Ume Almonds

This isn’t as stupid-simple as the smoked salmon and potato chip so-called recipe, but it’s pretty damn close. I learned about these tasty nuts back in 2005 at The School of Natural Cookery in Boulder. Like most everything I make, I go in phases of loving and then forgetting about certain foods. Sometimes I’ll make two or three batches in a row and then won’t make them again for over a year. No one seems to notice when I don’t make them, but they most certainly do notice and appreciate when I do.
The recipe calls for two ingredients almonds and ume (short of umeboshi) vinegar. Eden Foods makes the only readily available ume vinegar that I know of, but if you find another brand, I’m sure it will work just fine. Ume vinegar is the byproduct of Japanese umeboshi plums, which are made using a salt brine and shiso leaves. The fruit is fermented, pressed and the remaining liquid is the ume vinegar.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine almonds and ume vinegar in a bowl. Stir and let sit for five minutes.
Spread almonds onto a baking sheet. I always line my baking sheets with parchment paper, but it's not necessary.
Bake for five minutes. Shake almonds around on baking sheet to ensure even cooking. Return to oven and bake for five more minutes.
Remove from oven and place still warm nuts on a large plate to cool completely. Be sure almonds are not resting on top of one another so they dry completely. Let sit until completely cool before eating.
Store in a glass container for up to two weeks, but they likely won't last that long.