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Nuts Over Fine Food
 While
many purists will think the Aborigines got it right - eating
the nuts straight from the shell - macadamias now enjoy elite
status in the world of fine food. Wherever food is a fashion,
gastronomes are savouring spiced macadamias as a stylish finger
food, macadamia lime tarts, macadamia-crumbed trout, veal
fillet with a macadamia nut stuffing, baked snapper with wild
rice and macadamia stuffing, macadamia yoghurt cake, macadamia
praline ... even modern reincarnations of old classics like
Macadamia Bakewell Pudding. No longer just a fad, the macadamia
has earned its place as a staple of contemporary creative
cooking.
 As
a culinary ingredient, the macadamia has it all - not only
flavour and texture but nutritional and cholesterol benefits.
Macadamia nuts positively burst with polyunsaturates, protein,
carbohydrates, fibre, water, calcium, magnesium, potassium,
phosphorus, iron, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin. They are
little powerhouses of energy.
 The
oil extracted from macadamias contains approximately 82 per cent mono-unsaturated
fatty acids, better even than olive oil (73 per cent) and
canola (63 per cent). The nuts are believed to contain the
highest level of palmitoleic acid of any known oil and do
not contain any cholesterol. In fact, studies have indicated
that a diet enriched with macadamia nuts lowered blood cholesterol
by 7 per cent. The same tests indicated that a macadamia-enriched
diet may have potential benefits in reducing the likelihood
of coronary heart disease.
The nuts have high levels of beneficial oils, and excellent
salad and cooking oils are expressed from macadamias. They
also produce a fine nut butter. As a protein substitute, it
is necessary to use only 60g of macadamias as a substitute
for 75g-100g of meat. To ensure that the protein quality is
equivalent to meat, use the macadamias with cereal grains
such as pasta, rice or legumes, or combine with small amounts
of meat or poultry.
 For
all this glowing testimony, it is the unique delicious flavour
of macadamias that continues to build a worldwide demand both
from the food industry giants and the world’s most celebrated
chefs. And for Pacific Plantations, supplying this demand
means building long-term relationships with the food giants
and major bakeries, confectioners and ice cream companies,
as well as educating the home kitchen consumer.
Currently about 80 per cent of all macadamia nuts processed in Australia
is exported as raw kernel, and the remainder is sold in Australia
as raw and roasted kernels, confectionery, and various food
service product. The food service industry is offered nine
grades from large whole kernels to a roasted granulated product
used in breakfast cereals and bakery items.
The macadamia is becoming a more familiar part
of the Australian diet through improved nutritional education
and acceptance of the Mediterranean diet pyramid as a model
for healthier Australians. The Mediterranean diet pyramid
is both the newest and oldest way of promoting healthy eating.
Nuts have been part of the human diet from prehistoric times
and are still a major dietary staple in many ethnic cuisines.
 There
is increasing interest in the Mediterranean diet and in Mediterranean
cuisines in Australia where both climate and availability
of ingredients are similar. The important characteristics
of this diet are the use of more nuts, fish and vegetables,
and this provides exciting opportunities for menu innovation
both in the food service industry and in the Australian home.
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