Originally from central Turkey , known since the antiquity, almonds are key to the Mediterranean culture.

Almonds can differ from their country of origin but also between different varieties.

– France : Unfortunately, almonds from Provence are rare. The Lauranne variety is best eaten raw.

– Spain : This country has many is home to a large number of varieties (Largueta, Marcona, Valencia). Flavoursome, they are just as good salted than caramelised. Largueta almonds are deliciously sweet and perfect roasted with a pinch of salt.

– California :  This region of the United States is the world’s number one almond producer. Californian almonds are appreciated for their regular shape and size.

– Italy : The almonds from Sicily are sweet with a fairly unmistakeable slight hint of bitterness. The Avola variety from Sicily is generally used for sugared almond confetti.

For pastry making, the choice of almond will be determined by the recipe and the desired flavour profile.

For the production of macarons, we recommend US almonds as they are very sweet (with no bitterness) and have a lower fat content than Mediterranean almonds. They will blend in perfectly with the other flavours added to the macaron filling.

For recipes requiring a stronger almond flavour, we suggest using almond from Sicily, with a stronger overall flavour versus American almonds.