Almonds, in Shell

The tree nut known as the almond is indigenous to the Mediterranean area. There were formerly wild almond trees that were later domesticated as early as 3000 BC. Even the earliest book of the Bible, Genesis, mentions almonds as a cherished food that was given as a gift. The almond's edible portion is actually a seed from a drupe, a fruit whose hull and outer shell are normally not consumed. The shells and hulls of almonds are frequently used as bedding and animal feed after the almond seed has been removed.