Bread-Bakers v102.n053.9

Reggie asked, "Does anyone know of sources for bitter almonds??  I have 
been asked by someone else about this and I have no idea."

My Mom was from Germany.  We baked Stollen every year and she ALWAYS used 
apricot pits. She worked in a bakery in San Francisco and THEY used apricot 
pits.  You can save them from the summers eating (first have to crack the 
outer shell, then blanch them) or buy them at the healthfood store (still 
have to blanch them).  They give a wonderful full flavor to yeast cakes. 
When my husband and I traveled to Germany in the 90's, I asked about them 
in every health food store we came across and they didn't know what i was 
talking about which could have been the "kinder deutsch" (kids German) I 
was speaking or maybe they used peach pits or the like too. ?? dunno.   Her 
recipe also says you can substitute 1/2 oz almond extract for the kernel 
meat.  Use about 1 ounce to 12 cups of flour in that recipe.

Sincerely,
Anita Flanigan