Cooking with Acorns – Need a Source

[Shel_B]

I make a pretty good Three Sisters Stew, which, for those who are not familiar with it, is a vegetable stew with its basis in corn, beans, and squash, the "three sisters" that the native Americans planted together. For centuries, native cultures in the Western Hemisphere survived on the interdependent cultivation of corn and beans. In the Iroquois tradition of upstate New York, corn, beans, and squash, known as the "three sisters," were a staple source of food. Grown together, the beans wound their vines around the sturdy corn stalks and the squash leaves shaded the ground, keeping it cool, moist, and free of weeds.

I usually make the stew a few times a year, and this year I want to add acorns to the recipe, perhaps just for something different or, perhaps, to add to the "authenticity." I've decided that what I want are White Oak acorns, with the caps on, or, a somewhat distant second choice, would be White Oak acorn flour. I've not been able to find a reliable source for these items, and the White Oak is not local to California.

Does anyone, perhaps in the Midwest or along the east coast, know of a source for these items? Thanks!

[djyee100]

Who would have known. This vendor for acorn flour is in the SF Bay Area, in Martinez:
http://www.buyacornflour.com/product.php

Article from SF Chron about cooking with acorns:
http://www.sfgate.com/recipes/article/Acorns-make-surprising-dishes-4467560.php#page-1

I've always thought acorns were supposed to be bitter-tasting, and eaten by people who were really, really hungry, so I've never been much interested in 'em.

[heidih]

If you have a Korean market near you then exploring using the acorn jelly powder might be interesting. I have had it served cold in this fashion. You could take the seasoning into red pepper territory to complement the 3 Sisters theme.

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dotorimukmuchim

[HungryC]

Hank Shaw writes about acorn eating at this time of year: http://honest-food.net/2010/01/14/acorn-pasta-and-the-mechanics-of-eating-acorns/

[Shel_B]

Who would have known. This vendor for acorn flour is in the SF Bay Area, in Martinez:

http://www.buyacornflour.com/product.php

Article from SF Chron about cooking with acorns:

http://www.sfgate.com/recipes/article/Acorns-make-surprising-dishes-4467560.php#page-1

I've always thought acorns were supposed to be bitter-tasting, and eaten by people who were really, really hungry, so I've never been much interested in 'em.

First, thank you so very much! This may be just the source I need. I'll contact Sue and start a relationship with her. It's an easy car trip - Toots goes out there once or twice a month.

You are correct in thinking that acorns are bitter. They have a lot of tannin, and to make them palatable, they must go through a time consuming series of steps, including leaching. That's why my original request was for White Oak acorns - they are quite a bit less tannic and bitter.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

Hank Shaw writes about acorn eating at this time of year: http://honest-food.net/2010/01/14/acorn-pasta-and-the-mechanics-of-eating-acorns/

EXCELLENT!!! Many good ideas here ... Thanks

Edited October 21, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

If you have a Korean market near you then exploring using the acorn jelly powder might be interesting. I have had it served cold in this fashion. You could take the seasoning into red pepper territory to complement the 3 Sisters theme.

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dotorimukmuchim

I'll look into this and see if there's anything here that fits my vision and gets me excited. Thanks!

[sparrowgrass]

Hickory nuts would be just as authentic, and they taste much better. The native method was to pound the whole nuts into a paste, then simmer in water. The fat rose to the top and was used for seasoning, the broth was strained off the nutshells and used for soup.

[Shel_B]

Hickory nuts would be just as authentic, and they taste much better. The native method was to pound the whole nuts into a paste, then simmer in water. The fat rose to the top and was used for seasoning, the broth was strained off the nutshells and used for soup.

That's a good idea. I've tried hickory nuts before, but not in the Three Sisters Stew. In any case, I'd like to try acorns as well. Thanks!

[blue_dolphin]

Another acorn article: Gourmet Foraging and Advanced Acorn Processing on Root Simple

[Shel_B]

Another acorn article: Gourmet Foraging and Advanced Acorn Processing on Root Simple

Thanks for the link. I only had time to briefly skim the article, but will give it my full attention after the weekend.