Name: Hickory nuts (genus Carya), the nuts of North American hickory trees, such as the shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and shellbark hickory. Their close relative is the pecan, which has its own page, and bitter “pignut” types also exist.
Description
Hickory trees are native to eastern North America and parts of Asia, and the nuts were an important food for Native Americans, who ground them to make a rich, milky drink and oil called pawcohiccora, the word from which hickory is derived. The wood is famous for smoking meat and for making tool handles.
Hickory nuts are enclosed in a thick husk and a very hard shell, and extracting the small kernel takes effort, so they are mostly gathered by hand and rarely sold commercially. The flavour is sweet and rich, similar to a pecan but stronger, though it varies widely between species, and some, such as pignut hickory, are bitter.
Main nutrition value
Hickory nuts are rich in healthy unsaturated fat, with some protein, fibre and minerals such as manganese, magnesium and phosphorus.
How best to be consumed
Hickory nuts are mostly used where pecans would be.
- Crack the hard shells with a hammer or strong cracker, and pick out the kernels.
- Use in baking, pies, cakes, ice cream and as a topping, as with pecans.
- Eat raw or lightly toasted for a sweet, rich flavour.
- Taste a nut first, since bitter pignut types are unpleasant.
- Store shelled nuts in the fridge or freezer.
Overconsumption could cause…
Hickory nuts are healthy in sensible portions.
- Weight gain from eating large handfuls, since nuts are very energy-dense.
- Tree nut allergy, which can be severe, so anyone allergic to nuts must avoid them and check labels for cross-contact.
- A bitter taste and some stomach upset from certain wild types.
- Choking in young children, for whom whole nuts are not suitable.
Wikipedia — Hickory, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickory
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