[Sca-cooks] Beech Nuts for Atraf al-tib

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

When i asked if anyone on list had beech nuts or had eaten beech nuts,
Phlip wrote:
>Let me look the tree up. I might be able to find one-
>it might be one of the ones I'm familiar with in Ohio,
>under another name- or do you think the Real Name of
>those things is Road Apples.... ;-)

Well, American Beech trees are common in Ohio, according to the
reading i've been doing...

However, the texts note that the pyramidal nuts have to be gathered
and dried within 2 weeks of falling from the tree (in fall, i
imagine), otherwise they spoil.

They also say that beech nuts are about 1/2 shell (!), and that the
nuts stick very firmly to the shell, both reasons why beech nuts are
not available commercially.

But i'm willing to arm myself with a hammer and nut pick in the cause
of food science...

Anahita