Page 194 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Pecan, Carya

illinoinensis (JUGLANDACEAE)

PECAN is a tall deciduous tree growing to 120 ft. (35m)
with a rounded crown. It has a diameter to 4 ft. (1. m)
and its reddish-brown bark is irregularly patterned with
Jerry A. Payne, CC-BY-3.0
vertical ridges.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Male flowers hang in slender cat-
kins, while the inconspicuous females cluster at the tips
of the twigs. Nuts are encased in smooth oblong husks,
1.5-2 inches (3.5-5cm) long, and yellow-green. In au-
tumn, husks open by splitting into 4 segments to reveal
the glossy brown nutshell. The meat within is sweet. Clemson University, CC-BY-3.0
LEAF: Leaves are alternate and pinnately compound
dry them for 2 weeks before storing. The tree’s sap
with 9-17 toothed leaflets. The central stalk is 12-30
can be consumed fresh or boiled into syrup.
inches (30-75cm) long, while the asymmetrically lance-
SWEET AND SAVORY ROASTED PECANS: 2 tbsp.
olate leaflets are 3-8 inches (8-20cm) in length.
oil, 8 cups pecan halves, ⅓ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup
EDIBLE PARTS: nuts, sap
brown sugar, 3 tbsp. orange juice, 4 tbsp. chopped
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Bark and leaves are astringent. fresh rosemary, 4 tsp. kosher salt. Combine oil, maple
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: The tasty nutmeat can syrup, sugar, and orange juice. Pour mixture over pe-
be enjoyed raw as a snack, tossed onto salads, or cooked cans and add 2 tsp. salt and 2 tbsp. rosemary. Spread
into breads and pies. Pecans can be boiled for oil or on a pan and roast for 25 min. at 350°F (175°C). Toss
roasted and ground into flour. Gather them in fall and with final 2 tsp. salt and 2 tbsp. rosemary.

Persimmon (Wild), Diospyros

virginiana (EBENACEAE)

WILD PERSIMMON grows from 30 to 80 ft. (9-25m) in
height with a trunk diameter of 2 ft. (0.6m). Its nearly
black bark is characteristically fissured into small rect-
angular plates, while its zig-zagging branches create an
irregularly shaped crown.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Male and female flowers are pro-
duced on separate trees between May and June. Male
flowers are small and tubular, while the larger solitary
female flowers are urn-shaped with 4 recurved petals.
Both are fragrant and range in color from yellow-green Puddin Tain, CC-BY-SA-2.0 Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC-BY-3.0
to ivory. The round, fleshy fruits are 1-2.5 inches (2.5-
delectably sweet with flavor notes of dates and va-
6cm) across and bear 6-8 flattened seeds. Appearing
nilla. While astringent and mealy when under-ripe,
from September to December, fruits mature to shades of
they become tender and honey-like after the first
bright orange, red and purple.
frost. You can dry them like prunes, boil them into
LEAF: Dark green leaves are simple, alternate and 2-6
molasses, or use them in baking. For a robust tea
inches (5-15cm) long, with lustrous upper surfaces and
rich in vitamin C, steep dried persimmon leaves in
pale undersides. Their shape is elliptic, usually with
hot water.
smooth edges.
PERSIMMON PUDDING: Ingredients: 6 ripe persim-
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit, leaves
mons, ½ cup whipping cream, ½ tsp. salt, 4 tsp. hon-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: The highly astringent inner
ey, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. ground cardamom.
bark has been taken for sore throats, heartburn, diar- Remove seeds from persimmons. In a bowl, mash
rhea, and thrush. fruits into a paste. Blend in cream, salt, honey, vanil-
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Fresh persimmons are la, and cardamom.
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