Ever wonder why pine nuts are so expensive? One reason is because they are hand-picked. If you happen to live in Reno, Nevada or the Virginia City Highlands, then you can go out and pick your own and save a bundle.
According to long-time Reno resident Kathy Duvall, in late September or early October after the first freeze, the pine cones from the Pinion Pine tree release the tiny nuts nestled inside its scales. Each year Kathy goes up to the Highlands with her granddaughter and hunts for pine nuts. However, Kathy warns that mountain lions, searching for wild horses as prey, are frequently roaming the area, so she needs to keep a careful eye on her young granddaughter.
The Pinion Pine (Pinus pinea) is a stocky pine tree with a flat topped crown. Scrubby and bushy looking it might be confused for a bush rather than a tree. But, the tiny nut it bears makes the Pinion Pine a valuable tree to seek out for pine nut lovers.
Once the pine cones are gathered and the brown seeds are picked from the pine cone, Kathy puts them in a pot of salted, boiling water for a minute, just enough to blanch them. Then she places the nuts on a paper towel to dry. Inside the hard brown shell, which is discarded, lays the creamy little pine nut kernel. Kathy yielded twenty pounds of pine nuts this year.
According to Reno resident Katherine Nichols, whose husband studied to be a forest ranger, “Pine nuts are one of the most nutritious nuts you can eat. If you were stranded in the woods somewhere, pine nuts would be the perfect food,” she says. they are high in the good kind of fat, antioxidants and fiber. They also help decrease your appetite. Although, Katherine cautions, “Pine nuts can cause gas.” (I think my husband must be sneaking a lot of pine nuts!) To combat the unwanted effects, Katherine recommends taking fennel capsules to aid digestion.
Next fall, I’m going to join Kathy in her hunt for pine nuts. Along the way I may catch a glimpse of the shy bobcat or view a herd of magnificent wild horses. If you are visiting Reno or Carson City, why not take a drive to Virginia City and see the Pinion Pine. Maybe you can hunt for pine nuts too.