Pecan Store February 26th, 2009

I just read this interesting post online about how to sweeten pecans. It looks like this might work best with natural, in-shell pecans since the insides haven’t been cleaned yet. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bitter pecan since I always buy mine out of the shell, but the next time I come across one I’ll try this handy trick.

WorkdayGourmet.com explains, “Pecans have two sources of bitterness – naturally occurring tannins in the kernel and pieces of corky material from the inside of the nut which can adhere to the kernel.”

Apparently, all you have to do to “sweeten” pecan meat is place the kernels in a bowl and fill it with lukewarm water. Stir the pecans for several minutes until the water is discolored. Rinse and repeat at least once more and then let them dry on paper towels for about 15 minutes.

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Pecan Store February 13th, 2009

We don’t particularly enjoy the way they say “pe-can” in the video below, but we certainly like the message! Its a very informative review on why eating pecans can help maintain a healthy heart:

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Pecan Store January 26th, 2009

While I was at work the other day, we got on the subject of pecans and my coworker asked me about pralines.

Is it candy? Is it chocolate? Does it even have anything to do with pecans?

The answer to that is really very simple. A praline is a pecan coated in an irresistible sugary candy coating for a sweet crunch. They can be eaten whole and on their own, but oftentimes they’re chopped up or crushed and mixed into everything from chocolate to ice cream.

While I was doing a Google search for “praline” I discovered that it can also take on the form of a more traditional candy brittle, but the ingredients are the same for the most part and both feature pecans. Interestingly enough though, the European version of praline candy usually consists of almonds and hazelnuts… just a little fun fact I found.

Praline Pecans: So simple. So delicious.

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Pecan Store January 9th, 2009

Aside from producing some incredibly tasty treats, the pecan tree has several other uses. To get an idea of how versatile the tree is, I searched the words “pecan wood” and the search came back with over 261,000 results on Google.

From my search, I’ve learned that pecan wood is used to make everything from incredibly durable hardwood floors to everyday household furniture and can even be smoked at barbecues to add extra flavor to food.

I was particularly interested in how I could use the pecan wood to add a delicious twist to my everyday barbecues. We love to fire up the grill at my house whenever possible, and this seemed like the perfect way to spice up our normal routine.

In order to get that sweet, smooth, smoky taste of pecan wood into any barbecue, start by purchasing pecan wood chunks or chips from your local retailer. (Be sure to use pecan wood chunks that are specifically made for cooking; many lumber stores treat their wood with chemicals, which is definitely not OK to cook with.) Although the directions vary from product to product, most wood chunks or chips simply need to be soaked in water for a good length of time so they don’t burn when placed over an open fire. After the wood has had a chance to soak, simply add it on top of the coals and cook away! A simple cooking technique for delicious food.

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