No, you goober, I'm not, because I'm a peanut! That's right, the peanut it not a nut; it's a member of the legume family, which includes beans and peas. Legumes are edible seeds enclosed in pods. Peanuts actually grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc., that grow on trees. Peanuts are also called earth nuts, ground nuts, goober peas, monkey nuts, pygmy nuts, and pig nuts (oh, boy). Peanuts were known as early as 950 B.C. and originated in South America, probably Brazil and Peru. The Inca Indians ground them into a paste-like substance to use in cooking. Incas were the first civilization to plant and harvest potatoes also. European explorers and traders brought peanuts to Africa and Asia, and many Africans regarded the peanut as one of several plants possessing a soul.
When Africans were brought to North America as slaves, they planted them throughout the southern United States. The word "goober" comes from the Congo name for peanuts - nguba! In the 1700's, peanuts were studied by botanists and regarded as an excellent food for pigs. Peanuts were grown commercially in South Carolina around 1800 and used for oil, food, and a substitute for cocoa. The first commercial peanut crop was grown in North Carolina around 1818, and in Virginia in the early to mid 1840s. In the 1860s, during the Civil War, both Confederate and Union forces ate peanuts (tastier than hardtack!)
When Africans were brought to North America as slaves, they planted them throughout the southern United States. The word "goober" comes from the Congo name for peanuts - nguba! In the 1700's, peanuts were studied by botanists and regarded as an excellent food for pigs. Peanuts were grown commercially in South Carolina around 1800 and used for oil, food, and a substitute for cocoa. The first commercial peanut crop was grown in North Carolina around 1818, and in Virginia in the early to mid 1840s. In the 1860s, during the Civil War, both Confederate and Union forces ate peanuts (tastier than hardtack!)
However, until 1900, peanuts were not widely grown for a couple of reasons: (1) they were regarded as food for livestock and the poor; and () they were difficult to grow and harvest. The plants were harvested by hand, leaving stems and trash in the peanuts, which kept down the demand for peanuts. Around 1900, labor-saving equipment was invented, and by the turn of the 20th century, there was a great demand for peanut oil, roasted and salted peanuts, and peanut butter.
In the U.S., peanuts and peanut butter are the most popular nut choice and make up 67% of all nuts eaten. I'm sure one of the "peanut gallery" will tell you all about George Washington Carver Carver, the talented botanist, about his research regarding peanuts!
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A peanut gallery is an audience that heckles the performer. The term originated in the days of vaudeville for the cheapest (and rowdiest) seats in the theater. The least expensive snack served at the theater would often be peanuts, which the audience would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to show their disapproval. Common phrases are "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "quiet in the peanut gallery." In the late 1940s, the Howdy Doody show adopted the name to represent their audience of 40 children.
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I don't work for peanuts, but let's watch Donald Duck (with Chip 'n Dale) in Working for Peanuts:
DON'T GO NUTS TODAY!
