This is my little bottle tree with it's fall coloring but it is also a beech tree I keep pruned and short. Beech is a very pretty tree when it starts to turn color. Mine seemed to turn red on the top first, followed by a yellow with the middle of the tree turning red, and finally when the entire tree has yellow on it, it begins to turn brown. If you enlarge the photo and look very close, you'll see the top of my bottle tree is sparse, it was at the stage of just beginning to lose its leaves.
A while back I posted on a larger beech tree that had actual beechnuts growing on it. You can read that post here. Today I'm posting about harvesting and tasting those beechnuts.
I HAVE to say that these husks are very decorative and quite sturdy for a crafter to use in potpourri or flower arrangements. In fact, I picked an unripened nut and tried to open it but decided I'd do better to wait until they ripened. The nuts are very sturdy and are like nuts inside of another nut!It even took a while to get to the food of this little beechnut. They are very small and the inner pod has a triangular shape to it that made it difficult to hold while peeling it with a knife. You can see the nut to the left of the photo, it is very tiny. Each pod was supposed to have a twin nut back to back with a extra space but mine had only one nut. Still, I had enough to eat and was able to get the true flavor of the nut. Bravery aside I took the plunge hoping for the best.
If I'm EVER lost in the Maine woods I'll know what to look for as protein food, that's IF! These weren't all that pleasant, it had the flavor of an old peanut and dirt combined, and....very oily as my first post stated.
I think I'll leave them for the Blue jays to eat. In the Garden
Here's hoping you are never lost in any woods!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried a Beechnut but have chewed wonderful tasting Beechnut gum. After reading this, I think I will stick to Georgia Peanuts....
ReplyDeleteI do love the pods--they are certainly interesting and decorative!
ReplyDeleteI am sure they have lots of fiber? Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't give up on them just yet. I've had some pretty tasty beechnuts before. I think it depends a lot on the individual tree.
ReplyDeleteGood morning all! I slept in late trying to sleep off the lovely tryptophan:) Never mind I went to sleep at 8:30! Time to get up! That tree is gorgeous! Not sure if it'd be worth it shucking the nut but yes, great source of protein if ever lost in the woods. Don't be like Stephen King's "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon'. Scary book that was being lost in the woods of Maine! Thanks for being brave and trying them out for us! Everyone have a great day and wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi guys,
ReplyDeleteDarla, I hope I'm never lost in the Maine woods either! But these are everywhere! If I were hopefully it would be at the right time of year....for blueberries!Skeeter, I've never heard of beechnut gum, I must keep my eyes open for it.
Monica, Yes, these pods are very decorative and would be really pretty on a wreath.
Rosey, Who wants fiber? I agree.
How it grows, That's true about the trees, I never thought of that and my tree isn't groomed too much.
Tina, Have a great weekend!
The tree is very pretty and I do love the pods. They would be really great in crafts. I wonder if they need to be cooked in some way.
ReplyDeleteOh Skeeter, the Beechnut gum....I used to like it also. I do not know of any stores that sell it now but I bet there are some, somewhere as I have seen it for sale in some catalogs. The Vermont Country Store is the one I can think of right now. They have all that old stuff.
Oh Goodness Dawn. I remember eating these nuts when I was a kid. I thought they were good.
ReplyDeleteI also think they would make for some good crafts & just using them for decorations. You are so lucky to have them.
The tree that produced these nuts was hugh. We had a swing of rope & a board from one of the limbs.
I also remember the Beechnut Gum. Gracious, it was good.
Have a wonderful weekend all.
They are a really neat looking nut, but it does sound like they're best left for the birds. The tree is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the street names around here have beech in them. I'll have to look for the trees now that I know what to look for.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMother nature, We get alot of oak named streets, Elm too come to think of it. We have alot of stately oaks but not too many Elm anymore.
Mom, Maybe one could cook these to get them to open, hum...that's a idea.
ReplyDeleteLola, I remember you saying you loved these, I'm too chicken to get off the ground so hubs would have to pick them for me! LOL
Beechnut gum--now that brings back memories! I would think these pods and nuts would be perfect in crafting, such as wreath-making. Now, at least, you wouldn't feel guilty wasting the food inside!
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn,
ReplyDeleteExperimenting with food can be fun. Now you know it's not worth the effort unless you're lost in the woods. That sure is a lovely tree!
Hey Tina,
ReplyDeleteKindly accept & collect my smile to you.... I love reading what u write... here & there...TC
Ash....
(http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)
Very interesting post. Don't guess I have ever seen the husk before.
ReplyDelete