"Maewo" Edible Candlenuts... ¿Anyone growing them?

[Caesar]

The Wikipedia page on Candlenut mentions an alleged edible, bitter-free Candlenut from Costa Rica, but doesn't provide a reference. "The Carbon Farming Solution" by Eric Toensmeier mentions one edible variety (¿the same one?) called "Maewo", but while he does provide a reference (Ibid., 49), he doesn't mention where it's from, and I couldn't find the reference in a simple internet search.

Does anyone here grow an edible variety? And I mean fully edible, bitter-free, not the usual varieties that are used sparingly as a condiment in food.

And just for reference, what's it like to eat the usual varieties?

[fruitlovers]

The Wikipedia page on Candlenut mentions an alleged edible, bitter-free Candlenut from Costa Rica, but doesn't provide a reference. "The Carbon Farming Solution" by Eric Toensmeier mentions one edible variety (¿the same one?) called "Maewo", but while he does provide a reference (Ibid., 49), he doesn't mention where it's from, and I couldn't find the reference in a simple internet search.

Does anyone here grow an edible variety? And I mean fully edible, bitter-free, not the usual varieties that are used sparingly as a condiment in food.

And just for reference, what's it like to eat the usual varieties?

Don't remember the wild varieties here in Hawaii having any bitterness at all. They are very tasty, but said to be having laxative effect if you eat more than one or two.

[Caesar]

Don't remember the wild varieties here in Hawaii having any bitterness at all. They are very tasty, but said to be having laxative effect if you eat more than one or two.

If they're non-bitter, then they're probably free of saponins, though phorbol may still be a concern... ¿Could phorbol be the laxative cause? I imagine the purported edible type would be free of such laxative effects.

How does candlenut compare to Macadamia taste-wise? I heard it's a dead ringer for texture, and Mac is my favorite nut, like snacking on butter!

[fruitlovers]

Don't remember the wild varieties here in Hawaii having any bitterness at all. They are very tasty, but said to be having laxative effect if you eat more than one or two.

If they're non-bitter, then they're probably free of saponins, though phorbol may still be a concern... ¿Could phorbol be the laxative cause? I imagine the purported edible type would be free of such laxative effects.

How does candlenut compare to Macadamia taste-wise? I heard it's a dead ringer for texture, and Mac is my favorite nut, like snacking on butter!

Yes its similar in taste and texture to macnut, but the macnut is much better.

[shot]

They use kukui nuts in hawaiian poke.

[Doug]

This is very interesting. I haven't heard of candlenut trees before. I'll have to ask around here to see if anyone knows of the variety from Costa Rica that you mentioned. Maybe forum member Peter at Finca la Isla is aware of it. He grows damn near everything!

[fruitlovers]

Candlenut, or Kukui, as it's know in Hawaii, is the state tree of Hawaii. Grows wild all over the place here. Was introduced during canoe voyages by Hawaiians over 1000 years ago. Had so very many uses, including medicinal uses.

[Caesar]

They use kukui nuts in hawaiian poke.

I keep picturing the nuts being forced through a garlic press when used as a condiment. How are they actually used in cooking?

This is very interesting. I haven't heard of candlenut trees before. I'll have to ask around here to see if anyone knows of the variety from Costa Rica that you mentioned. Maybe forum member Peter at Finca la Isla is aware of it. He grows damn near everything!

Please keep me posted, I'm very interested in finding it and trying it out. I'm growing edible Jatropha as a relative, but it occurs to me that edible Candlenut might be similar, with a bigger tree and bigger yields. If Peter sees this, I hope he chimes in.

Yes its similar in taste and texture to macnut, but the macnut is much better.

Candlenut, or Kukui, as it's know in Hawaii, is the state tree of Hawaii. Grows wild all over the place here. Was introduced during canoe voyages by Hawaiians over 1000 years ago. Had so very many uses, including medicinal uses.

How so? Can you elaborate on the taste distinctions? (And on the medicinal uses?) I tried sprouting Macnut a few years back, but I don't have much experience scarifying or anything like that, so they never sprouted for me. Perhaps they weren't fresh enough? I had gotten them from Trade Winds. I still dream of getting the Mac tree, but I've slowed down my tree collection... I've almost run out of space for the time being.

[pineislander]

The roasted crushed nuts are called inamona:
https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/traditional-inamona/
2 methods-
Float test, Boil after harvest, grind, then roast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPur0UPQGbQ

Float test, Dry 2 weeks, roast, shell and grind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4612jBwQdfM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isW0pUnw7Bc

Grinding with mortar produces a nut butter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFvVTURhz5w

Note:
"Laxative, stronger dosage is for purging"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO_OVeIxmWk

[pineislander]

Found it. Need to look in Vanuatu, name could refer to Maewo island, east of Vanuatu island. See page 5, known varieties
https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Arbres-Bois-de-Rapport-Reforestation/FICHES_ARBRES/Aleurite%20moluccana/Aleurites-kukui.pdf

[shot]

They grow very well in bokeelia.My neighbor has a large tree they inherited from the original owner who was from Puerto Rico, planted in the early 90s ,been through cold ,hurricanes, drought nothing
fazes the candlenut.

[Caesar]

I'd probably have trouble with normal Inamona... I have poor sense of moderation when it comes to tasty condiments. 

They grow very well in bokeelia.My neighbor has a large tree they inherited from the original owner who was from Puerto Rico, planted in the early 90s ,been through cold ,hurricanes, drought nothing
fazes the candlenut.

All the more reason to find the edible cultivar. It's a tough, vigorous, productive tree... If you could get a decent meal out of it, perfect! All that's left is to track down the edible strains. Which leads me to...

Found it. Need to look in Vanuatu, name could refer to Maewo island, east of Vanuatu island. See page 5, known varieties
https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Arbres-Bois-de-Rapport-Reforestation/FICHES_ARBRES/Aleurite%20moluccana/Aleurites-kukui.pdf

Excellent link! I have that book in my pdfs, it never occurred to me to check it out for this query. We've tracked down the origin of "Maewo" (the Costa Rican strain, if different, still eludes us). Now the obvious question... ¿Do any forum members have access to this variety? Does anyone here live in or travel through Vanuatu? I'm thinking of maybe posting something in the buy/sell/trade section. Both seeds and cuttings would be ideal, in case its edible traits aren't genetically fixed. Lets get this strain in the hands of the propagators! The more perennial staples, the merrier.

[fruitlovers]

I'm thinking of going to Vanuatu sometime in the future. If i do and can locate it, then will let you know.
The macnut has a much richer and sweeter taste and softer texture than the kukui (candle) nut here. There are so many thousands of trees here though growing wild that i wouldn't be surprised if some taste better than others. Almost nobody bothers to eat them here because we also have large macadamia plantations. Mostly it's pig food. And they really like them!

[Caesar]

I'm thinking of going to Vanuatu sometime in the future. If i do and can locate it, then will let you know.
The macnut has a much richer and sweeter taste and softer texture than the kukui (candle) nut here. There are so many thousands of trees here though growing wild that i wouldn't be surprised if some taste better than others. Almost nobody bothers to eat them here because we also have large macadamia plantations. Mostly it's pig food. And they really like them!

Thanks for the comparison. And please keep us posted on the matter, I'm keen to grow and propagate this type. I'm nuts for nuts in general. 

Highly productive pig food, you say? Useful info, duly noted. I'll take this chance to plug an old thread on fruit as fodder:

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=21341.0;all