Transplanted Yankee

[NemoAlia]

I've been living south of the Mason-Dixon line for some years now, but this is the first time I've shared a backyard with three grand pecan trees. Aside from waking me up with windy-night roof-bombings, these trees are also throwing pecans all over my yard. The neighbors' dogs eat them like hard candy.

I realize that people who grew up in The South know instinctively what to do with pecans. But I really don't. Nor do I have any family pecan lore to fall back on.

What do I do? Gather them from the ground and... dry them? Shell them? Throw them away? Pick them from the trees?

 

[CutieMouse]

*****

 

[NemoAlia]

I think they are this kind of tree. The pecans are dropping sort of a greyish brown. I'm sort of scared to crack and taste, but I will since you suggest it, CM!

Okay, so... if they still need to season in the shell (like if they taste yucky) do I put them in the freezer for that? Or just when they're already yummy, as storage?

Moreover... do you know any good recipes? Pie, anyone?

 

[HottieMama]

I think they are this kind of tree. The pecans are dropping sort of a greyish brown. I'm sort of scared to crack and taste, but I will since you suggest it, CM!

Okay, so... if they still need to season in the shell (like if they taste yucky) do I put them in the freezer for that? Or just when they're already yummy, as storage?

Moreover... do you know any good recipes? Pie, anyone?

Don't freeze them till they are already yummy. If they need to season, room temp. is best.

i have a pecan pie recipe. i'll dig it out and post it for you later.

 

[BiBunny]

Cracking and shelling them is a great, big pain in the ass. Be prepared for brown, raw fingers and little pieces of broken-off shell under your nails. That being said, they're easier to store (and use later!) if they're already shelled before you store them, which, like the Mouse said, means you'll have to freeze them if you have more than a very few.

They're great, though. Some people like to roast them. I'm not so fond of that, though, because I think they're pretty good uncooked and frozen. They're really good in brownies or cakes or cookies or wherever a recipe calls for nuts. They're 1,000 times better than walnuts. Then, there's pecan pie, which is a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

[NemoAlia]

Oh, thanks HM! My family are of the opinion that women who don't constantly have a pie on the counter in case of company are basically trashy. You know, State Fair winners who believe that rolling a crust is the best western Zen you can find.

It would be a step toward winning my mother's grudging approval of my new home state if I could make a pecan pie as a peace offering -- a bridge between North and South.

 

[CutieMouse]

*****

 

[BiBunny]

Anything that calls for walnuts? Use pecans. If God meant for walnuts to be a staple of baking, he'd not have invented pecan trees.

Exactly!

 

[Yang4yin]

If you get enough of them, you might be able to sell them to a local grocery store. I did that when I was a kid living in south Carolina.

Um, you have heard of pecan pie, haven't you?

 

[NemoAlia]

Cracking and shelling them is a great, big pain in the ass. Be prepared for brown, raw fingers and little pieces of broken-off shell under your nails. That being said, they're easier to store (and use later!) if they're already shelled before you store them, which, like the Mouse said, means you'll have to freeze them if you have more than a very few.

They're great, though. Some people like to roast them. I'm not so fond of that, though, because I think they're pretty good uncooked and frozen. They're really good in brownies or cakes or cookies or wherever a recipe calls for nuts. They're 1,000 times better than walnuts. Then, there's pecan pie, which is a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I've never heard of roasting pecans. But I know I had some that were sweetened in some way. Would those have been roasted and sugared?

 

[midwestyankee]

Anything that calls for walnuts? Use pecans. If God meant for walnuts to be a staple of baking, he'd not have invented pecan trees.

The only good purpose of the walnut is to ensure the survival of the next generation of lovely walnut boards.

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

The only good purpose of the walnut is to ensure the survival of the next generation of lovely walnut boards.

: writes abusive letter to the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria :

Dear Mr Tschirky,

It has recently come to my attention .........

 

[NemoAlia]

: writes abusive letter to the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria :

Dear Mr Tschirky,

It has recently come to my attention .........

Oh, I didn't even think about putting pecans into something unbaked! Mmm... Waldorf salad.

Oookay, another pecan maintenance question:

How long can I leave them on the ground before gathering them? What if it rains? How can I tell if they're spoiled?

