Nut brittle is easy to make, travels well, and actually improves in flavor with age, making it the ideal treat to give as a gift or to fill your own candy dish at home. Some trace the history of peanut brittle to a resourceful southern housewife who, in the late 1800s, added roasted peanuts and baking soda to a failed batch of taffy, creating brittle instead. Whatever its origins are, nut brittle became a much-loved holiday tradition, not only for its tempting flavor but also for how easy it is to prepare, even for a novice candymaker. Brittle thats made with peanuts grew even more popular in the 1900s as farmers in virginia and georgia increased their production of the nut. We added that other southern powerhousepecansto this version, as well as a handful or two of cashews and whole almonds for a tasty change of pace.