Posted on 04/14/2023 5:42:57 AM PDT by Red Badger
(Last Updated On: April 11, 2023)
NATIONAL PECAN DAY
Each year, National Pecan Day on April 14th celebrates one nut native to the United States. It’s also a favorite snack and ingredient across the country.
#NationalPecanDay
A member of the hickory family, the pecan is native to central and southern United States. “Pecan” is an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. They are an excellent source of copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin E. Pecans can help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. They are also rich in dietary fiber.
Pecans make great snacks all on their own, but they also make terrific garnishes for other foods such as desserts, salads, or the main meal. Sweet or savory, pecans can add a little glamor to a dish or be the star of the show.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PECAN DAY
Enjoy your favorite pecan recipes. There are so many to choose from so we have a couple of delicious recipes for you to try.
Pecan Snack
Sugar Coated Pecans
Snack on roasted pecans or you can make baked goods such as pies or cookies.
Top your salad with pecans.
Learn about pecan production.
Plant a pecan tree.
Use #NationalPecanDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL PECAN DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues to research the origin of this nutty holiday.
Pecan FAQ
Q. Are pecans for savory or sweet dishes?
A. Pecans enhance the flavor and texture of both savory and sweet dishes!
Q. Who produces the most pecans in the world?
A. The United States leads the worldwide production of pecans, most of which are produced in Georgia.
Q. Are pecans native to the United States?
A. Yes. The pecan tree is native to most of North America.
PEE-CAN or Pe-KAHN , today is their day!................
The Best Pecan Pie
With a homemade crust and a sweet pecan filling, this is THE pecan pie for your Thanksgiving table! Make it a day or two ahead, or freeze it for even longer.
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pecan_pie/
Pecan Pie: A History
Pecans are native to North America. So, it is entirely fitting that a pecan pie would make an annual appearance at Thanksgiving along with our other native foodstuffs like turkey, pumpkin, and cranberries.
Pecan pie itself, though, is a more recent invention. While the first printed recipes for the pie started appearing in the late 1800s, the pecan pie classic as we know it became popular through the marketing efforts of Karo in the 1930s to help sell their corn syrup, a necessary ingredient in the pie.
Tips for Making the Best Pecan Pie Recipe
Most pecan pie recipes I’ve found call for two cups of sweetener—one cup of corn syrup plus one cup of either granulated or brown sugar. I find that just a bit too sweet for my taste. So, for this pecan pie recipe, I’ve dropped the sugar down by half a cup. Feel free to reduce further or add more to your taste.
The molasses, butter, and vanilla bring out the wonderful flavor of the pecans. Nuts go rancid with storage, so make sure you are using the freshest of pecans for this pie!
Close up of baked pecan pie filling.
Elise Bauer
How Long to Bake Pecan Pie
This pie bakes for a little over an hour at 350°F. When done, the crust should be golden brown. The pie should be set around the edges, but still a bit wiggly (like Jell-O) in the middle. It will continue to firm up as it cools.
How to Serve Pecan Pie
Once baked, pecan pie should be cooled down completely to room temperature before serving, or the filling will be runny. Once the pie has come to room temperature and the filling is set, you can heat in a 275°F oven for 10 minutes if you want it warm. But for the most part, pecan pie is served at room temp.
Best Pecan Pie Recipe pecan pie cooling after baking
Elise Bauer
How to Store Pecan Pie
Typically pies with egg-based fillings, such as this pecan pie, need to be refrigerated. That said, I often make pecan pie a day ahead, tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and leave it on the counter. I’ve never had an issue.
Leftover pie should be refrigerated, where it will easily keep for up to 3 to 4 days. If you’d like to store your pie for a longer period of time, I recommend freezing it.
Your Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Schedule
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How to Freeze Pecan Pie
Pecan pie freezes well. Bake it and let it cool completely on the counter. Wrap the pie in a double layer of sturdy plastic wrap, pressing out any air, then double wrap in foil, and freeze for up to a month.
To serve, thaw the frozen pie overnight in the refrigerator, before bringing it to room temperature. If you like, warm it in the oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.
I hate to plug an online business, but it is relevant to this topic. (I’m also a major foodie, so I dig anything “gourmet.”)
This past Christmas a friend turned me on to Sunnyland Farms (sunnylandfarms.com), out of Georgia. Absolutely amazing pecans (their specialty), and their Heavenly Mix (mixed nuts) is the best I’ve ever had.
I say puh-con...lol
If that’s the kind of nut you prefer, hey, I don’t judge. I’ll stick with Sunnyland Farms. ;-)
I used to patrol Pleasant Grove (Dallas) back in the day, the north part along Jim Miller near Sceyene used to be called Pecan Heights. No one ever offered me any pecans or pecan pie. What a rip off
There used to be a drag racetrack in Jacksonville, FL called Pecan Park.
Never saw any there....................
Recipe looks okay, but adding rum to it makes a great pie even better. Also, it CANNOT be the best pecan pie without a homemade crust. They should know better.
I am so sorry that my deprived childhood did NOT include pecan pie, and am forever grateful to Mrs. White for forcing me to try it in Stanton, Missouri. My wife makes an exceptional pie, and it has been great for our marriage.
National pecan day should be in late November or so, when the Georgia pecans are fresh. I know pecans grow in other areas, but the Georgia pecans are juicy!
.
Love them far more than walnuts - which have a bitter taste to me. We get ours from Texas, of course.
Love pecan fruit cake especially.
I had a friend from the South, and in an effort to teach me how to “speak southern”, we went to an ice cream parlor.
“Ah would lahk a two scoop cone,” he said, “of Peecan Ripple and Budderpecon.”
I looked at him funny, and he explained, “the emphasis is always on the first syllable.”
That’s ‘High Class’ Southern....................
My understanding is that pecans are the best source of good copper after raw liver. There are different types of copper, and most sources (including the type normally used in supplement pills) are toxic. Most people are both copper toxic and copper deficient at the same time because they have too much toxic copper and not enough good copper. I vaguely recall that this has to do with whether the particular form of copper can cross the cell wall or can enter the mitochondria.
All this is to say that pecans are exceptionally healthy and may be very good for hair health.
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