Walnut Kitchen Candied Walnuts were started from the loving, nurturing and caring hands of an incredible woman and grandmother of founder Mary Jean Garofalo. Her grandmother, Regina Alzner Wachsman Emch, a longtime resident of North Dakota, created the walnut recipe
even while she had her hands full with daily life and family. This unstoppable, resilient woman married at age 18 to find herself widowed by 28. She soon remarried a small-town farmer and managed to raise 17 children, run a large household, and open a compound pharmacy. Amidst all of the demands and joys of family and work, she found time to shell and prepare walnuts and develop a recipe for Walnut Kitchen’s Candied Walnuts.

Grandma’s candied-walnut-making started as family fun that grew into an annual tradition passed down through the generations. Grandma’s walnut baking started by making nut rolls, and later candied walnuts. Each year, Grandma’s large family helped gather and shell the walnuts and prepare them for baking. Granddaughter Mary Jean recalls the perfection and skill that went into cracking each nut with a hammer, and the swift precision that split each nutshell cleanly in half (usually). When Grandma made those candied walnuts and baked nut rolls, locals from miles around could smell the fragrant aroma as it dispatched a sweet-smelling invitation for friends to stop in and enjoy Grandma’s nutty treats too.

Now, decades later, Mary carries on the family tradition with her very special business,
Walnut Kitchen. Mary has refined the recipe and now offers Grandma’s simplicity and
love in a bag for everyone to enjoy. Candied Walnuts, just the way Grandma intended,
can be purchased by the bag or in various gift baskets to share with family and friends.





For more information, send an e-mail to info@walnutkitchen.com.