Kola nut
Cola nitida · Nut
Top 10 pairings
The kola nut is the caffeine-bearing seed of evergreen Cola trees (chiefly Cola nitida and Cola acuminata) native to West Africa's tropical forests. Bitter and astringent when chewed, it is a traditional stimulant and a centrepiece of West African hospitality and ceremony — and the original flavouring that gave cola drinks their name.
Picking a good onedrag
Fresh, plump and heavyShrunken, musty or mouldy
SettledEveryday bestStill firm and moist: chew it, grate it into a bitter tonic, steep slices. It is a caffeine food like coffee, so count lobes if you are watching that.
Colour and skinColour even, a shade duller, drying at the edges
HeftFirm still, only a little lighter in the hand
Break a lobeFace still moist, bitter and drying, the sweet finish shorter