Pine nuts

You may possibly be acquainted with pine nuts–the teardrop-shaped, delicious tiny nut that is frequently utilized in producing pesto and in cooking of other dishes. Pine nuts (also named pignoli) are the edible seeds of pine trees. Seeds and nuts are 1 and the very same. Seeds are the inner, generally edible part of a hard, inedible nut casing.

As for why pine nuts are a single of the a lot more expensive nuts on the industry, the response lies in the time necessary to develop the nuts and the energy to harvest the seeds from their protective encasement.

Sorts of Pine Trees That Generate Pine Nuts

Approximately twenty species of pine trees produce pine seeds that are big sufficient to harvest. The most commonly harvested seeds come from four particular pine tree varieties: the Mexican pinon (Pinus cembroides), the Colorado pinion (P. edulis), the Italian stone pine (P. pinea), and the Chinese nut pine (P. koraiensis).

Time- and Labor-Intensive Harvest

It takes anyplace from 15 to 25 many years for the trees to get started producing the seeds and up to triple that time for them to attain best production. The bulk of the North American harvest comes from wild, uncultivated trees. For the most part, the seeds are harvested by hand, a contributing aspect to their expensive price tag tag.

The pine seeds are discovered in the pine cones and take about 18 months to mature. Considering that the pine nuts are prepared to harvest 10 days or so just before the cone begins to open, they are extremely tough to eliminate. To velocity up and ease the method, the cones are positioned in a burlap bag and left in the sun to dry for 20 days. Following, the cones are smashed, releasing the seeds, which are then separated from the cone by hand—a quite time-consuming and patient-testing process. But wait—there’s far more.

The pine cone is not the only covering for the seed each and every pine nut has a 2nd shell which have to be removed prior to eating. Some of these shells are thin and effortless to consider off whereas others are thicker and more tough. All of the above factors contribute to the understandably large value of the pine nut.

Visual appeal and Use

Pine nuts are little, elongated ivory-colored seeds measuring about one/2 inch lengthy. When raw, the seeds have a soft texture and a sweet, buttery flavor. They are usually lightly toasted to bring out the flavor and to include a minor crunch.

Pine nuts are eaten by numerous cultures all around the planet and are acknowledged by a lot of names. In the U.S., the most well-known use is in pesto or as a crunchy salad topper, and they are also great for use in desserts and for adding a twist to hummus.

Pine Nut Mouth and Allergic reactions

As delicate and delicious as pine nuts are, they can have unfavorable results when eaten. Referred to as “pine nut mouth” or “pine nut syndrome,” this condition means that merely consuming pine nuts leads to the other foods you eat to have a metallic, bitter taste. Thankfully, this only lasts a couple of days and is believed to be caused by distinct species of pine trees primarily located in China. And though pine nut allergic reactions are true, they are a good deal much less widespread than other nut allergies.