Black Walnuts taste like Bleu Cheese?

June 3, 2010 9:03 PM

Should my freshly opened bag of Hammons Black Walnuts taste like bleu cheese? I ate several, am I going to to suffer or die?

8 oz. bag of Hammons Black American Walnuts, purchased tonight, opened tonight, with a sell by date of 02/28A/11 (sic). The walnuts pieces have a bleu cheese or "plasticy" taste and odor.

This is unexpected. Is it normal? Is it bad? Some sort of bacterial or fungal contamination? Will I have stomach problems?

posted by orthogonality to food & drink (7 answers total)

I have had that happen. I did not die or get sick. I am not sure why it happens. Do they look moldy?
posted by fifilaru at 11:52 PM on June 3, 2010

The natural oils in the nuts probably just went a little rancid. I think you'll be okay.
posted by Asparagirl at 11:58 PM on June 3, 2010

The don't look moldy, no, but they are "dotted" or "dusted" with small dark bits.

This is the first I've intentionally bought Black or "American" walnuts, as opposed to the more usual "English" walnuts, so I don't know what to expect.

They're a little "bitey" too, leaving a little burning sensation in the back of my mouth. But if someone told me, "that's how they're supposed to taste", I'd enjoy them like bleu cheese, and consider them tastier than English walnuts.
posted by orthogonality at 1:04 AM on June 4, 2010

We have a black walnut grove at home - the taste is more astringent and aggressive than regular English walnut. They leave a stronger aftertaste. I am not sure about blue cheese, but they can be much, much more intense - especially if they have been left in their shells for a while.
posted by Tchad at 3:32 AM on June 4, 2010

I have never had this particular brand, but frankly the smell seems wrong to me. Things don't smell like blue cheese unless they're moldy.
posted by aramaic at 5:34 AM on June 4, 2010

The taste of black walnuts is often described as "gamey." Could just be their natural flavor. I agree that it could also be that the oil has gone a little off.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:25 AM on June 4, 2010

Blue cheese does not taste like walnuts. Walnuts can easily go rancid sitting in plastic bag on a store shelf.
posted by justcorbly at 4:44 PM on June 4, 2010