Macadamia nuts can now be found in many supermarkets, but they originally come from quite far away. The first macadamia trees grew in Australia, more precisely in the eastern part of the country, in warm and humid regions. There the indigenous people of Australia, the Aborigines, discovered these nuts long ago and ate them as a valuable energy source. Later European settlers brought the plants to other countries with similarly warm climates. This is how cultivation gradually spread around the world.
Today macadamia nuts are mainly cultivated in countries with tropical or subtropical climates. That means: it is usually warm, often humid, and there is no real winter with frost. Among the most important growing regions are:
- Australia – the country of origin, still one of the largest producers.
- Hawaii (USA) – macadamias became particularly well known here; many people still associate the nut with Hawaii.
- South Africa – one of the major producing countries, with many plantations.
- Kenya and other countries in East Africa – the trees grow well in higher, warm areas there.
- Latin America – for example Brazil, Guatemala and Costa Rica.
- parts of Asia – such as China and Thailand, where the climate is suitable.
For macadamia trees to grow well they need plenty of sun, sufficient rain and a soil that drains well so the roots do not stand in “mud”. A macadamia tree needs several years before it yields many nuts. You can imagine it like an apple tree: at first it is small and needs care, and after a few years it bears more and more fruit. The nuts sit inside very hard shells, which are again surrounded by a green husk. This hard shell is one of the reasons why macadamia nuts are often more expensive than other nuts – cracking them requires special machines and a lot of energy.
There are different species of macadamia trees. For consumption two species are particularly important:
- Macadamia integrifolia – originally from Australia; it yields particularly mild, creamy nuts and is widely cultivated.
- Macadamia tetraphylla – also from Australia; the nuts are often a bit firmer in the bite and sometimes have a slightly stronger aroma.
Many plantations also grow hybrids, that is crosses of different species. You can imagine it like dog breeds: two different varieties are mixed so that the offspring have certain good traits, for example higher yield, better resistance to disease or especially good nut quality. For us in the shop this difference is usually not visible – the package usually just says “macadamia nuts”.
In trade macadamia nuts are available in several forms and variants. The main ones are:
- whole nuts – usually already shelled; they look round and ivory-coloured and are suitable as a snack or for decorating cakes.
- halves or pieces – often used for baking or cooking when appearance is not so important, for example in cookies or mueslis.
- salted and roasted – very popular as a snack; the nuts are heated (roasted) to make them more aromatic and then seasoned with salt.
- sweetened or coated – for example coated with honey, sugar or chocolate; this turns them into a sort of confectionery.
- macadamia oil – pressed from the nuts; it tastes mildly nutty and is used in cooking but also in cosmetics because it feels pleasant on the skin.
- macadamia paste – a creamy paste made from finely ground nuts, similar to peanut butter; it can be spread on bread or used in desserts.
Depending on the region and shop, macadamia nuts are more or less readily available. In large supermarkets and drugstores they are usually found year-round, often on the shelf with other nuts or with baking ingredients. Health food stores often also carry organic macadamias, where certain rules are followed during cultivation, for example avoiding chemical pesticides. In some countries where macadamias are grown you can even buy them fresh or still in the shell at weekly markets. In other regions they are more of a special ingredient, something you do not buy every day but rather for special occasions or as a small luxury item. Overall, although macadamia nuts originate in distant, warm countries, worldwide trade has brought them into many kitchens around the world and they are relatively easy to obtain in various forms and varieties.
