Walnut is one of the most popular nuts in Russia, it is eaten by millions of people every day. When someone speaks of him, associations appear with Greece. But why walnut, not Greek?
On the Internet you can find many recipes for baking with Voloshsky nut (it is so called botanists), and it is sold everywhere. Walnut is perhaps the most affordable, it is sold in almost all supermarkets, shops, etc. In addition, the delicacy is popular not only in Russia. But from regular customers, few thought about why walnuts are called walnuts, and not Greek.
The history of walnuts
It is believed that the first Voloshsky fruits appeared a very long time ago, and they grew in Persia. But archaeological finds of this nut were made in Turkey, and in Switzerland, and in Italy, and in China, and in India. Voloshsky fruits are considered the oldest of all existing. The story of why walnuts are walnuts begins several centuries BC.
In Ancient Persia, only a select few could taste Voloshsky nuts. Usually they were served on the table for the kings and their entourage. That is why soon this nut began to be called royal.
In Persia, Voloshsky fruits grew in Mesopotamia. According to historians, it was a picturesque place with a huge territory. For the first time Voloshsky fruits were mentioned on a letter before our era in the Code of Hammurabi. But why are nuts called walnuts if they grew in Persia? But because for the Greeks they became a symbol of life.
Popular plants also left their mark in Greek mythology. Perhaps, many remember the legend of the love of the god of wine Dionysus and the daughter of King Caria. When the girl died, Dionysus turned his lover into a walnut tree.
In Greece, the first trees of these nuts were very small, and the nuts were several times smaller than those you can buy today. When the Greeks saw the huge and more delicious fruits of the Persians, they were surprised that it was one and the same nut. After that, in Greece, the nut began to be called Persian and sought to ensure that the fruits were larger.
Name history
So where does the name walnut come from? The Persians called the fruits royal, the Greeks - Persian. It is thanks to a greater degree to the Romans that we now know this nut as walnut.
Plants came to Italy for an unknown reason, but they were imported from Greece. The Romans could not come up with a name for a nut and in the end called it the royal acorn of Jupiter (Jupiter is the main god in Roman mythology). Then why is walnut a walnut? But because for some unknown reason the name did not take root. Then they began to call him simply a nut. After years, and maybe centuries, when they began to import nuts constantly in Rome, people silently called them Greek nuts. This name has taken root.
Legendary fruits were brought to Russia in the 14th or 15th century. But why is walnut called walnut, not Greek? The answer is simple! Then they were called Greek, because the word "Greek" was not used in speech. Nowadays, the word "Greek" has long been considered obsolete.
Interestingly, in Afghanistan, the nut is called the “four brains,” because Voloshsky fruits are very similar in appearance to the halves of the brain. In some European countries, such as France, Spain and Italy, walnuts are simply called walnuts. And in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, England and many other countries, the fruits are called nuts of strangers.
Use of the word "Greek"
Having understood why walnuts are called walnuts, it’s hard not to pay attention to such an interesting adjective. It was believed that the word "Greek" was used in common people, but this is not so. This adjective was used by such writers as Usachev and Gogol, and the outstanding Russian philologist Dmitry Nikolayevich Ushakov wrote that this word was out of use, but was preserved in some special names.
Why is walnut also walnut in modern Russia? It was precisely this rare case where the seemingly outdated word that no one is using and is not going to use in speech, remained. Yes, now it’s really impossible to find the words “Greek” in modern books, in speech, on the Internet ... But when people suddenly stopped using this definition, it would most likely be foolish to change the name of the fetus. So the walnut remained walnut.
Walnut in botany
Another reason why these nuts are so called is related to botany. The Greek philosopher and scientist Theophrastus was the founder of a science such as botany. It was he who first described the fruits in his book. Perhaps walnuts were named after Greece not because they sold them to Europe, and then to Russia, unlike the Persians, but because it was the learned Greek who first described this nut, gave it a detailed description.
The benefits of walnut
Several centuries ago, gardeners revealed that walnut trees should not be planted in an area 20-25 meters from other plants, as they tend to release toxic substances into the soil. When scientists proved this fact, they began to check if there was anything toxic in the nuts themselves, and came to the following conclusion.
This nut is good for the body, like no other nut. It contains vitamins and minerals B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, E, zinc, magnesium, potassium and iron. It is interesting to know that in the composition of nuts, ascorbic acid is almost 50 times more than in citrus fruits.
In ancient times, warriors used walnuts to heal their wounds, as well as reduce their appetite. At the same time, they were made from these amazing nuts and medicines for oral administration.
Walnut storage
Freshly grown and harvested nuts appear in September. It is best to buy nuts in the shell, that is, unpeeled. In shell nuts can lie almost 8 months from the date of purchase (if not fresh). Unshelled nuts are finicky. They must always be stored in the refrigerator. And for even longer storage, you can put peeled nuts in a tight bag for food and leave in the freezer.
Why is walnut - walnut, still no one knows for sure. This is not written in books, scientists do not make reports on this topic. Nevertheless, this question is very interesting, and every day at least a few people think about it.