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

Oh, I didn't even think about putting pecans into something unbaked! Mmm... Waldorf salad.

Oookay, another pecan maintenance question:

How long can I leave them on the ground before gathering them? What if it rains? How can I tell if they're spoiled?

: laughs :

I am sooooooooooo envious. It seems like forever since I have owned a home with any degree of self sufficient fresh produce, even if it was just a lemon tree growing over from a neighbours yard. At one home we had a small orchard, vegetable garden & Eggs R Us ( our vicious chickens ). It's been at least 8 years ago and I will always miss it. Bare minimum as a fresh herb freak it's disheartening.

Pecans are amazing, I don't believe I have ever had them fresh. I also don't doubt that they make a wonderful replacement to Walnuts. There is a bitterness to Walnuts however that might be championed in certain specific recipes. As to the Waldorf Salad I was being playful. I have never really enjoyed it outside of a Fawlty Towers scenario. Too much mayonnaise, not enough salad.

 

[HottieMama]

Waldorf salad is lovely made with plain yogurt instead of mayo if you are trying to avoid a ton of fat....

Nemo..still looking.. i have to dig out all my recipes books which are still in a moving box.

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

Waldorf salad is lovely made with plain yogurt instead of mayo if you are trying to avoid a ton of fat....

Nemo..still looking.. i have to dig out all my recipes books which are still in a moving box.

Ohh brilliant idea Miss HM. Honestly never crossed my mind. I have all the makings if that's the case, perhaps I'll make one tonight and get back to you . I luuuuuuuurve yogurt yipee, thank you again

 

[HottieMama]

Ohh brilliant idea Miss HM. Honestly never crossed my mind. I have all the makings if that's the case, perhaps I'll make one tonight and get back to you . I luuuuuuuurve yogurt yipee, thank you again

You are most welcome. i personally feel fruit and yogurt goes much better than fruit and mayo to begin with.

 

[Quint]

.............

 

[NemoAlia]

My favorite chocolate people make these which I bet you can do quite easily on your own! Mmmmm nuts envy...

You know, Quint, I've always respected your advice -- until now! There is nothing yummy about spicy things, no matter how much sugar you mix in.

It's gonna take a lot more than envying my nuts to make up for the insult you've given to my gourmet sensibilities.

 

[Homburg]

Cut em down? I would.

When we lived in NC, my mother used to drag me out to pick pucans every year. I DESPISED it. HATED it. You cannot imagine ho wmuch I loathed the activity. I made me feel miserable, headaches, etc. My mother, in her infinite wisdom, thought I was just faking it to get out of picking pecans.

After my allergy problems wreally became an issue, I was taken for an allergy test. Top of the list? Pecan trees.

Hate em.

(Pecan pie is tasty though, even if it gives me horrible heartburn.)

 

[FurryFury]

I wub me some pecan pie. I rarely indulge or have the opportunity cause I'm pretty stingy with myself that way.

In the South is is practically a sin to cut a perfectly healthy tree down.



One that creates edibles makes it a double sin.



Just say no to cutting down any trees that don't endanger your power lines, health or home!

*goes to hug some trees*

 

[WriterDom]

I just put two in one hand and squeeze and eat em. There are some good nutcrackers out there. Are they more roundish or bullet like?

 

[BiBunny]

I've never heard of roasting pecans. But I know I had some that were sweetened in some way. Would those have been roasted and sugared?

The only way I've ever seen it done is to put a drop of butter on them with a little salt and roast them in the oven. I don't doubt that it can be done with sugar, though, which would probably make 'em taste a lot better.

 

[FurryFury]

I just put two in one hand and squeeze and eat em. There are some good nutcrackers out there. Are they more roundish or bullet like?

http://kids.nutcrackermuseum.com/lessons/Lesson2/MVC-024F.JPG

http://www.anricarvings.com/3full.jpg

Let's crack some nuts!

BTW, there are machines that will crack and shell them for you at the farmers market and other such places.

 

[NemoAlia]

I just put two in one hand and squeeze and eat em. There are some good nutcrackers out there. Are they more roundish or bullet like?

I just went outside and gathered a bucketful. There are lots more, but the sun is going down and it's hard to see.

This is what they look like:

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f118/NemoAlia/Pecans2007.jpg