There are, by my count, at least seven levels of fried chicken. The worst of them is good; the best, which I waited forty-four years to find, led to what can only be called an out-of-body experience. Let’s start at …
Are Pine Nuts Good to Eat?
Pine nuts are the sweet, edible seeds of pine cones from different types of pine trees. The two most common types are pignolia and pinyon (or pinon) pine nuts. Pine nuts are used to garnish many types of dishes but are probably best known as a key ingredient in green pesto sauce. Add this to my Recipe Box.
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Geography
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Pinyon pine nuts come from western U.S. The pignolia pine nuts commonly found in supermarkets and specialty food shops come from Europe.
Identification
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Shelled pine nuts are small, creamy-tan in color and, depending on the variety, either long and slender or a bit squatter and shaped like a kernel of corn.
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Nutrition
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An ounce of pignolia pine nuts provides 160 calories, 7 grams protein and 14 grams fat. An ounce of pinyon pine nuts provides 178 calories, 3 grams protein and 17 grams fat.
Considerations
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Pine nuts can be toasted to enhance their flavor. Place nuts in a microwave-safe pie plate and microwave at full power for about 6 minutes, stirring twice during toasting. Alternatively, toast nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until just golden, about 3 minutes.
Warning
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The oil in pine nuts can easily go rancid so it is best to buy them as fresh as possible and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of thebittenword.com
