A cashew is a small, kidney-shaped nut with a creamy, slightly sweet flavor. You've probably seen cashews mixed with peanuts and almonds in trail mix, or eaten them by themselves as a snack. They have a buttery taste that makes them popular in cooking, especially in Asian stir-fries and Indian curries.

Cashews grow in a peculiar way that makes them one of the more expensive nuts. They grow hanging from the bottom of a cashew apple (a fruit that grows on cashew trees in tropical places like Brazil, Vietnam, and India). The nut is surrounded by a toxic shell that must be carefully processed, which is why you never see cashews sold in their shells like peanuts or walnuts.

When ground up, cashews make a creamy butter similar to peanut butter, and cashew milk has become a popular dairy alternative.