Recipes

[BirkiLady]

@loriqvc @KathyM23  It's still dangerous to those with severe allergies to tree nuts. Doesn't have to be just peanuts! My grandson (and his parents) are very, very cautious. His epi pen is with him at all times. We've had too many scares when he was younger by well-meaning relatives who thought they were cooking "nut-free" receipes, but their kitchens had residue of various nuts from previous cooking. They didn't have a clue how long beforehand they had had walnuts or other nuts in their salads or other preparations.

It IS life threatening.

[loriqvc]

@BirkiLady - I totally empathize with what you're saying—I go through the same thing with shellfish and a few other forms of seafood. There are restaurants in my area where I not only can't have anything on the menu, but I also can't even go sit with friends while they eat if we're having a get-together because my allergies affect my health so intensely.

[Kachina624]

@IamMrsG.  I just today bought a bottle of almond extract, McCormick brand, so I still had the box.  It contains water, alcohol, and benzaldehyde (whatever that is).  Like everything else the bottle has become a miniature, containing one whole ounce.  I could buy amaretto cheaper.

[Kachina624]

@IamMrsG. Do you have any Amaretto di Saronno in the house?  It's possible you could substitute it.

[IamMrsG]

Thank you all for your responses.  I wound up making a second cake--all vanilla--for the allergic guests.  BTW, I still have not received an answer from Durkee about what 'artificial flavors' they use.  

@Kachina624  your suggestion for amaretto is a good one I had not considered!  For future reference, I will be sure to ask the guests about it.  Besides for lab. chemicals, did you know artificial almond flavor comes from the kernels of peach pits?  I've tasted them before, and they do look and taste exactly like almonds.  That is what I suspect Durkee's flavor is made from, which would have been perfectly safe for my guests, but they're hesitant to expose themselves to liability.  (?)  I dunno.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I posted a photo of the cake that started all this brouhaha, a 3D chess board, in the Your Favorite Cake thread.  

[IamMrsG]

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@loriqvc wrote:

 Interestingly, virtually all commercially available peanut oil has been so refined and purified by the time it reaches a bottle that it has no traces of peanuts in it. The only exception is cold-pressed peanut oil, which is occasionally used for flavoring or a final touch on a dish but almost never for cooking/frying.

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It surprises me, but my guest can eat peanuts with no problem.  It's only tree nuts to which she's allergic.  Maybe I should have used peanut butter in my cake.  

[Nightowlz]

I would not use it unless absolutely sure.

Durkee also makes a Pure Almond Extract. If both extracts are made in the same facility then the imitation would be made where nuts would have been used. Wonder if it says anything about that on the box?

[IamMrsG]

The cake that started all this is a memory now, but I just received a response from Durkee about the safety of their Imitation Almond Flavor for those who are allergic to tree nuts.   It is:

"In response to your email, there are no tree nuts in Durkee artificial almond; no allergens at all, in fact. A customer w/tree nut allergens may consume the Durkee Imitation Almond flavor safely."

I hope this is helpful for all with this concern.  ---Mrs. G. 

[loriqvc]

@IamMrsG - I'm glad you received a response! Thanks for sharing the details.

[Nightowlz]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

The cake that started all this is a memory now, but I just received a response from Durkee about the safety of their Imitation Almond Flavor for those who are allergic to tree nuts.   It is:

"In response to your email, there are no tree nuts in Durkee artificial almond; no allergens at all, in fact. A customer w/tree nut allergens may consume the Durkee Imitation Almond flavor safely."

I hope this is helpful for all with this concern.  ---Mrs. G. 

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@IamMrsG

Did you ask the person/persons with the nut allergy about it when they came over?

If I had a nut allergy I think I would be afraid to eat it since it has the word almond in it. That's just me.