Cashew Pieces, Large, Raw, 5# Bulk

These raw cashew pieces arrive packaged in a heavy plastic to preserve freshness. I also store them in the refrigerator after opening the package to further prevent spoilage. I have purchased from this vendor multiple times, and each batch has been plump and moist versus stale or dried out as can sometimes happen with bulk nuts. These cashews also taste delicious.I am vegan, and cashews are a staple of vegan cooking. They are primarily used to substitute for dairy products, such as milk and cheese. As such, they can also be quite useful for people who are allergic to dairy but who are not also allergic to nuts. The recipes I make the most with cashews include: cashew milk, roasted cashews, cashew nut butter, vegan parmesan, vegan mozzarella cheese, vegan cream cheese, and vegan ricotta. I have attached recipes below for vegan parmesan and vegan cream cheese icing, along with photos, for anyone who might be interested.VEGAN PARMESAN1 cup raw cashews1/4 cup nutritional yeast1 teaspoon saltBlend together in blender or food processor until the consistency of coarse powder. Delicious in any recipe in which you would use dairy-based parmesan cheese.VEGAN CREAM CHEESE ICING1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut1 cup raw cashews14.25 ounce firm tofu, pressed 30 minutes to remove excess moisture1/2 cup raw sugar1 tablespoon stevia2 tablespoons vanilla1. Blend coconut with sugar and stevia until the coconut is a fine powder.2. Add cashews and blend to relatively fine-consistency powder.3. Add tofu and blend until thick and creamy.

I really like cashews in pieces because I make cashew butter with them. The price is excellent compared to what I find in the local stores in my area. Will definitely come back for more.

Shipped quickly and in sealed packages (I received my order in two foil packets) I found these RAW cashew pieces to be fresh tasting and in good condition. It is important to note that these are PIECES! You are NOT purchasing halves or wholes. Normally I do not purchase pieces as I find they are the dregs, often having bits of the shell still intact giving a more bitter taste but these are not like that as there is a mixture of larger and smaller pieces.I make a raw mint slice that uses 3 cups of raw cashews with coconut cream. These work well and I am a happy consumer.I purchased these at the full prevailing price. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. Thanks, Liz

This was about the lowest price I could find on bulk raw cashew pieces, and there is a reason. These are the uglies, and look like they were swept up from under the sorting tables, which does not bother me too much. What does bother me is that so many of the bits still have some shell attached. These bits of shell contain urushiol, the compound in poison ivy/oak that binds to you skin, and if you are sensitive to it as I am, will cause your skin to blister and itch.I am pretty laid back about food (and just about everything), so I used them anyway to make fermented cashew cheese. It tasted ok, but the color was more grey, and after eating it I noticed bumps on the roof of my mouth and a few small blisters on my tongue, mostly at the back.Bottom line:If you are sensitive to poison ivy/oak, avoid these.If you like your ingredients clean and wholesome looking, avoid these.

Ordered:ASIN: B004NQW9NI"Cashew Pieces, Large, Raw, 5# Bulkby ShopNatural"Purchased: (as appearing in the Cart)"Cashew Pieces, Large, Raw, 5# Bulkby: Bayside Candy"Received:"X002GDPXJDCashew Pieces, Large, Raw, 5# BulkSold by: Bayside Candy"Shipping: Product received within a 26-lb edge crush 1A5 corrugated cardboard box with the product packaging airtight and in good condition.Packaging: Single-use medium-duty plastic bag .Product: With concession to the ambiguous "large" used in the description, product was as promised (photo of sample of unwashed product included). First sample of product performed very well for intended use. (overnight water soak and mechanical emulsification for cashew cream base)Note:A resealable package would be useful for the small batch consumer. (This purchaser distributed the product into smaller batch-sized resealable freezer bags and froze for future use.)Cons:1. Fulfillment by the seller presented on the Order Page, rather than by a different seller switched in once the commitment moves into the Cart, would go a long way in the Trust department. It is disconcerting to make a thoughtful purchase decision and then to have that decision nullified as the purchase silently moves from one seller to another as the product moves from the shelf into the cart. In this case moving from from ShopNatural to Bayside Candy.2. The ShopNatural product Ordering Page (ASIN B004NQW9NI) contains the allergen warning, "Packaged in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts and soy." But the Bayside Candy product packaging contains the different warning, "Manufactured, repackaged, or handled in a facility that processes products containing peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and milk." Wheat and milk were allergens not included on the ShopNatural Ordering Page but are included in the received Bayside Candy product package. If the information is accurate and if one is wheat or milk sensitive, this could be a problem. The more accurate representation of the product should be surfaced at the Ordering stage and not hidden until after receipt of the purchase.3. The Bayside Candy product packaging contains the emphasized (bold and underlined) statement, "Raw nuts are sold for further processing. They must be cooked prior to consumption." This important warning was not included in the ShopNatural Ordering page and would probably have deterred this purchaser. Again, the more accurate representation of the product should be surfaced at the Ordering stage and not hidden until after the purchase. This purchaser's intended use for the product does not include cooking. (As do most current usages for private-use small-lot raw cashew.) The problem is not directly with ShopNatural/Bayside. We have common usage of the term "raw" on many nut products, with almonds -- from my understanding -- being the only ones required, by law, to be pasteurized, and yet still labeled, "raw." The presence of the "raw" label upon safely pasteurized product leads to unwarranted expectations. This purchaser expected the "raw" product to be safely consumable as sold. Since that is -- if one believes the notice on the packaging -- not the case, steaming the product before use is a likely workaround. Or perhaps one should make purchase from a source that, before receipt of purchase, clearly represents and provides safely-consumable "raw" product.

Cashew Pieces, Large, Raw, 5# Bulk:Excellent quality, low sodium, low sugar (if any), crisp and tasty, and even though I had to pay shipping, lowest price I could find for pieces.