Almonds are oval and flattened in shape and a little over an inch long. They are rough, light brown, and have scattered small holes on the shell. A distinct spine separates the two halves of the almond shell.
The meat of the almond is darker brown in color than the shell. The inside flesh is white. Vertical ridges run along both sides of the nut.

Almonds grow on a tree native to the warmer parts of Western Asia and North Africa. They are now cultivated in many warmer climates, including those in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Almonds were brought to England by the Romans, and are mentioned in Scripture as one of the best fruit trees in the land of Canaan. As with many other things, almonds were bestowed with special attributes by ancient humans.

Almonds and their oil were familiar to ancient Greeks and Romans long before the Christian era. During the Middle Ages, almonds became an important commodity of commerce throughout Central Europe and were consumed in large quantities. There are two types of almonds, "sweet" and "bitter." Sweet almonds are what you normally buy shelled for baking or in cans for eating. They have a bland, yet somewhat oily flavor and can add a special zest and unique flavor to baked goods or wok cooking. Try throwing a handful of the very thinly sliced or peeled and slivered variety over a stir fry meal just before serving for a nutritious garnish. Bitter almonds are used to make almond extract which gives it a pronounced flavor. They are also used in the manufacture of marzipan (almond paste) used in pastry filling. If you like the taste of almonds but don't want the calories and fat from the nuts themselves, put 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract into a vanilla or chocolate flavored protein or meal replacement drink. Be careful not to add too much.

Whole, Shelled
Grade Factors (by weight)	Supreme	Select Sheller Run
	Percentages
1. Dissimilar Varieties	5	5
2. Doubles	15	15
3. Chip & Scratch	10	20
4. Foreign Materials	.05	0.1
5. Particle & Dust	0.1	0.1
6. Split & Broken	N/A	5
7. Other defects	5	3
a. Split & Broken	1	5
b. Serious damage	1.5	2
Whole, Shelled
Grade Factors (by weight)	Whole/Broken	Pieces
	Percentages
1. Whole Kernels	30	N/A
2. Minimum Diameter	20/64"	8/64"
3. Dissimilar Varieties	5	N/A
4. Foreign Materials	0.2	0.2
5. Particle & Dust	0.10	1
6. Undersize	5	5
7. Other defects	5	5
a. Serious damage	3	3