418885 Sat Jul 07 21:32:38 -0700 2007 23 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2728498 Not sure if this is the righ board for this topic, but very sure it will be bounced to the appropriate one if not. My wife and I went to the Yankee game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday evening. Among the many disappointments (long lines everywhere, tepid and poorly done franks, overpriced food and drink, warm beer, unfriendly vendors, etc.), are the peanuts. We purchased a bag of peanuts thinking "How can they screw this up?" We got a bag of unshelled peanuts, that's how. Maybe it's just me, but I don't get peanuts in the shell at all. The sole reason to me to sell them is to fill up bags and separate you from your money. Taking a peanut out of its shell isn't easy. You have to crack the shell between your fingers (no tables, shelves or other amenities at Yankee Stadium seats), and hope that you actually can catch the peanut itself, which is often wrapped in some sort of covering that is edible but not at all tasty. Many of the peanuts get dropped, and you end up eating (or gagging on) portions of the shell, with the peanut on the ground. And who knows how long these peanuts sit before being foisted on the suckers who pay premium prices at major league ballparks (especially in NY) everywhere. Even if you take them home, you still have the problem of cracking the shell, containing the debris, and getting to the actual peanut. It's no small amount of work. I don't get it. I know I can just not buy these peanuts, but this was our first visit to Yankee Stadium in years and we took a chance. It's not like they describe anything close to the truth about their food there (e.g. "Purchasing a frankfurter will require a long wait in one or more lines, and your hot dog will have been precooked and wrapped in foil. The excessive cost of your hot dog (and everything esle) is to insure our profit, despite having made many bad business deals with multi-million dollar players who continue to underperform.") OK, I accept the lousy franks and all the rest of the crap you put up with at a place like Yankee Stadium (and my wife and I are die-hard Yankee fans), but what is it with the peanuts? Are we missing some attraction about unshelled peanuts? Please let us know so we can start enjoying them... Thanks for listening to the rant... GTL Sat Jul 07 21:32:38 -0700 2007 15915 BrookBoy 1 2728501 Better aroma, and the shell helps to maintain the texture and crunchiness of the peanut. Sat Jul 07 21:36:06 -0700 2007 2728498 11583 ipsedixit 2 2728514 Maybe you're right, but I didn't get any of those things. There was no aroma that I could detect, etither at the ballpark or at home, and I didn't notice any difference in the texture from a peanut that you'd fine in a can or bag, nor did I notice any differnce in the crunchiness. Should I consider roasting such peanuts? Is it safe? To me, a can of Planter's is much superior... Sat Jul 07 21:45:15 -0700 2007 2728501 15915 BrookBoy 2 2728515 I'd hate to ask if this is your first ballgame but that is just the way it is.....does the guy outside the park sell you roasted nuts out of the shell ?? Nope, they are roasted in the shell also...at first I thought you were complaining they were out of the shell, now that would tick me off. As a Red Sox Fan I would say that maybe the shell is for choking on ( Clemens). Sat Jul 07 21:45:48 -0700 2007 2728501 51489 Jimbosox04 3 2728526 Nope, my wife and I are longtime baseball fans, have been to several major league stadiums (including Fenway) and a lot of minor league ballparks as well. It took this visit to realize how much I don't care for unshelled peanuts, got to thinking that maybe I'm missing something, decided to post this message. I certainly discern your commnt about choking on the shell. What can I say about the current state of Yankee affairs (especially vs the Sox), except for two things: take a long look at the overall record, and remember 1978. I offer these views as a peace offering between a Yankee fan and a Red Sox fan (heh, heh...) Regardless of the Yankees current dismal state, I'm still mystified by the attraction of unshelled peanuts. I agree that they are entirely satisfactory for choking on, but that doesn't seem like much of an attraction.. Sat Jul 07 21:56:29 -0700 2007 2728515 15915 BrookBoy 1 2728547 If you can't taste the difference, any explanation is irrelevant, no? Sat Jul 07 22:08:46 -0700 2007 2728498 10039 Melanie Wong 2 2728878 Hmmm... Not sure I buy that argument. I remember the first time I tried artichoke. I had no idea how to eat it and I chewed the leaf and thought, "geez, what do people see in this..." When someone kindly explained to me how to eat an artichoke, I got the picture. That doesn't mean I'm eating the shell here, but I'm thinking maybe people take them home and roast them, something like that. Maybe there's some secret that I haven't figured out. Otherwise, you are correct. I cannot discern enough of a difference to want to buy the unshelled kind, and the work involved in actually getting at the peanut (and all the debris resulting) would be the deciding factors for me. Sun Jul 08 06:48:29 -0700 2007 2728547 15915 BrookBoy 1 2728892 Yes, you are missing the attraction of it. What's the fun of just taking a handful of peanuts and shoving them in your mouth? Certainly not the old, stale taste. Next time just bring yourself a can of Planters. And why would one buy salted in the shell peanuts at a ballgame, then take them home to roast? Sun Jul 08 06:58:44 -0700 2007 2728498 11778 irishnyc 1 2728946 For me personally, the unshelled peanuts are just part of the experience. At home I typically appreciate the convenience of a nut that has already been prepped for me thus being able to immediately enjoy without the mess or hassle. However, at a game, I like the whole shelling the peanuts, getting a bit messy with peanut shell debris, washing it down with overpriced underchilled beer, indulging in the not necessarily appetizing concessions, etc. It sort of holds a rustic