Peanuts’s story
Do you like peanut candy? Just to think about the fragrant and crunchy peanuts mixed into the maltose, whether it is whole or crushed, few people can resist the temptation of peanut candy! Peanut candy is probably one of the most popular sweets in Taiwan, but the plant commonly known as peanuts or longevity fruits are not native to Taiwan! Peanut is an annual plant in the legume family, which has been cultivated for more than five thousand years in the area east of the Andes; current research suggests that peanuts may have been domesticated in northern Argentina. The earliest peanut cultivation was about 7,600 years ago.
It is generally believed that the peanut was introduced to Europe after being discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, and then spread to all parts of the world; however, some Chinese scholars believe that the peanut may have been brought back along with Zheng He’s voyages to the West. At present, the country that produces the most peanuts in the world is China, the second is India, and the third is Nigeria. Although peanut is not an important grain in Europe and America, it has been a very important animal feed ingredient in the United States since the 1930s. As for Southeast Asia, the Spanish first introduced it to the Philippines and then to Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries.
The largest producer of peanuts in Taiwan is in Yunlin County, which accounts for 80% of Taiwan; the next is Changhua County. The largest producing area of peanuts in Yunlin County is Yuanchang Township, which accounts for 40% of the entire county. Peanuts are classified into upright, runner-type, and Lutheran types depending on the plant stature; most of the types currently planted in Taiwan are upright. The most popular line in the early days was “Tainan Xuan №9”; after 1986, it was replaced by “Tainan №11”. Until 1998, the new line “Tainan №14” came on stage, accounting for more than 70%; but it is commonly known as “Niners” (Tainan Xuan №9) still has a certain market share, and the nougat of Dahei Song Xiaokou is made from “Tainan №11.” The breeding and selection of Tainan №11, Tainan №14, Tainan №16 and Tainan №9 are all related to Mr. Yang Y. T. from the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station. He can be said to be an important driving force for Taiwan peanut research!
Peanut is rich in nutrients and is a good source of vitamin B, E, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. In addition, the protein content is also high, accounting for a quarter. However, about one percent of the population in the United States is allergic to peanuts, and some even suffer shock when they eat peanuts! In addition to allergies, peanuts are also at risk of being contaminated by Aspergillus flavus; because aflatoxin produced by A. flavus is a carcinogen, all countries in the world test peanuts for aflatoxin content in routine food safety inspections, and the total aflatoxin content exceeds 15 parts per billion (15 ppb) will deem to be unacceptable in Taiwan.
When it comes to peanuts, you must not forget peanut butter. The first person to make peanut butter was a Canadian chemist named Marcellus Gilmore Edson (1849–1940). He invented a method of making peanut butter from roasted peanuts and obtained a patent in 1884. Then Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852–1943), one of the founders of Kellogg’s company, invented the technology of making peanut butter from raw peanuts in 1895 and obtained a patent. He believed that peanut butter is most suitable as a protein supplement for people without teeth..
Since the fruits of other legumes mature on the ground, only the fruit of peanut matures underground, therefore, peanuts in Taiwan is called “thôo-tāu”, which means “bean in the soil”. There is a legend about peanuts: Zhu Yuanzhang, the famous “Emperor of Scalp Ringworm”, was injured by a peanut pod when he was a child. After he complained, the pod just went down to the ground.
How did the peanuts get to Taiwan? According to current data, peanuts were first introduced to Penghu from the mainland and then to Taiwan before the Dutch arrived. When I was young, it was common to boil peanuts in salted water with shells or baked peanuts with shells. There are also peanuts that are fried and salted after removing the shells. Most of them are used to accompany rice or to eat with spirit. It is said that fried peanuts are a classic of early Taiwanese Appetizers. As Taiwan’s economy took off, “peanut candy”, a sweet treat, only appeared during the Chinese New Year, became more and more common. There are many famous peanut candies in various places, such as “Dragon Love Peanut Jelly” from Longtan in Taoyuan, Peanut Master from Changhua, and “Gongtang” from Kinmen. Why is it called “Gongtang”? Some people say that because it was presented to the emperor, it was a “tribute.” Others said that because of the production of tribute candy, roasted peanuts and maltose were mixed and beaten; because the Taiwanese “beating” speaking as “gong”, which sounds similar as “tribute”, it becomes “tribute candy.”
In addition to being eaten, peanut oil can also be used as a lubricant, paint, etc. The peanut fruit can be eaten, can be used as feed, and the pressed oil can be used for industrial use. It is really a fruit with many uses!
