Pine Nuts

People have been eating pine nuts for 1000’s of years. They were used as a food source, medicinal remedies, and even in ceremonial practices by various cultures, including the Ancient Greeks and Romans and Native Americans. Pine nuts, also known as pignoli and pinons, are the seeds found inside of pine cones. There are about 100 or so different types of pine trees, but only about 18 that produce the edible pine nuts that are a beloved treasure around the world, especially in the Mediterranean regions and North America. The edible pine nuts are only produced from pine trees found in the Northern Hemisphere. Some of the more prominent species are the Italian stone pine, the Korean pine, the North American single-leaf pine, and Colorado’s own pinon.

Pine nuts were used for more than just cooking in times of old. They were also used for many different medicinal purposes too. The Chinese used pine nuts in various healing remedies and medicines. European folk legend believed pine nuts were good for curing gout and cataracts. The Balkan people believed that eating pine nuts would make them bullet proof. Sadly, this proved NOT to be the case, however. Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans also believed eating pine nuts, mixed with honey and almonds, was an aphrodisiac. They were thought of as the ancient version of modern day Viagra.

Pine nuts are nutritious and are a good source of both iron and fats. But they are labor intensive and the trees and pine cones take a very long time to mature. The pine trees can take up to 25 years to fully mature and produce seeds. And from there, the pine cones can take up to another 3 years before they start maturing.

Pine tress are thought to be some of the oldest trees on the earth, often living up to about 6000 years. They are most often found in mountainous regions around the world.

The actual pine nuts grow on the scales of the pine cones. Once they are harvested, they are dried in the sun until they open, then the seeds are shaken and dried a bit more before the nuts are extracted. Then the thin brown layering is removed to reveal the white edible seeds. This is all done by hand. Crops are also very unpredictable. Most farmers have found that it is too much of a risk to plant and cultivate for pine nuts, and thus they are left to grow on their own, in the wild. Because they take so long to mature, and are unpredictable, and are very labor intensive to produce and get ready to eat, pine nuts are also very expensive. But to me, they are definitely worth the price, even if I only purchase them occasionally.

In the United States, a good season can produce between 2-4 million pounds of pine nuts. You are allowed to gather up to 25 pounds without having to obtain a permit and registering as a commercial collector.

Pine nuts are used in all kinds of recipes and dishes, from salads to sauces to savory dishes to desserts. I have used them in all of these ways too. Pine nuts are one of the main ingredients in pesto as well, and I love pesto. I love toasted pine nuts, and I use them for so many different recipes, all the time. But because they are so pricy, I usually only make recipes that require a lot of pine nuts, such as pinon cookies or tarts, on special occasions. Here are some other delicious ways of using them. As with anything, be creative and play around. You never know what you can come up with. 🙂

I prefer my pine nuts toasted to just eating them raw, though some people do eat them raw. I have found the easiest way to toast them is to just put them in a small skillet, with no additional oil, over an open fire, and just toast them until they are lightly golden. This only takes a couple of minutes. You can also roast them in the oven, but I think it is much easier to just toast them over an open flame.

Be nutty and enjoy the nuts, however they come. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.