Black Walnut

~ By Aletha ~

What grows naturally in my area of Illinois that we could eat if we had no farmers or grocery stores?

Well I picked the Black Walnut that grows in Illinois and they come from the Black Walnut tree. A black walnut tree does a lot more then give us black walnuts. It gives us beautiful wood, it also protects the soil and water resources, and it gives us some wonderful nuts that not only feed us but also animals. Did you know that shells are ground down and used as a polishing abrasive? (I just learned that interesting information.)

One thing you want to do if you decide to plant these trees, is to make sure you do not plant other plants close to them as it can inhibit the growth of tomatoes, blackberries, domestic grape, lilac, hydrangea, chrysanthemums, paper birch and many more. The root of the Black Walnut Tree releases juglone (a toxin) which inhibits most plants from growing in it's under story.

Black Walnut Trees can live up to 200 years. Their natural range is Central and Eastern United States; there are 15 species that are found world wide. You can pick up the Black Walnut when they hit the ground, usually after first frost, although you may have to fight the squirrels to get some because the Black Walnut meat is sweet tasting. You do not need as many Black Walnuts in a recipe as you do English Walnuts as they are sweeter and richer in flavor by comparison. It is prized in deserts and confections and the oil has been used as a painting medium.

If you come across one of these self fertilizing wonderful trees during their blooming time, from April to June, you will notice the female blossoms growing at the tip of the branches while the male blossoms hang in slender bunches called Catkins. Its feather like leaves when crushed smell like lemon and did you know that you can also tap the Black Walnut tree and make syrup just like you do with Maple syrup? I thought that was interesting as I've never seen Black Walnut syrup in a store, but now I will have to ask about it.

**Steep the leaves for tea infusions, said to soothe sore throats and canker sores. According to folkloric medicine, immerse a handful of partially dried leaves in a pint of boiling water. Allow to steep. Strain out leaves. Drink one cupful for liver, gallbladder, and lymph node conditions. Placed directly on the skin, black walnut leaves are said to treat skin conditions like eczema. Purchase tea bags for topical salves to treat minor scrapes, insect bites, and burns.

**Chew the inner bark of the black walnut, which performs like an astringent for toothaches. The bark is a constituent of toothpaste in Pakistan, said to promote healthy tooth enamel. The Greeks, Romans, and Native Americans applied a bark poultice to treat fungal-related skin conditions. The inner bark is boiled to use as a laxative tea. Topically, the bark facilitates healing of skin rashes, acne, and bruising. It can be purchased in bulk online.

The husk (fruit) is green and fleshy with a thin skin and is also used to make a popular dye. Ingest black walnut hulls in capsule form as an herbal remedy for parasites and glandular disorders. The green hulls that surround the nut are stripped and cleaned. The hull is ground into a powder that can be used externally as a washing compound and is found in creams, lotions, and ointments. **Black walnut hull extract in tincture form is used topically as a fungal remedy for ringworm, athlete's foot, and psoriasis. The hull is also beneficial as a mild laxative.

When you are looking at say furniture made of Black Walnut there are some things you can look for or ask about.

If the wood is in the raw stages and not varnished you will be able to tell what part of the tree it came from. Grain is generally straight, although it becomes wavy toward the roots. The color of walnut can vary dramatically, from light to very dark brown. The middle of the walnut tree produces the darker wood and the outer layer of the tree, just beneath the bark, produces the lighter wood. Walnut is a strong, hard and durable wood that carves and holds its shape well. It is an excellent choice for ornate furniture that requires intricate woodworking, such as a mantelpiece or headboard. It frequently was used to make cabinets and other pieces of furniture in 17th and 18th century Europe because of its qualities.

Contemporary furniture is more often made with walnut veneers rather than made of solid walnut because of cost. It is not cheap furniture to buy and if you want a piece that is solid then you have to look at antique shops or at estate sales if you want a solid piece of furniture.

By Mid to late September the shells will turn a yellowish hue and it will fall to the ground if you pick one up and you can dent the shell with your thumb it is time to harvest them. If you harvest them from the tree you can pick them or you can shake the tree for them to fall.

