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Roast and Eat Pinion Nuts

By Richard Mahler

Author of “New Mexico’s Best”

Pinions—the delicious nuts of the pine tree—are a bona fide New Mexico gourmet treat. Not to be confused with nuts of the stone pines found in Italy, Spain and China, these nutritious morsels are harvested each fall by hand (mostly by freelance Navajo pickers) throughout the state’s high-desert woodlands. They sell retail for about $9 a pound.

Once they are shelled and roasted, pinion nuts make a wonderful addition to salads, sauces, candies, cookies and pestos, or can be eaten al by themselves. There’s a real knack, though, for efficiently picking and preparing the tiny nuts, which have a sweetish flavor and aroma that adds a New Mexican accent to cooking.

“Most experienced pickers use a sheet or blanket,” reports Jeff Kline, an environmental education consultant and founding secretary of the New Mexico Pinion Nut Industry Trade Council. “The sheet is placed on the ground underneath a tree that is heavily laden with nuts. Someone shakes the trunk or branches until the pinions fall out of their cones. They are then scooped up and placed in a sack or can.”

Kline points out that collecting pinions costs no money and “allows you to meet local people in a non-commercial way.” He recommends storing raw nuts in a cool, dry place, then soaking them in water for 10 minutes before roasting them on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

“Unfortunately,” he sighs, “there’s no easy way to get them out of their shells. You can use a hammer, rolling pin or standard nutcracker. Although my dentist wouldn’t approve, I think the best way is simply to crack them open with your teeth.”

As a reward for this considerable effort, pinions are not only delicious, but nutritionally very rich, providing many essential amino acids and proteins. Their high oil content makes the nuts a wonderful source of energy for hikers and others who exert themselves outdoors.

The thickest concentration of nut-bearing pinion trees are found mostly between 6,000 and 8,000 feet in elevation.

The Pinion Nut Council will make recommendations on prime picking spots. The best use of pinions in restaurant cooking is found at La Casa Sena in Santa Fe.

Insider Tip: “The best time to gather pinions is in mid-to-late October,” says Jeff Kline, “after the first frost opens the cones but before the first snow covers up the nuts that have fallen.”

Because of a complex set of scientific factors having to do with irregular plant and weather cycles, pinion nut crops vary dramatically from year to year and place to place. A given tract of pinion forest will yield a good crop about once every seven years.

Letter received from China

Dear Sirs,

For your information, we get your company and contact information for your company website. We know that your company distributes many kinds of seed products. But we don't get too much information about pine nut, especially Chinese pine nuts. As you know, pine nut products are popular around the world, including in your country. And in fact, we have co-operated with several corporations on pine nut products in your country such as Melissa's. Our pine nuts are all in good quality from Red Pine Forest of Changbai Mountain in Jinlin province, China. We can supply you products as you required. It is a profitable deal, why don't you take it into your consideration? Why don't you make a profit on this product? I think you can have a good choose for yourself. Please don't hesitate to contact with us if you have any question. We will provide you as many information about our pine nut as possible.

Waiting for your kind and soon reply.


Thanks and Best Regards,

Daisy

Bonnex International Trading Company