HIBISCUS CATERING

As hard as it is to believe, the macadamia tree was first grown only for ornamental purposes. Thankfully, the buttery-rich, slightly sweet nature of tree's nut was eventually discovered and has been prized ever since. The macadamia tree is a native of Austrialia and was named for John McAdam, the Scottish-born chemist who cultivated it. In the 1890s the macadamia journeyed from Tasmania to be cultivated in Hawaii ( now its largest exporter) and, eventually California. Because of its extremely hard shell, this marble-size golden brown nut is usally sold shelled, either roasted or raw. It has a high fat content and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent rancidity. Macadamias are widely used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.