Questions about Pine Nuts

Question: We just removed 6 overgrown pine trees from our yard and there where HUNDREDS of pine cones everywhere! Do all pine cones have pine nuts? And if so, how do you clean pine nuts?

Answer: Pine nuts come from pinyon pine trees. These pines are native to the United States, although other pines with edible pine nuts are native to Europe and Asia, like the European stone pine and the Asian Korean pine. Pine nuts are the smallest and the fanciest of all nuts. The taste is sweet and subtle.

You can pick the cones and then shake or smash them right after to collect the seeds. Gently crush the seeds with a rolling pin to break the shells. To clean the pine nuts, rinse them under water.



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