Identify These Nuts! Trivia Quiz

The Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) is a rather large seed but given its superficial likeness to a true nut and the fact it is edible, it is very much welcomed into the family of culinary nuts. Unsurprisingly, the Brazil nut originates in South America and in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, it is commonly referred to as castanha-do-brasil ("chestnut from Brazil") or castanha-do-pará ("chestnut from Pará").

Alongside being a snack, one of the main uses of the Brazil nut is for the creation of Brazil nut oil which can be used in both cosmetics and cookery.

The walnut, of the Juglandaceae family, is a useful addition to the nutrition plan of anyone pursuing the LCHF (low carbohydrate, high fat) diet; the edible seed is composed of approximately 65% fat and 15% protein, alongside a small percentage of carbohydrate (largely fibre). The edible portion of a walnut looks similar to the pecan but presents with a lighter, more golden colour.

The walnut takes pride of place in the Walnut Whip, a classic piece of British confectionery consisting of fluffy fondant encased in milk chocolate and topped with a half a walnut.

The pine nut's true identity is betrayed somewhat by its appearance - it is a seed rather than a nut. The pine nut is a key component of pesto, the famous Italian sauce or paste. Italian cuisine is renowned for its simplicity and a tasty pesto sauce - as pictured - can be created from just a handful of ingredients: basil, pine nuts, parmesan (pecorino too, if you fancy), garlic and olive oil.

Is it "pee-can", "peh-kahn" or something else? However you pronounce it, the pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a beautiful nut that famously sits atop the classic American desert, pecan pie. There are many variations of this artery-clogging dish but the key ingredients are sugar/syrup, eggs, butter and of course, pecans. Add a pinch of salt, a dash of vanilla extract, bake and enjoy!

The macadamia is a delicious Australian addition to the list of culinary nuts; its high fat content (approximately 75%) makes this a superb snack for those on a low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) diet. If dieting is not on the agenda but a sweet treat is, macadamias are a great choice for making cookies, as a topping for chocolate tarts and as a paste in a variety of pastries.

I personally find the almond quite a boring nut to eat in its natural form, yet it is a key ingredient in some of my all time favourite desserts such as the delightfully retro Battenberg (pink and yellow squares of sponge glued together with apricot jam and encased in almond marzipan) and the quintessentially English Bakewell tart (shortcrust pastry, jam, frangipane and flaked almonds).

Forget artificial intelligence, humanity peaked when it created marzipan and frangipane!

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."

The chestnut makes the mind wander to Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, but this true nut becomes a street food staple as early as autumn or fall. Roasted chestnuts can be bought from markets stalls across Europe, Asia and North America; in Korea, roasted chestnuts are known as gunbam and in France, marrons chaud ("hot chestnuts"). Wherever in the world you buy them, roasted chestnuts are a delicious treat.

The pistachio (Pistacia vera) is easily distinguished from other mainstream culinary nuts by way of its appearance - an edible green seed cocooned within a split shell. The green flesh only becomes visible after dehiscence has occurred, a process whereby the shell splits open along - in this case - its longitudinal axis.

Pistachio is a common ingredient in desserts, whether it be in gelato, sprinkled on cookies or as an accompaniment to dark chocolate. The seeds of the pistachio can also be added to a salad to introduce both crunch and a distinct earthy, sweet flavour.

Whilst commonly referred to as a nut, the pistachio is a drupe.

Despite its name and its inclusion in the list of culinary nuts, the coconut is a drupe but I suppose the name "cocodrupe" doesn't have much of a ring to it. This tropical delight has a distinctive flavour and has a wide range of uses from desserts (lamingtons) and confectionery (Bounty chocolate bar) to cocktails (pina colada) and Thai curries (green, red and yellow to name but just a few).

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) - an impostor in our nutty lineup - is a legume rather than a true nut but in the culinary sense the peanut is very commonly referred to as a nut. The peanut is known the world over and is an exceptionally versatile foodstuff that belongs on ingredient lists for savoury dishes as well as sweet.

Peanuts are naturally paired with chocolate and this combination has given rise to many famous chocolate bars over the decades including Snickers, Payday and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

The cashew nut is the edible portion of a drupe that grows on the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) and can be identified by its reniform (kidney-shaped) appearance.

One of my favourite uses of the cashew nut is in the Chinese-American dish, cashew chicken. Whip out your wok, crank up the heat, toss in chunks of chicken, cashew nuts, bell peppers, aromatic ingredients, chicken stock, soy sauce and oyster sauce and you are well on your way to a tasty homemade meal.

The hazelnut does not deceive us - it is, botanically speaking, a true nut. Alongside its use in dessert cookery, the hazelnut is an ingredient used in the production of Frangelico. Frangelico is an Italian liqueur that - amongst other flavourings - celebrates roasted hazelnuts, caramel and coffee. Cin cin!

In a nod to the Italian friar Fra Angelico, the distinctive bottle of the hazelnut liqueur takes the shape of a monk's habit.