- ESTHER OERTEL
- Posted On
Mensam Mundum - World Table: Celebrating walnuts in Lakeport
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s excellent walnuts were celebrated on Saturday at the Lake County Farmers’ Finest market.
Walnuts grown in Lake County are particularly prized because of their color, which is lighter due to high elevations that engender cooler summer temperatures here than in the Central Valley. A premium is paid by commercial buyers for the higher quality of our local walnuts.
As with the county’s pear crop, much of walnut cultivation is giving way to wine grapes; however, large amounts of walnuts are still grown and harvested here, accounting for a significant portion of the county’s agricultural bounty.
This year the Lake County Farmers’ Finest market became a year-round affair, allowing the celebration of the walnut crop. In prior years, the market would’ve been closed for the season before walnuts were harvested.
The market, now held Saturdays from 10 till 1 at the fairgrounds in Lakeport, had on hand locally harvested walnuts sold by a variety of vendors.
Walnut purveyors included Loasa Farms, Ponce Farms, The Bearded Nut of Valley Long Farm (he also creates deliciously scented walnut oil-based beard oils and hair serums), and David Furger.
In addition to the walnuts (which included some free samples), special displays with walnut-related implements and agricultural information provided interesting food for thought.
One item featured was a hand-cranked, high-volume nutcracker, invented in Lake County in 1978 by a local entrepreneur. The inventor is now 90 and, along with his daughter, still produces these nutcrackers locally and markets them internationally.
The “#43 Nutcracker,” as it’s called, is available for sale at the Davebilt Co., as is another invention, the “Lil’ Davey Nut Picker,” a long-handled implement for harvesting nuts from the ground.
I love all manner of nuts and if I had to choose, walnuts would likely be listed as my favorite. They go with almost everything and their health benefits are legendary.
As in Lake County, almost all walnuts cultivated in the U.S. are one variety or another of English walnuts, which in Britain are called Persian walnuts or common walnuts. These are native to an area from the Balkans eastward to the Himalayas and southwest China. The ancient realm of Persia is included in this swath of land, hence the name Persian walnut.
It is said that walnuts are the oldest tree food known to man, dating back to 7,000 B.C.
Because English merchant marines transported walnuts for trade to world ports, these beloved nuts became known as English walnuts. Interestingly, walnuts were never grown commercially in England.
Another species of walnut, the black walnut, is native to North America, with varieties that grow in both the east and west. The Eastern black walnut grows wild throughout eastern North America, and the California black walnut, also known as the California walnut, is endemic to California, including in Lake County.
The shell is far more difficult to crack than the English walnut’s thinner one, and the extraction of the nut is also harder.
Black walnuts are not generally cultivated (they’re harvested in the wild for commercial use); however, English walnuts are often grafted onto black walnut rootstock to promote a hardier tree for commercial farming.
We have six or seven black walnut trees on our property, which produce copious crops of walnuts each fall, with mounds of green and black walnut-filled husks piled under the trees.
Even so, I’ve yet to seriously harvest them because they’re so notoriously hard to remove from the hull and shell. I have tasted them, though, and I found the taste is pleasant, earthier and more robust than an English walnut.
English walnuts flourish in California’s Mediterranean-like climate, something discovered by the Franciscan fathers who were the first to cultivate them here in the late 1700s.
Now the Golden State accounts for a full 99 percent of the nation’s walnut crop, with about 1 percent of that coming from Lake County.
Toasting walnuts intensifies their flavor and I often take the time to do this before adding them to dishes.
My preferred method is to toast them in a dry sauté pan on the stovetop, stirring or tossing them to ensure even toasting, though they may also be roasted in the oven in a shallow pan. This takes a bit longer than the direct heat of a stovetop burner.
In either case, be sure to watch them carefully, as there’s a fine line between perfectly toasted and burned nuts. Once you begin to smell them they’re close to being done, so keep a close eye on them.
If you’d like an interesting (and healthier, in my opinion) substitute for a traditional graham cracker crust, try one made with walnuts and a bit of brown sugar. I use about two tablespoons brown sugar to a few handfuls of walnuts for a subtly sweet crust. The sugar may be eliminated if the crust is for a savory dish, such as quiche or a mushroom pie.
Simply toss the walnuts (and the sugar if you’re using it) into a food processor and pulse until the walnuts have become the consistency of fine crumbs. Be careful not to overdo it, as you may end up with walnut butter instead.
The high oil content of the nuts will make it easy to press into a pie pan, rendering added butter unnecessary.
Walnuts should be stored properly, or their oils may become rancid. Shelled walnuts may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge or in a cool, dark place for up to six months. They may also be frozen for up to a year.
Walnut oil has a lovely taste and a light, delicate consistency. Its fresh flavor is short-lived, so is best when used quickly after opening. It makes a wonderful vinaigrette, especially when combined with Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and parsley, but is not good for cooking because of its low smoke point.
The health benefits of walnuts are copious, and scientific research indicates they improve bone and heart health, benefit cognitive function, positively impact those with diabetes and protect against some forms of cancer.
Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein and are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
Walnuts have significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids than other nuts; in fact, a handful of walnuts provides as much of it as a serving of salmon.
They’re also rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as vitamin E.
Rosemary walnuts are one of my favorite savory snacks and are very easily made, simply a combination of walnuts, rosemary and some olive oil (local, if you’ve got it).
Since the holidays are close and earthy rosemary walnuts make a great gift, the recipe is below. They’re good with a hearty Cabernet, and believe me, they won’t last long. You might want to hide a batch just for you.
Rosemary Walnuts
This recipe is the result of an experimental marriage between a bag of Lake County walnuts and the abundance of rosemary growing in my backyard. It has since become one of my favorite quick snacks.
Ingredients:
A drizzle of local olive oil for the pan
A couple cups of local walnuts
A handful of fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in the pan for a few seconds, and then add the walnuts, tossing them as they cook (for about 20 seconds, just to begin the process). Add the chopped rosemary and allow the walnuts to finish toasting. Watch the plan closely and continue to toss the walnuts as they cook. Once the walnuts are toasted to your liking, add salt and pepper to taste.
This entire process will take no more than a few minutes.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa. She lives in Middletown.