|
All American
Yes,
pecans are native to North America and were the main food
staple for Native Americans who for
thousands of years planted pecan trees while also harvesting
wild trees. They ate the nuts roasted, ground into meals and
mixed with fruits and beans. The
long-lived, deciduous pecan tree grows well over 100 feet
tall and produces slim, bright green, toothy leaves. The fruit
of the tree grows in clusters, the pecan we eat found inside
the fruit’s inner hard shell. One of the few North American
natives to thrive as a major agricultural crop, the pecan
tree is prized for its hardwood, its shade giving and its
distinctly sweet nuts.
Bit
of History
A
member of the hickory family and closely related to the walnut,
the pecan's original botanical name was Hicoria pecan
but was changed to Carya illinoinensis in the late
seventeenth century. Fur traders brought the pecan to the
Atlantic coast from Illinois, calling them Illinois nuts,
hence the latin classification of illinoinensis. The term
pecan comes from the Algonquin Indian word paccan or pakan,
meaning a nut that needs to be cracked with a stone. The term
pecans first appeared in print in 1773. George Washington
planted pecan trees at Mount Vernon, a gift from Thomas Jefferson
who popularized them in the South.
Pecans Grades:
Pecans
come in the following grades:
•
Fancy - Golden color, no defects
• Choice
- Darker than fancy,
no defects
• Standard
- Harvested green
(fuzzy kernels), mottled color, shriveled ends, etc.
• Damaged - Broken or cracked
kernels
Storage
Tips
|
Temperature |
In-Shell |
Shelled
|
| 70
(pantry) |
4
months |
3
months |
| 40
(refrigerator) |
9-18
months |
6
months |
| 0
(freezer) |
2
years |
2
years |
Pecan Meal
Meal are the flakes that result from chopping pecans. Not many people are aware of the many uses for pecan meal. It is ideal for baking and adding flavor to just about everything. It may be used in place of graham cracker crumbs, or simply added to pies, cookies, cakes and even soups to enhance their nutritional content. Pecan meal makes a distinctive crust for fish, chicken, and pork. Simply substitute the pecan meal for breadcrumbs, cornmeal, or flour for coating your selected meat.
Are
pecans good for you? You betcha! >>
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Natchitoches
Pecans, Inc.
439 Little Eva Road
Cloutierville, LA 71416
ph. (800) 572-5925 fax (318) 379-2247
email: nuts@natchitochespecans.com
©2009 Natchitoches Pecans, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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