Asa Southerner, the type of nut I'm most familiar with is the pecan. They are sweet, buttery, and plentiful, dropping from massive trees in backgrounds and local parks. My sister and I grew up picking pecans, using one to crack the other, and relishing a quick snack. Before us, my father picked pecans in his yard and sold enough to buy his first Superman comic book and a telescope. Of course, almonds are America's favorite nut, but for many Louisianians, the pecan takes the cake.
Nuts, like all food, mean something different depending on the culture someone belongs to. For instance, one man, a descendant of the Chitimacha tribe, plays an instrument made from Brazil nuts. The nuts in his instrument are hollowed out and connected with strings, which makes a beautifully unique, hollow, clinking sound, like a tambourine with more baritone.