September 4, 2018 (Tuesday)
(Picture and 3 paragraphs from National Day Calendar)
“National Macadamia Nut Day is observed annually on September 4th. Macadamia nuts, with their rich, buttery taste, are known by many to be one of the most delectable of all nuts. They originated in Australia and are named after physician and chemist, John Macadam, who encouraged the cultivation of the nuts in Australia.
“Macadamia nuts are grown on trees resembling large evergreens and grow to 30 to 40 ft. high. Although they are native to Australia, most of today’s world supply is grown in Hawaii. They were first commercially grown there in 1921. A few other places, such as Indonesia, South Africa, Central America and California also cultivate some of these tasty nuts.
“Macadamia nuts are delicious when eaten raw and also when used in baked goods, especially cookies! They are also known for their health benefits. Like many nuts, macadamias are a rich source of energy, high in dietary fiber, gluten-free, high in mono-unsaturated fat, an excellent source of minerals and contain many important B-complex vitamins.”
In 1984, I attended a seminar in Nashville where I met a pastor from Hawaii. As I was discussing that with the secretarial staff at the First Baptist Church of Rockport, the subject of Macadamia Nuts came up. To shorten the story (because I don’t remember the details now), I contacted the pastor and told him how much the secretaries enjoyed Macadamia nuts. His secretary contacted our secretary and sent a box of Macadamias to the church office in Rockport. The ladies remained in contact and the Macadamias kept coming. Years later the secretaries from Rockport attend another conference in Nashville, where they met the nice lady from Hawaii. Her pastor in Hawaii had retired and moved back to his home in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, but the ladies became fast friends, communicated often, and the Macadamias kept coming as far as I know.
If the Rockport ladies see this blog, they can fill me in on the correct details.
Yesterday, Labor Day, is considered unofficially the last day of summer.
