Spiced Nuts and Getting Ready for the Holidays

This is the time of year when your inbox fills up with cyber holiday shopping emails and holiday emails in general. I said I was not going to participate in that continuous sales process. Then on Friday a visitor dropped by and purchased a few things from our store and before I knew it, I was caught up in the excitement of holiday gifts and immodestly speaking, all the really great products we have here. Carlyle also just bottled more honey and it looks so beautiful in the jar.

So now there it is. Our own holiday cyber Monday gift opportunity: Carlyle Honey, Danielle’s Moraine Tea Blend, and a beautiful bar of our Farm Christmas Soap. Wrapped up in a box and ready to go. Handmade and packaged.

I’ve been asked on line a number of times for our spiced nut recipe. They were featured in one of the Netflix episodes (View it here) and I promised to share the recipe. I call it Manvers Station Spiced Nuts because I use some of our Manvers Station spice rub. If you don’t have the Manvers Station – just omit entirely rather than try to substitute. I also include our cranberry rosemary salt but ordinary coarse salt will due just fine. I’m going to include the recipe card in the Cyber Monday gift box. What I like about this mixture is that it is very slightly sticky, a little bit spicy and sweet and still the flavours of the nuts are there. It also keeps well if stored in a jar or airtight container. A nice idea when after the holidays you don’t want to eat any more snack food – put them in the food processor, pulse a few times and sprinkle on salads. Delicious.

Manvers Station Spiced Nuts

• 1 pound unsalted mixed nuts about 3 cups. I use pecans, almonds, peanuts or walnuts. Peanuts are definitely more popular in my family.
• 3/4 cup minced candied ginger – this ingredient can not be substituted! I buy the ginger slices in bulk and then with a chopping knife, mince by hand.
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon Manvers Station Spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine all the nuts nuts, candied ginger, both peppers, salt, spice rub, and sesame seeds.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium-high. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves, 3 minutes.
• Pour sugar syrup over nut mixture and toss well to combine and place on the cookie sheet in a single layer.
• Bake until the nuts are just beginning to brown and are golden about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.
• Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack before breaking into pieces.