Pecans are my favorite nuts! A popular food during the fall season, they are also delicious all year long. Native to North America, pecan trees grow in central and eastern areas. They do not grow naturally in any other place in the world.
The word “pecan” is a Native American word from the Algonquin. It means a nut that needs a stone to crack it open.
Even our founding fathers knew how great pecans tasted! Thomas Jefferson had a pecan tree orchard at Monticello, his home in Virginia. George Washington recorded in his journal that he had received pecans from Thomas Jefferson. Washington then grew pecan trees at Mount Vernon, also in Virginia.
Pecan trees are deciduous and can grow as tall as 130 feet. A 10-year old sapling will stand about 16 feet tall. Pecan nuts can range in size from ½ inch to 3 inches long. The meat inside can fill the inside completely or not even grow at all. Paper thin shells are more valuable than ones that are tougher to crack.
The pecan tree is the state tree of Texas. Texas Governor James Hogg had a hand in this when he requested a pecan tree be planted near his grave. He wanted its nuts spread out over Texas so the state would have trees. Thus the pecan tree would be recognized and honored.
Yummy and delicious with a rich, buttery flavor, pecans can be eaten raw or cooked in desserts. One benefit from eating pecans is their higher concentration of antioxidants compared to other nuts. Also found in pecans are Vitamin A, Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber. A handful of raw pecans everyday helps maintain a healthy diet.
Popular desserts are pecan pie and pralines. Both are traditional southern dishes and sweet. And I love to nibble on spiced nuts. It’s one of my favorite recipes. Like pecan pie and pralines, sugar plus spices make this a really sweet treat. Cook up a batch and enjoy!
Spiced Party Pecans
1 ¾ cup pecan halves
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
2-3 drops vanilla
Bring sugar and water to a boil and boil until syrup spins a thread, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook.
Remove from heat. Stir in all but pecans and mix thoroughly. Then add pecans and keep stirring until the syrup returns to sugar. Do not double recipe.
Cool and serve.
http://www.ilovepecans.org/history.html
http://www.matrixbookstore.biz/pecan_trees.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan