Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Cashews

FOR THE SALAD

8 cups fresh broccoli flowerets, chopped

6 green onions, finely sliced

1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, well drained

1 cup Craisins (or raisins)

1 cup cashews

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

FOR THE DRESSING

1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Place broccoli in a large bowl. Add onion, water chestnuts, Craisins and cashews. Toss gently and set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, stirring well until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add bacon just before serving, toss the salad again, and serve at room temperature. — Serves 10

Did you know that cashews, first of all, are actually not nuts. They are fruits from the cashew tree — a large evergreen tree which thrives in tropical climates. The tree produces red flowers, which in turn produce yellow and red oval structures resembling apples. These so-called cashew apples are very juicy and pulpy, and their juice is often added to tropical fruit drinks.

These “cashew apples” are not actually fruits in the scientific sense. The real fruit of the cashew tree is the kidney-shaped formation which grows at the end — these are called drupes — which are harvested and become what we know as a cashew nut.

In their raw form, the outer layer of the fruit contains multiple toxins — including anacardic acid, a powerful skin irritant similar to the toxin found in poison ivy — which must be removed prior to eating. Roasting the cashews to destroy the toxins must be carefully done outdoors, as the smoke can irritate the lungs — sometimes to a life-threatening degree. After being roasted, cashews change from their natural greenish-gray color to the light brown “nut” sold in stores.

I saw this interesting story about cashew nuts on Facebook recently — and I thank the poster for sharing it. Thank you, Amy Rose (Yummy Stuff)!

So the next time you open a container of cashews, think about the long journey those little C-shaped “nuts” took getting from that cashew tree to your table!