Jordan Almonds are a wedding staple and have a truly unique place in candy history
Sharability: 10
Denture Danger: 8
Convenience: 9
Novelty: 5
Overall: 9
Jordan Almonds are one candy that I would never turn down. The hard and sweet candy shell packs such a crunch that when you make it to the almond in the center you are greeted with a soft bite. The almond adds a neutral almondy taste to the candy, which makes for a great balance of flavor leaving you craving more.
The almond sits inside the candy egg for so long that it actually becomes not only soft but also chewy and a little sugary which mixes quite well to create contrasting textures, tastes, and consistencies.
The Jordan Almond has the history to go with it. It was originally created for weddings to represent the bitter-sweetness of married life between bitterness of a raw almond and the sweetness of candy.
A tradition with Italian Weddings is each guest is welcomed at their place setting with a small box or bag known as ‘bomboniere’ of five almonds. These five almonds represent five wishes for the bride and groom: health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.
There is a Greek tradition that if an unmarried woman puts the almonds under her pillow, she will have dreams of her future husband. When she finds that husband, the Almonds (known as koufeta) come into play at the wedding. They are usually placed in little bags in odd numbers. The indivisible odd numbers symbolize how the newlyweds will share everything and remain undivided.
This classy candy not only packs a crunch for your munch, but it has a whole history to tell. So next time you pick one up, don’t forget that you could be eating an almond representing health or happiness and you should let that sink in to enjoy the Jordan Almond to the fullest.