Acorn soup 1

Okay, all you white eyes that have ever wanted to try Indian Acorn Mush but were afraid to try, I’m about to give you a recipe for Indian Acorn Mush that you will actually like! You will be the hit of Thanks-Giving dinner. It’s a great way to guarantee that the Grandkids will be at your house for thanks-giving. Simply let it slip (To your Grandkids) that one of your dishes this year is going to be Real Homemade Indian Acorn Soup. Don’t worry; your son-in-law won’t taste it.

This is the best year of all the “Acorn-Masts”. It’s the best I’ve ever seen, and I’m an old guy. The acorns are big, and fat, and sweeeeeet. If you don’t find any under the first tree, go to another one. The deer will beat you to most, but not all; there are too many acorns this year. The lower elevations are the last to ripen. But, don’t try eating one without preparing it first. It’ll stick in your throat, and you will want to go to the Hospital. But, you will live through it, so if you can’t resist, clean one and bite a taste of the end. Your tongue will say; “Wow, that’s good,” but your throat will say; “Oh no you don’t!”

I’m a busy man, and this will be long, so I will do this on installments on this blogsite.

White Oak acorns are the mildest, so you might start with them. Every acorn has a different flavor, so if you should become a “Gourmet”, you will be able to decide which acorn you like the best. I like Black Oak, for their nutty, slightly maple syrup flavor. I’ve never tried a Chinquapin, but they say they are the best. Don’t use pepperwood. I’ve tasted them, but I am wholly unsure of them.

If you don’t know one tree from another you might ask an Indian or a generational native that has been here a few years. Or ask a deer, they always gather the sweetest nuts first.

When gathering your acorns, pick the ones with lightest color, with no worm holes. Gather the biggest ones you can find, shake them in your hand to make sure they are full. After a few thousand you will know which ones are best. The big ones are easier to clean. If the pickins’ are slim, do like the Indians did, gather them all, they are all good, just some are better. Rinse them off, to get rid of any dirt. The Indians would dry the acorns in the shell for a while, until the shell was brittle, then they would drop the acorns in a grinding bowl and pop them open with the grinder. Then they would peal the shell away with a deer antler. Peal the nut, toss away any with to much rot or worminess. They were then sun dried, or dried by the fire inside, depending on the weather. Shell them with a dull paring knife. Don't use any steel or cast iron around your acorns it will turn your mush black!!! Chop them into 1/4 inch pieces. Rinse them again in a colander, and then spread them on a drying rack, that you keep behind your wood stove. Just kidding, if you have a food dehydrator, that will work. The main point is to thoroughly dry them in a warm place. Dry them out thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly. This is an important step, so I will leave you here so you don’t rush ahead!

This aught to keep you busy for awhile, but hurry, this is the last of acorn season and the deer are eating them as we speak. The Damn Grey squirrels got most of my wild hazel nuts. More Later…………………….