HISTORY
The pecan is the only major tree nut native to North America. They can be traced back to the 16th century, originating in central and eastern North America. The term pecan comes from the Algonquin Native American words paccan or pakan, meaning a nut so hard it had to be cracked with a stone.

Pecans became popular due to their ease of peeling compared to other nuts, accessibility and great taste. Thomas Jefferson is credited with their initial popularity in the South. He even presented them to George Washington, who grew them at Mount Vernon.

In the mid-19th century, pecans began to be exploited commercially. The United States now produces about 80% of the world’s pecans.

PRODUCTION
Pecan trees can grow to over 100-feet tall and can live to be more than 1,000 years old. Because of their size, trees need to be planted with 35-ft. spacing between trees and eventually thinned to 50-ft. between the trees.

Pecans thrive in full sunlight and in soil that is very fertile and deep. The trees are deeply rooted and require lots of water, especially during growing season.

Harvesting of pecans occurs from mid-October to November and even into December. For large scale organizations, mechanical tree shakers are used for harvest. The tree shakers are attached to the base of the tree and shake the tree, causing the pecans to fall.

Pecans lose their quality quickly after hitting the ground so it is essential to gather pecans very soon after shaking. Fresh pecans need to be air-dried 2-3 weeks before storing in cool, dry, protected locations. If they are stored for more than a month, sometimes they are frozen.

Louisiana harvests an average of 17.7 million pounds of pecans each year. Louisiana consistently ranks top five among pecan-producing states.

PRODUCTS
Pecans are produced as fresh pecans, as well as processed products. Pecans are used in many desserts and other food products.

The wood from pecan trees is also used to create wood products.

NUTRITION
Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. They contain a significant amount of essential amino acids. They also contain iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamins B and C, thiamin and niacin.

RECIPE
Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ cup melted margarine or butter

  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans

  • 9-inch unbaked pie shell


Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except pecans, mixing well. (If mixture is lumpy, use electric mixer to combine all ingredients well.)

  3. Stir in pecans.

  4. Pour mixture into unbaked 9-inch pie shell. 

  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done. 


Foods à la Louisiane—a cookbook by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Women
Submitted by Betty Jo Brian of East Baton Rouge Parish

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