Re: Pignolias?

Pinus edulis, the famous pinon pine (sorry I can't put a tilde over that
middle n in pinon), is the state tree of New Mexico.  The cones open
naturally and drop the nuts, which you then have to crack open.  On the
East Coast I used pignoli imported from Italy in cooking; here in New
Mexico I use pinons.  No difference.  Equally tasty.


On Fri, 23 Jul 1999, Janet Smithen wrote:

> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 12:53:35 -0700
> From: Janet Smithen <jansmithen@earthlink.net>
> To: Mediterranean plant list <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: Pignolias?
> 
> South of Rome, Italy:  early June
> 
> While tooling along in our bus, on our way to La Landriana, we had to
> slow to a creep because half the highway was blocked off with red tape.
> As we edged by we saw a crew working the trees (Pinus pinea) on that
> side. One man was in the top of the Umbrella Pine shaking it like mad,
> the rest were picking up pinecones from previously shook trees and
> putting them in big bags.
> 
> Someone said, "Isn't that great? They're getting the cones down before
> they fall!" After thinking about it, I said, "I think they're harvesting
> pine-nuts!" Sure enough, when I got to my Sunset Western Garden Book, I
> see Pinus pinea as the source of pine nuts.
> 
> Can anyone tell me how one removes the nuts from the cones? Do you have
> to roast or treat them in any way to make them edible? Are the nuts from
> other pines edible? as good?
> They are so expensive to buy at Trader Joes!
> 
> By the by Trevor, I found Landriana quite beautiful and still in good
> condition. The roses were still in bloom, but the Olive Garden looked
> disheleved. The Lake was enchanting. We were not there long enough and I
> found myself wishing we didn't have to follow the guide. To linger and
> savor a garden slowly without too much talk is an ideal seldom realized
> on a tour. Wish we'd been with Alessandra as we were at Ninfa.
> 
> Jan
> --
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Jan Smithen,               gardening teacher
>                            California Arboretum Foundation
> jansmithen@earthlink.net
> Sunset zone : 19
> USDA zone : 10
> 
> Visit the California Arboretum homepage at :
> http://www.arboretum.org/
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
>
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