Boiled peanuts
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Boiled peanuts are popular in many places where peanuts are common. They are eaten as a street food in the Philippines and the southern states of the US - especially Georgia and Florida - and as a summertime accompaniment to beer in China [citation needed] and Australia (especially in Queensland where many consider them the State's unofficial snackfood).
Raw peanuts in the shell are put in a large pot of very heavily salted water and boiled for several hours. The boil can go on for two to four hours, depending on quantity, and the boilings will most often be of several gallons of water. Boiling peanuts has been a folk cultural practice in the south of the US since the 19th century. In late August, when the peanut crops would come in, unsold and surplus peanuts would be prepared in a boiling, and extended families and neighbors would gather to share conversation and food. Like a fish fry, peanut boils have been organizing principles for social gatherings.
"Green" or raw peanuts are used for boiling. In the United States some varieties are grown especially for boiling. [citation needed]
The resulting food is a very soft peanut in the shell, invariably quite salty. The softened peanuts are easy to open. In fact, the shells can become so soft that some Aussies eat them shell and all! Uneaten peanuts should be stored in a refrigerator as they can become mouldy quite quickly without refrigeration.
Given their saltiness, high protein content, and ease of storage, boiled peanuts are an excellent food for very hot weather and outdoor work. At roadside concessions throughout the south of the USA, boiled peanuts are sometimes sold during their season.
On May 1, 2006, Gov. Mark Sanford signed a bill making boiled peanuts the official snack food of South Carolina. [citation needed]
