Pecans – A Southern Delicacy

No matter how you pronounce it, pecans are a part of our southern landscape and lives. Whether in our yards or on our plates, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, pecans are versatile and healthy. Rich in fiber, potassium, thiamine, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, niacin, folic acid, iron, and vitamin B6, pecans are the go-to nut!

Pecan trees are widely cultivated throughout Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Texas, where the pecan tree is the official state tree. “Pecan” is a Native American word from the Algonquin language, which was used to describe “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.” Anyone who has ever tried to crack one with their bare hands can attest to that. It may be work to crack open a pecan, but once you do and get a taste, you will agree it is worth the effort!

Pecan Tassie recipe (pictured above)
Classic Pecan Pie
Herbed Pecan Snack Mix
Texas Pecan Country Chicken
Caramel Pecan Pie

Pecan Cornbread Dressing

Ode to the Pecan:

Gathering Pecans
fond childhood memories
of gathering pecans
from beneath the pecan tree
linger on
the sweet smell
of mother’s sticky buns
baking in the oven.

To read “Ode to a Pecan Pie” from Oxford American, click here

Fun and nutty facts about the pecan:

Photo credits: www.hicookery.com and www.oxfordamerican.org