Now is the time to pick walnuts, whilst they are fresh green and before the shell hardens, if you want to pickle them. Pickled walnuts are not everyone's cup of tea, I know. As it happens we recently had a large family gathering and a bowl of pickled walnuts was put out as an afterthought. Not one was left at the end of the day.
I wonder if some are put off by the look of them - jet black. As for sourness, they do need time to mature and in the process much of the sourness recedes, just as with chutney. Janet has tweaked the recipe and makes a slightly sweeter infusion which works well with the different aromatic spices that also go into it.
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| Green walnuts ready for the first stage of their journey to pickledom. |
We look to be having a bumper crop this year for walnuts. The squirrels help themselves but in the years that we have a large crop there is more than enough for us still, and I will expect to have a daily ration of walnuts right through from Autumn to next Summer.
I've mentioned it before, that walnut tree leaves gives off a glorious citrus scent. Its worth brushing up against them if one is nearby.
There is a house opposite the chapel with a walnut tree. In years when they have a bumper crop they leave a Help-yourself-box outside. I'm hoping they do it again this year! I have never eaten pickled walnuts though. They usually end up in cakes or salads
ReplyDeleteAsk at the house by the chapel if you can brush up against their walnut tree leaves!
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