Originally published at: Essential knowledge: how to crack walnuts with your bare hands | Boing Boing
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Well, looks like I’m off to the store to buy whole walnuts now.
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my dad always used to crack walnuts this way. i thought he was super strong till i did it myself as a teen and found out it was just physics. sorry dad.
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I learned this working on a California CSA where we had figs and walnuts growing wild. I absolutely hated walnuts until I tried one from the farm; sweet, creamy and not a hint of bitterness. Being out in the field or farmer’s market there isn’t usually a nutcracker around, but that didn’t stop us.
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But… But what do you do when your down to your last walnut?
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Ripping apples in half with your bare hands looks pretty cool, too. It is a case of getting your thumbs in to the dimple at the top of the apple while cupping the rest of the apple in your two hands, and then pulling back on your thumbs.
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Mine too. Likewise I was disappointed when I realised it was so easy.
I know it says ‘toffee’ on it. I swear I didn’t do it on purpose this time.
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Pareidolia and its cousin apophenia.
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Between a kettlebell and a dumbbell with a flat side.
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i’ve never considered using 2 walnuts at once before. as a kid i’d just place a single walnut on the table and bring the heel of my palm down on it to smash it. as i got older i realized that was kind of violent and messy and opted to interlace the fingers of both hands and use them as a nutcracker with the business region being that same spot on my hands
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Walnuts are easy. Try this with an almond or a Brazil nut and I suspect you’ll get decidedly different results
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If I’m going to take time to crack a nut, it’s going to be a black walnut. A hammer and a decent amount of patience is all it takes.
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I discovered this all by myself and was surprised to find others had figured it out, too. There is also a way to crack that last single walnut, using both hands.
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It is possible to crack a walnut in your elbow pit (inner elbow), you have to get the position of the nut right.
Or you can pickle them before they get to the dried up stage and eat them with a nice bit of cheddar.
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Many nuts come with their own tools.
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Love this post. Reminds me of my gramps, may he RIP!
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Similar structure to achieve similar physical benefits?
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I was answering the second question: “is the shape of the meat of a walnut similar to that of the human brain for the same reason?”
For cracking open walnuts, I agree with the two walnut method or a tool. The choice of dedicated or generic tool is purely a personal one.
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Walnuts mate for life, so such a conundrum is unlikely to arise.
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