Commercially they have big huge machine that comes in and grabs the trunk and shakes the tree. This will not hurt the tree because it is just like a big wind storm coming in and shaking the tree. One of the things you must remember is that once you remove the husk you must let the walnuts sit for a few weeks before eating (but well worth the wait).

Ok here is what you do, you need a hammer to peel the husk off or the heel of your shoe, this is just the outer part and make sure you wear gloves, otherwise it will dye your skin. Once you hull them then you want to rinse them in water several times and then you want to lay them out and let them dry for around 2 to 6 weeks in a cool place. After this time you can then crack the nut to get to the meat and boy enjoy them.

Ah cooking with black walnuts you can do so much with them! Black walnuts can be found year-round in the baking section of most grocery stores. If kept in an airtight container, black walnuts can stay fresh for up to one year in the refrigerator and two years in the freezer.

Flesh consists mainly of a blend of 60% vegetable fats followed by a very respectable amount of 24% protein and a lower amount of 10% carbohydrates. From cakes and candies to chicken and seafood, the American Black walnut is a rare, healthy and flavorful addition to many recipes.

Recipe for Black Walnut and Caramel Blondie's

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped black walnuts

2 heaping cups packaged caramels

2 tablespoons water

Method

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Well grease a 13 X 9-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, whisk flour and baking powder to combine, then reserve. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then whisk in brown sugar, allowing it to melt before whisking in vanilla. Remove from heat. Add eggs, beating very well to combine. Add flour mixture, again beating very well until smooth without any flecks of dry ingredients left unincorporated. Stir in chopped black walnuts just until blended. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 20 minutes on center rack of oven. Do not over bake. Remove from oven, setting pan on rack for cooling.

When pan has cooled for 10 minutes, begin melting caramels and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until very smooth. Remove from heat and pour slowly and evenly over surface of still-warm Blondie's. If necessary, smooth out the caramel for maximum coverage with an offset spatula or the bottom of a metal spoon. Allow cooling completely to facilitate cutting, but you may want to briefly microwave servings if you like your caramel very warm and oozing. Makes 15 - 2 X 2 inch squares.

Other Nutritional Facts About Black Walnuts:

What's great about walnuts is that medical studies have shown them to improve several physical illnesses, promote weight loss (even though the caloric content is fairly high) and enhance overall health. These beneficial effects are probably linked to their high content in seldom-eaten Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, which are slowly but steadily disappearing from our diets (rich in processed foods) but are absolutely essential for the good functioning of our bodies.

Walnuts, a rich source of the omega-3 fat, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), improve artery function after a high fat meal and may be even more important in a Mediterranean-type diet than olive oil in promoting heart health. Help Prevent Gallstones: women who eat at least 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter each week have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones. Since 1 ounce is only 28.6 nuts or about 2 tablespoons of nut butter, preventing gallbladder disease may be as easy as having a handful of walnuts as an afternoon pick me up, or tossing some walnuts on your oatmeal or salad. Want a better night's sleep? Try sprinkling your dinner's tossed green salad, fruit salad or steamed vegetables with a handful of walnuts. Or enjoy a baked apple or poached pear topped with walnuts for dessert. Omega-3-rich Walnuts Protect Bone Health.

Alpha linolenic acid, the omega-3 fat found in walnuts, promotes bone health by helping to prevent excessive bone turnover-when consumption of foods rich in this omega-3 fat result in a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet. Walnuts are a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two minerals that are essential cofactors in a number of enzymes important in antioxidant defense. Walnuts also contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid, which blocks the metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. Ellagic acid not only helps protect healthy cells from free radical damage, but also helps detoxify potential cancer-causing substances and helps prevent cancer cells from replicating.

I will stop now but there is so much out there on this Nut that I could go on but I won't. That is why I wanted to pick this nut lol. I love to bake and you can use this in place of other nuts if you like them but you have to remember if it calls for 1 cup of English walnuts you use 1/2 of that with the Black walnuts. Not every one likes Black Walnuts but I do and hope you will try some in a recipe and see how you like them.

**PLEASE NOTE: This article is intended for educational purposes only. Using the information contained within this article for any other purpose remains the sole responsibility of the individual.

         

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