Pages

Tuesday, March 30

Nuts!

At last we've got a decent crop of pecan nuts. It must have been a good season for them, warmer winter and more rain. I'm not sure what growing conditions Pecans like but this year must have been good.

Usually the few we have had on the tree get knocked off by white cockatoos. All with one bite taken out!!!
Last year we barely picked enough to cook a small pecan pie.




Tui helped her dad pick up all the nuts on the ground.
They are still getting knocked off by cockatoos but there are so many nuts this year that we've collected hundreds.

The tree is a beautiful shadey tree in Summer and loses it's leaves in winter which lets in some beautiful warm winter Sun to the house. Only problem is that the tree is right outside the bedroom window. So at dawn evey morning lately, we are woken up by fifty squawking cockatoos. For those who have not heard a cockatoo they have a very high pitched squawk.

But you can forgive them when you can go a pick up these beautiful fresh nuts.



Tui was helping dad sort the nuts when we found an interesting phenonomen. The outer green shells of the nuts have something in them which dyes your skin black!!!

After a quick bit of internet research we found that the husks were traditionally used for dyeing and tanning leather. And that the only way to get the colour off is to wait! So Tui and her dad have been walking around with black fingers for a couple of days.


The fresh nuts are soooo delicious. It's a bit of a family challenge at the moment to see who can shell one and get a whole nut out without breaking it into pieces.

Now if anyone has a nice pecan pie recipe I'd be more than happy to try it  :)

14 comments:

Cords said...

black pecan fingers....your post has prompted some childhood memories to float to the surface. Thanks! PS Hope you enjoy your pecans, we NEVER got any thanks to the cockies.

Louise said...

we have some really huge trees here, they are actually national trust listed, on the property across the road, and yes we have the cockys as well. Untill very recently the house with the pecans was home to Ella, she was 101 years old and a living legend, she used to get out the back with her stock whip and "hunt those flamin birds" she was gorgeous, and I miss her, she fed my son ratsac one day by accident, bless her- she was a legend and Mr11 was unharmed, that was about 10 years ago now.rest in Peace Ella-

Pecans are just delish- our favourite ways to eat them are in a pesto, with parsley and smoked paprika and feta, or just shelled and eaten- great hand eye co ord for little ones, just guve them a hammer and a log under the tree.

enjoy

Ariad said...

that sounds yum Louise, I love pesto and am always experimenting:)

Kimmie said...

Yum~!

http://theserendipitycafe.blogspot.com/search?q=pecan

3 delish recipes you may enjoy.
The ham can be left out of the salad nps also.

Tammy said...

Wow thats interesting about the dye! I think Cockatoo's are handsome birds but boy they are destructive and noisy aren't they! I forgive them but don't think I'd cope with 50 outside my window for breakfast!

Ariad said...

thanks Kimmie. They look delish!!!
I'll be busy cooking tomorrow.

Erin said...

Wow ... look at those nuts! How neat :) Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe to share but now I've got pecan pie on the brain ... lol.

Anonymous said...

When I lived Albany Georgia as a child, most of the trees surrounding us were pecan trees. There were bags and bags full for us to hunt. Hot in the summer. Chilly winters, but no snow.

Naomi said...

those pecans look great! I'm keen to plant some here, we already have a cockatoo population that comes in for the wattle seed lol so we're used to them...

karen said...

yum! how lucky that you finally got loads of nuts this year, the look delicious. wonder if you can find something to dye with the shells?

Charlotte said...

Just found your lovely blog and have been reading through. Wow to be woken by cockatoos , over here its more likey to be a blackbird and a thrush ( still very beautiful but a little less exotic!)

Nicole and Andrew said...

very nice haul
i know all about those pesky cockatoos they made soo much mess of all our fruit trees it was shame all the fruit that was wasted, they dont eat the fruit they pull it apart to get to the seed

majikfaerie said...

mmmm pecan pie!

softearthart said...

I have never eaten pecan pie, cheers Marie

Related Posts with Thumbnails