Monkey Nuts

The conversation between me and my work colleagues went something like this:

Me: "Why are these peanuts raw?"
Work colleagues: "Those are monkey nuts."
Me, thinking they're pulling my leg: "Is that what you call peanuts?"
Work colleagues: "No. They're not peanuts."
Me, refusing to be baited: "Then what are they?"
Work colleagues, starting to get confused: "We told you. Monkey nuts!"
Me, incredulous: "You can't be serious. I just ate one, and it was a raw peanut."
Work colleagues, very confused now: "How do you not have these? What do Americans give out for Halloween then?"
Me: You give these out for Halloween?! Why would you do that somebody!?!

I went around for an entire afternoon second-guessing myself. To me, these unroasted, unsalted, unshelled named-after-a-particular-bit-of-a-primate's-anatomy-that-I-would-normally-never-think-about-and-yet-is-disturbingly-apt Halloween treats tasted exactly like the raw Spanish peanuts my brother uses every year in his Christmas peanut brittle. For, you know, approximately three days, I avoided the large bag of monkey nuts lolling atop the counter between the sink and the kettle, unable to overcome either the taste or the name, until my work colleagues mercifully had gobbled them all up.

Correct me if I am wrong and have been unaware of American Halloween traditions, but I have never come across anybody giving out monkey nuts to Trick-or-Treaters. For starters, raw peanuts are gross (yes, okay, I know this is a matter of opinion, but my taste buds have been developed to enjoy only the most roasted of roasted peanuts), and, according to the research I've done since that awkward situation, that's all that monkey nuts are (hah! I was right!). And secondly, nobody back home could say that name with a straight face. Can you imagine? While I'm sure there are many more-informed Americans than I, who are aware that another name for peanuts, besides goober peas, is monkey nuts, the scenario in my head keeps playing out like this:

Northern Irish person, innocently: "Do you want some monkey nuts?"
American: "You are disgusting! How can you even suggest that?"
Offended Northern Irish person: "They're a favourite in Northern Ireland, and everybody gives them out at Halloween!"
Shocked and appalled American: "I don't care where you're from and what you do with them, keep them away from me!"

I guess, in my head, Americans are not very adventurous, at least not with their food.