Folkways
by Maya Brown Zniewski
The delicious pecan is well known
in pies and candies and it is the state
tree of Texas. Prized for both their
taste and nutritional value, 3.5 ounces
of pecans has about 700 calories.
They contain fat, protein, carbohy-
drates and a tiny bit of water but also
vitamins A, E, folic acid, calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus, potassium,
zinc and B vitamins. They are less
well known medicinally. They were
used by both the Kiowa and the
Numinu (Comanche) People for food
as well as for medicine. The leaves of
the pecan tree were ground and used
as a poultice for ringworm and other
skin ailments. A drink of pecan bark,
as a tea or tisane, was used to treat
tuberculosis. An infusion of the leaves
and bark was used to treat dysentery
and diarrhea. Pecans are native to the
United States and are the only nut
crop commercially grown in Texas.
Simple instructions for a poultice:
Collect the freshest pecan leaves
you can find. You want ones without
insect or spider eggs or any debris on
them. Allow leaves to dry in a single
layer (I often use baking sheets).
Grind leaves into a powder and add
the powder to a small amount of
clean, boiled and cooled water. Mix
in the water until it forms a paste sim-
ilar in consistency to toothpaste.
Apply paste to area affected area of
the skin. Let dry and remain on the
skin. Use: ringworm and skin ail-
ments.
Simple instructions for a tea/
tisane:
A tisane is a fancy term for tea that
takes a little longer to make. Just as
you would a tea, steep the bark of the
pecan tree in fresh boiled water, let-
ting it sit for a minimum of 1/2 hour
or even longer. Strain out the bark.
Drink as a tea, warm or cold. Use:
tuberculosis. Refrigerated this can be
stored for a week.
Simple instructions for an infusion:
An infusion is another name for
tea (we herbalists really like our tea).
Follow the directions for tisane but
with leaves and bark, steep bark in a
covered pan for 1/2 hour adding
leaves during the last 10 minutes,
cool and drink. Use: diarrhea and
dysentery. Refrigerated this can be
stored for a week.
soda. Cook it in a deep saucepan,
stirring often, until it forms a soft ball
when dropped in cold water or until
it shows 234' on a candy thermome-
ter. Remove from the heat.
Immediately add 1 1/2 Tablespoons
butter and stir in 2 cups of shelled
pecans. Beat the mixture 2-3 more
minutes until it begins to thicken,
then drop by spoonfuls onto waxed
paper or parchment paper. Let cool.
Wrap individually and store in an air
tight container. Oh so sweet!
Granola
Here is an easy, lovely granola with
pecans. It is so simple.
Spread 3 cups oatmeal on a cookie
sheet. Bake for 14 minutes in a 350'
oven. Cool. Add 1 1/2 cups pecans
and 1 1/2 cups dried fruit of your
choice. Chopped dates or apricots
are good. The fruit adds sweetness
without processed sugar, the oats will
fill you up and give you energy and
the pecans are yummy.
A less medicinal use for the fine
pecan is available in Euell Gibbons’s
book, Stalking the Wild Asparagus. I
highly recommend this book for any-
one wanting a great foraging manual.
He has a fantastic recipe for pecan
syrup but for brevity’s sake I am
including the even better Creamy
Pralines. I cannot explain to you the
difference wild pecans make in this
dish. You have truly earned your
dessert if you forage your own wild
pecans. Of course farmed pecans are
delicious, and readily available to
boot. So on to the recipe.
Creamy Pralines
3 cups maple syrup
1 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups shelled pecans
Mix 3 cups of maple syrup with 1 cup
of light cream and 1/2 teaspoon of
Russian Tea Cakes
A recipe you will only find in one
book, Becky’s Best and Other Pearls by
Rebecca Frisbee Brown. Yes, my
grandmother. It is my mother's
recipe. A version of dainty pecan
cookies aka Mexican Wedding
Cakes. The secret to this version is
the finely ground pecans.
1 cup soft butter
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups finely ground pecans
additional powdered sugar
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add
flour and mix well. Add pecans and
mix well. Make dough into pecan
sized balls and bake on an ungreased
cookie sheet at 350' for about 20 min-
utes or until lightly browned. Let
cookie cool 10 minutes before
removing from pan. Roll teacakes in
two coats of powdered sugar while
still warm. These keep well in an air-
Cenizo
tight container. We always make
these for the holidays!
You can infuse pecan oil with your
choice of herbs. In a clean, sterile jar
add one cup pecan oil and a total of
2 Tablespoons chopped herbs. I sug-
gest a combination of two or three of
any of these: basil, dill, fennel, garlic,
lemon balm, rosemary, savory, tar-
ragon, and garlic; depending on your
taste.You don’t need to strain this but
you can after a week or two. Mix 3
parts oil to 1 part vinegar and use as
a salad dressing, marinade or dipping
sauce for veggies or bread. YUM!
The final recipe of this column
seems to have become a traditional
booze one, this time it is pecan infused
liquor. If you start in the next few
weeks it will be perfect for winter and
if you are lucky, you might get some as
a holiday gift. It's perfect for chocolate
bourbon balls or bourbon baba.
Pecan Liquor
1/5 good bourbon (I recommend
bourbon for this. Really. But
vodka works.)
2 cups shelled pecans
Soak your pecans in water for about
1/2 an hour, you’ll rinse off sediment
and get more booze in the end this
way. Drain pecans and shake off as
much water as possible. Place pecans
on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 20 minutes. Cool. Toss
them into a ½ gallon sterilized glass
jar. Cover pecans with bourbon.
Store in a cool dark place for a least 7
days and up to six weeks. Strain out
the pecans. (Save them for your
pecan candies. They will add a
punch!) Filter your bourbon with a
coffee filter or water filter. You want
the liquor to be clear. Bottle and
serve as you would bourbon. Great
mixed with ginger ale or over rocks.
The Holiday Season is on the way.
Spend an evening sipping Pecan
Bourbon with friends and telling
stories.
Fourth Quarter 2014
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