What Does Nonpareil Mean? It’s Not As Simple As You Think

What does nonpareil mean? It’s a question that have wanted answered after finding it on one of the labels of candy sprinkles and capers that I’ve bought last week. I asked a few friends and family about it, but they don’t seem to know what it is, either.

Unless you ask a food expert, you’ll never know what it means exactly. Nonpareil may refer to small decorative toppings, a type of candy, or a classification for sizing foods. Let me share with you what nonpareil means exactly.

If you hear the word nonpareil in baking, then it might refer to the small, round decorative toppings that are used to sprinkle over baked goods. They may come in one color or in different colors, like a rainbow.

The term “nonpareil” actually means “without equal” in French, so this word was intended to describe superiority to others. It implies that such unequal magnificence is achieved when you top your cakes or cookies with these tiny decorations.

If you like to know how sprinkles are made, you can watch this video.

At first, nonpareils only came in white, but colorful variants have soon emerged and followed. In the 18th century, nonpareils were used to decorate cakes, and it soon became known in America and Europe.

Cookbook chefs and authors even specify colors for use. For instance, a pound cake requires the use of pink nonpareils. Recently, nonpareils may also refer to sprinkles in America.

Nonpareil Refers to a Type of Chocolate Candy

Are you familiar with a chocolate disk or morsel sprinkled with tiny, white sugar beads? They are also known as chocolate nonpareils.

In 1922, The Blumenthal Brothers Chocolate & Cocoa Company developed a candy known as the Bob White, a somewhat large chocolate disc coated with white sugar beads. In the late 1920s, the company reduced the size of the candy and called them Sno-Caps.

Today, Nestle is producing semi-sweet chocolate nonpareils, known as Sno-Caps. The Sno-Caps are cut into bite-sized morsels of chocolate and are covered with crispy white candy sprinkles.

If you’re a do-it-yourself (DIY) kind of person, you can also make your own homemade chocolate nonpareils by following the steps in this video. You can also follow this recipe here.

Have you seen the word “nonpareil” in labels of caper jars? They actually mean the smallest kind of capers.

The next bigger capers are Surfines, Capucines, Capotes, Fines, and Grusas. This kind of classification is usually used in France where capers are classified according to size.

The smallest capers are mostly found at the tips of the bush. The size of capers become larger as you move towards the base of the bush. The smallest caper is usually measured up to 7 mm. The largest kind can go as large as 13 mm.

Nonpareil capers, which comes from the South of France, are considered the most desirable. They are also popularly used in recipes because of their premium quality. In comparison to larger capers, they have a less vinegary taste.

Unlike larger capers which have a less aroma and stronger taste, nonpareil capers have a delicate flavor.

In general, capers are usually used in Mediterranean and Italian cooking for salads, sauces, and dressings. They lend that salty and vinegary flavors that best suit for fish dishes. One famous dish that uses capers as an ingredient is Chicken Piccata.

Nonpareil Refers to a Variety of Almonds

Almonds use the word “nonpareil” as a variety. Generally, almonds are classified as Nonpareil, California, and Mission. Nonpareil almonds have the thinner shells and larger nuts as compared to other varieties. They have a natural sweet flavor that can be enjoyed by everybody.

Nonpareil has the widest scope of uses among other varieties. The skin of nonpareil almonds can be easily removed and they can be cut for processing purposes. They are popularly used due to their pleasant appearance

California almonds are used mainly in manufactured products. They have a wide range of shell stiffness, kernel shapes, and exterior color. On the other hand, Mission almonds have small kernels and have a rich flavor.

Give Nonpareils a Try!

Nonpareil could mean different things. It could mean tiny round sprinkles, a chocolate candy, a size of capers, or a variety of almonds. In general, nonpareil means unequal excellence. It is often referred to as something that is superior in quality.

If you like to try some delicious chocolate nonpareils, then you may try Nestle’s Sno-Caps.

References

• http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/04/types-of-sprinkles/
• http://www.luotuofushi.net/why-are-some-candies-called-nonpareils-89805992/
• https://sweetmeetsbakeshop.com/2016/04/29/mint-chocolate-sno-caps-cookies-sno-caps-history/
• http://www.countrywillowsinn.com/blog/2013/8/all-about-capers
• http://www.oliviersandco.com/capers-mediterranean-staple