookies without the chocolate. Alternatively, the nuts can be roasted before being stirred into the cookie mix. The possibilities are endless with the macadamia nut and its array of flavors so let your imagination run wild.
Roasting macadamia nuts makes it crunchier and is relatively simple to do. Spread shelled nuts evenly in a baking pan; a light sprinkling of salt is optional. Bake in the oven at 325°F for no more than 10-15 minutes.
Other macadamia products
There is now macadamia nut cooking oil, macadamia blossom honey and pure macadamia oil sold as a natural emollient in formulations of cosmetics and skin products. One advantage is that the oil is expeller pressed and is thus free of chemical solvents and is not irritating to the eyes.
