The almond is the Golden State's number one food export and, in fine NorCal socialist style, Blue Diamond is a big cooperative of almond growers that got together 100 years ago and now produces around 1.4 million tons a year. Half goes overseas and the rest stays. If you've ever eaten an almond within US borders then it was grown here, and you can find these nuts in every food product ever (possibly).
This information was communicated to me by a talking almond, the star of the film "The Amazing Almond" that's shown in the visitors' centre. The centre is really just a big almond shop (although I did spot some raisins in there) but there's limitless almond tasting of all their varieties - including the dubious new coffee almond range - and you get a free pack for watching the film.
What do you call a nut with a sneeze? A cashew! I couldn't think of a joke involving almonds.
They chose their name because it's the rarest and priciest diamond around. Cut diamonds are the number two non-agricultural export of California (after aircraft parts). Not a lot of people know that.
All of these flavours occur naturally.
Hannah goes for mint dark chocolate. Hmm.
Almonds good, peanuts bad.
Too much choice!
The world's best film featuring a talking almond - not a cartoon almond, an actual almond, that talks - made in the early 80s judging from the hairstyles and "cutting edge" computerised ordering system on display. To harvest almonds they have a machine that shakes the trees to make them fall out, then they sweep them into long lines, then another machine picks them up. It's true!
Even the packet tastes good.
