Chestnuts
Walnuts
Pecans
Hazelnuts
Pili nuts
And yes — many were also used for seafood, especially:
Crab legs
Lobster claws
Oyster shells
They allowed families to enjoy every last bit of flavorful meat hidden in crevices — no waste, all flavor.
🔍 How They Work
Nutcracker
Crushes the shell without turning the nut into dust
Nut Pick (or Shell Picker)
Thin, pointed tool to extract meat from cracks and chambers
Wooden Bowl with Holes
Holds the picks upright and catches shell fragments while you work
Many sets came in beautiful wooden boxes or bowls — often hand-carved — with slots for each tool.
Some even had a built-in cracker and matching spoon for oysters.
A true dining ritual passed down through generations.
🌰 A Nostalgic Tradition
For older generations, cracking nuts wasn’t just about eating — it was an event.
Imagine:
