The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3 crunchy Southern snacks featuring nuts
Per tablespoon:
Crunchy things are highly prized as snacks, and our favorite crunchy indulgence is nuts.
Sea salt pecan brittle
Goldilocks would have loved this brittle. It’s not too hard, not too soft — just right! This lovely brittle is made by Nanna’s Nuts of Charleston, South Carolina, a family-run business that began in 2014 with the recipe for Nanna’s spiced pecans. Nanna was Louise Parsons, and her granddaughter, Traci Greer, is carrying on the tradition of preparing nut-based treats for family and friends. We think the pecans are roasted before they go into the brittle, we definitely taste vanilla, and the salt is incorporated into the brittle, rather than being sprinkled on top, so it’s perfectly infused in every bite. We are finding this mighty addictive! The company makes all kinds of flavored nuts, including bourbon and bacon pecans, chocolate sea salt almonds
Southern blister-fried peanuts
The Baker family of Roxobel, North Carolina, grows Virginia-type Southern peanuts, and then turns them, along with other local peanuts, into delicious Southern treats. Founder Danielle Baker got her start frying peanuts for church functions and family gifts. In 2009, she moved from her home kitchen to a commercial kitchen. We’re glad we purchased a big container (18 ounces) of her Southern blister-fried peanuts, because we are enjoying them so much. Lightly salted, perfectly fried, you almost feel virtuous while you nibble on handfuls at a time. They offer these same peanuts seasoned with salt and pepper, with ghost pepper, with Cajun seasoning, and in an unsalted version. And, they make sweet peanut concoctions, as well.
$10.95 per 18-ounce container. Available at bakerspeanuts.com.
Sea salt roasted pecans
In the 1970s, the Lamar family began farming pecans in Hawkinsville, just southeast of Perry. They have 2,000 acres of pecan groves, and turn their delicious harvest into roasted pecans, available in four flavors: unsalted, sea salt, habanero barbecue and maple. Really, is any other nut so versatile? We went for the sea salt variety. We’ve enjoyed these right out of the pouch, but we also have broken them up as a garnish for salads, used them to top brownies before baking (love the saltiness of the pecans with the sweetness of the chocolate), and chopped them up finely to top a bowl of lemon-sauced pasta. We love living in what we think of as the “pecan state” (move over peanuts) and supporting our local pecan growers.
$6.99 per 4-ounce pouch. Available at Publix and Amazon. More information: frontporchpecans.com. and organic herb cashews. But, it’s the sea salt brittle that has captured our hearts.
$4 per 3-ounce package, $13 per 8-ounce tin. Available at nannasnuts.com.
processor; reserve the oil.
Add the vinegar, bell pepper, celery, sugar, cayenne, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper to the food processor. Pulse until smooth. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin stream and process until emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Make about 1 1/4 cups.