Native American Nuts

Amid the lush abundance of America's eastern forests are several species of nut trees that once formed an important part of the diet of both humans and wildlife. It may take some searching to find a commercial source for native nuts in your area, but if you can locate them, these "antique" foods will bring traditional flavor to your holiday table.

As a child, I would often help gather hickory nuts and black walnuts in late fall. Trekking to the woods was only part of the task, and arguably the most enjoyable. Once the nuts were gathered, separating them from their shells required a lot of labor. Black walnuts, in particular, have durable shells. Here is a list of North American nuts, with some suggestions as to what to do with them.

Black Walnut (Jugulans nigra) nuts are perhaps the most widely available native nut variety. They are sold in plastic bags, typically appearing in the produce departments of grocery stores in November. Black walnuts have a distinctive flavor wholly unlike the familiar English walnut. One of the best uses is to combine them with chocolate in fudge. Try them in savory dishes, as well. In Appalachian Cooking, you will find a recipe for black walnut pesto, for example.

Native Pecan (Carya illinoisensis) have been commercially available for a few years now. Look for them in the bulk section of well-stocked stores. Smaller than the hybrid pecans found everywhere, the natives taste much like hickory nuts to me, and are not as sweet as the hybrids. Use them in any recipe calling for pecans or hickory nuts.

Hickory Nut (Carya ovata, and others) Widely considered the most delicious of the several species of hickory nuts, the shagbark hickory is also a magnificent tree. The largest known specimen is in Savage Gulf Natural Area, in Tennessee. It is over 150 feet tall. Shagbark nuts are seldom seen in the grocery, but I had no trouble finding sources for them online. You can use hickory nuts in any recipe that calls for walnuts or pecans.

Oddballs (Various species) Beechnuts and chinquapins can sometimes be found in farmer's markets. Beechnuts have a unique flavor, while chinquapins taste a lot like chestnuts, to which they are related.

If you are game to try native American nuts and other foods, check out Wild Pantry, located in Tellico Plains, TN. They ship nuts and many other products listed on their web site.