Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)

Various nuts and other fruits are obtained from species in the cashew family.

The cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is the source of kidney-shaped cashew nuts. The cashew was originally from northeastern South America, but it is now planted widely throughout the humid tropics. The seedcoat of the fruit contains a toxic oil, and the raw cashew nut is also poisonous if eaten by people. However, the toxic chemical can be neutralized by roasting, and this richly delicious nut can be eaten safely.

The pistachio or green almond (Pistacia vera) is native to Syria, but is now widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region, the southern United States, and elsewhere. These fruits are prepared for eating by roasting and are usually salted by a brief soaking in a brine solution. The natural color of the pistachio's shell is white, but they are sometimes dyed red to make them more attractive to consumers.

The mango (Mangifera indica) is an evergreen tropical tree that grows up to 98 ft (30 m) and is native to southern Asia. Its fruit is known as a mango, possessing a yellow-red skin with a large, flat seed surrounded by a tasty, juicy pulp, which can be yellow, red, or orange in color. However, there are numerous cultivated varieties of mangos varying greatly in the size, shape, and color of their fruits. The flavor of the mango is an exotic blend of sweet and acidic tartness, with an aromatic undercurrent. Mangos are an ancient, cultivated fruit, having been grown in tropical Asia for as many as 6,000 years, and achieving sacred status in some Indian cultures. Most mangos are eaten as a fresh fruit, but this food is also used to prepare sauces, jams, and chutney.

Other, less-well known tropical fruits in the cashew family include the ogplum, Jamaica plum, Otaheite apple (obtained from species of Spondias), and the kaffir plum (Harpephyllum caffrum) of southern Africa.