appeal to me. Sun Jul 08 07:27:24 -0700 2007 2728498 82243 ArikaDawn 1 2728959 Tra-di-TION! Tradition!!!!! (cut to Zero Mostel in Yankee Stadium.....) Sun Jul 08 07:31:50 -0700 2007 2728498 11108 galleygirl 2 2729739 Galleygirl, I have to agree 100%. TRADITION !!!!! We're keeping the Yankees in the Bronx and the peanuts are going to remain unshelled -- that's how Bazzini would have liked it (see story ahead). I can't imagine having them *any* other way. I think it's all part of the ballpark experience ... you know, trying to balance a hot dog on your knee while sipping your soda or beer and being careful not to knock it over once you've set it down...etc. Of course it's going to be messy eating at the park, but hey, it's the park -- not J.G. Melon. It's sad to hear that some find this irksome. What I'd like to know is this. The OP wants to learn more about the fascination with "UN"shelled peanuts. I like them for their taste. I like a deep darker roast personally. What I don't understand is why do companies have salted and unsalted peanuts in the shell? We don't EAT the shells, so what difference does it make? Does the salt get in there somehow and flavor the nut inside? Have a look here ... https://hamptonfarms.readyhosting.com/store/prodtype.asp?prodtype=28 Here's Bazzini's story and his peanuts in Yankee stadium ---> http://www.bxtimes.com/4-06-06_Nutaboutyanks.htm Sun Jul 08 13:17:21 -0700 2007 2728959 10609 Cheese Boy 3 2729763 Agreed it is tradition and is a great activity for tense moments or even boring ones during a game. In a general sense I also prefer buying them in the shell for my personal eating pleasure. You never know how dark roasted they will be (I like them really roasted), or if you will get an especially plump one or a mini crunchy one - it is an adventure. As to salted versus unsalted- I don't know the usual process, but the salt definately gets in the shell. Like a brine prior to roasting maybe? Plus the powdery salt gets all over your hands and onto the nuts you are eating. Unsalted fresh roasted peanuts have an addictive sweetness to them- I get them from the roaster at my Farmers Market. Sun Jul 08 13:30:02 -0700 2007 2729739 17682 torty 4 2729785 Torty, if we around during the times of "The Babe", the Yankees were getting peanuts in bulk RAW from Bazzini and roasting them at the park served up in brown paper bags. Fresh roasted! I'd be sure to ask for them well done. I love the dark roasted and the 'mini crunchy one' . I *don't* like the occasional rotted one that makes its way into the mix. Ewe. Quick, get the beer! Sun Jul 08 13:39:27 -0700 2007 2729763 10609 Cheese Boy 3 2730587 Well, some people may toss a few of the salted ones, in their natural crustaceous integument, into their mouths, to savor the salt.... ;) Sun Jul 08 18:47:30 -0700 2007 2729739 11108 galleygirl 4 2730998 Amazing, but a bit strange to me at the same time. To each his own. Sun Jul 08 21:49:10 -0700 2007 2730587 10609 Cheese Boy 1 2728974 ArikaDawn is right. The peanuts you bought were in nature's perfect packaging. Eating peanuts at a stadium is an activity involving watching the game, shelling the peanuts dropping the debris around your feet (which you usually don't do at home), sipping bad warm beer, and having the bag last a couple of innings. Sun Jul 08 07:37:15 -0700 2007 2728498 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 2730090 First you suck the salt off the shells... Sun Jul 08 15:49:46 -0700 2007 2728974 64823 OldDog 1 2729179 Reasonbly freshly roasted peanuts in the shell do have superior flavor, much the way that roasting chicken with the skin and on the bone results in superior flavor and texture compared to skinless/boneless flesh. And the skins are beloved of many peanut aficionados: I much prefer Spanish (redskin) peanuts to skinless. If you are averse to tannins, then you wouldn't like that. But the peanut skins also have important health benefits to boot.... Sun Jul 08 09:10:30 -0700 2007 2728498 13819 Karl S 1 2729202 You have discovered the secret of the Yankees' financial success: Everything costs more at the Stadium, yet tastes worse than just about anywhere else. (However, Shea is just about as bad and Fenway is nothing to brag about). Had a bag of peanuts at PNC Park on Thursday. They were in the shell, heated slightly and delicious. Sun Jul 08 09:18:28 -0700 2007 2728498 24421 Panini Guy 1 2729212 Another educated guess to me would be cost afffectiveness, why pay the increased prices to preserve peanuts once out of the shell when you can just leave them in. It must cost manufacturers money to shell and seperate the peanuts. I personally like the really dark ones that get roasted a little longer than the rest, that is where the flavor is !! Sun Jul 08 09:22:11 -0700 2007 2728498 51489 Jimbosox04 1 2730053 Come down to South Carolina and try some deep fried peanuts in the shell! It's the latest thing in peanuts here--you eat the whole nut, shell and all. They are pretty tasty with an interesting crispiness to the fried shell. Just make sure you have a nice beverage to wash it all down with and don't eat too many--there's an awful lot of fiber contained in this snack. Sun Jul 08 15:33:17 -0700 2007 2728498 11819 Low Country Jon 2 2730710 Golly-that sounds good. The SO loves Pnuts roasted and salted in the shell. He calls them Circus Nuts. He doesn't know the difference between Baseball and Basketball. I think he likes the challenge and work involved in cracking the shell and getting the peanut reward. Yes-sucking the salt off the shell is definitely part of the experience. Sun Jul 08 19:35:26 -0700 2007 2730053 87101 Densible 1 2730916 Peanuts in the shell is like fish on the bone. Plus there's nothing better then going to a ballgame and getting a bag of peanuts and leaving a huge pile of peanut shells on the ground. It's old school and it's tradition! Sun Jul 08 21:13:16 -0700 2007 2728498 109044 Bunson 1 2731046 Almost in the same is I like Sunflower Seeds in the shell, out of the shell forget it. Sun Jul 08 22:16:22 -0700 2007 2728498 51489 Jimbosox04