A Tiny Obession

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Most of us know pine nuts from their most common use in the U.S., which is for pesto. But I've become enamoured with the little things. I usually toast them, very gently, in a non-stick pan. As soon as they start to take on a golden hue, you should take them off the heat, then tip them into another dish to cool. Just the residual heat from the pan can cause them to scorch, as I've discovered to my dismay. Once cool, I usually put them in a storage container in the fridge to be used as needed. Oh, and although they're sold unrefrigerated, I keep the raw nuts in the fridge too for longer life.

Which brings us to the question, is a pine nut a nut or a seed? They are actually seeds, and are harvested from about twenty different species of pines around the world, and they've been used in cooking in Europe and Asia since Paleolithic times. 

There are American varieties--here's cool photo of pines nuts being loaded for shipment in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1921.

However, most pine nuts sold today in the U.S. come from China, so maybe I should stockpile them in the fridge, or eat more ecologically and budget friendly American-grown pecans. Texas, you should know, is one of the largest pecan producers in the country, and it's also our state tree! We even have pecan trees in our back yard, but unfortunately they are the native type, not the cultivated variety, and they are bitter. The squirrels, however, love them.

But back to pine nuts, as long as I'm abandoning my ecological principles. I put the toasted nuts on salads, on pasta, and on pretty much anything that just needs a little bit of a lift. Today I had a sprinkle on a black bean veggie burger with avocado. Last night I had them sprinkled on tiny ricotta and spinach ravioli, with olive oil, parmesan, and a tiny bit of butter. Delish!

Pine nuts are used in flour, in cakes and cookies, and in sweets like baklava, as well. Having just seen a recipe for torta della nonna (or granny's cake) I'm tempted to take up baking. Shortcrust pastry and a custard filling, with pine nuts and powdered sugar on the top. They should make this on Great British Bake Off!

REDS and readers, are you pine nut fans? And do you have another rather odd food obsession?