1 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savior Prediction of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: I'm Annie Reas and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: have an episode for you about walnuts, specifically English walnuts 4 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: or Persian walnuts or golden walnuts. It's this particular kind 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 2: of walnut. It has a lot of names, it does, 6 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: and we will talk about this. 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, because yeah, there's a lot of different walnuts 8 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: out there, and we can't do it all right now, 9 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: that is so true. 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: Yes, I realized very quickly, in kind of like poking 11 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 2: into this topic that yeah, this has to be an 12 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: episode about only one type of walnut. So if you 13 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 2: are here hoping for information about black walnuts, I am 14 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: so sorry to disappoint you, but that is going to 15 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: have to be a future episode. 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: Indeed. Indeed, I think when I was doing my usual 17 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: what are my thoughts about whatever topic, the school the 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: university my dad taught at, had walnut trees. Oh, and 19 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: it was just kind of a thing on campus that 20 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: they had these walnuts, and I thought it was the 21 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: coolest thing as a kid. But they must have been 22 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: black walnut trees, I think, I don't know. But anyway, 23 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,479 Speaker 1: was there any particular reason these. 24 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 2: Were on your mind, Lauria, we hadn't done a nut 25 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 2: episode in a while. And I do associate these in 26 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 2: particular with like family and like fall into winter kind 27 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 2: of stuff. An old person. Thing I do that I 28 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: think I've mentioned on the show before is around the 29 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 2: winter holidays, I'll put out a bowl of in shell 30 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: nuts in my living room so that guests can confound 31 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: themselves by attempting to crack open nuts. 32 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: Yes, I love it. I love it. I also associate 33 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: them with the holidays. I believe I've told this story before, 34 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: but my mom stopped giving me candy in my stocking 35 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: for Christmas because I don't eat candy. Yeah yeah, but 36 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: she was so she's been trying to find like a substitute, yeah, 37 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: whatever it is. And she has given me a lot 38 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: of nuts over the I have so many, and I 39 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: believe a lot of you listeners know. But the reason 40 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: I have been absent recently, if you're listening to this 41 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: as it comes out, was I did Jerry duty and 42 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: I was very concerned about my stomach growling. Oh sure, yeah. 43 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: And I don't normally eat snacks, as I've talked about 44 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: on here before. The lunch situation wasn't great. So I 45 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: did eat packs of walnuts that my mom did me 46 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: and it did it was good. It was it got 47 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: me through no stomach rumbling. That's so good. 48 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I little little packets of nuts are yeah, one 49 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: of those snacks that I usually have, if not directly 50 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: on my person, Like I've just forgotten them that day 51 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:21,399 Speaker 2: because right, yeah, Like it's with being vaguely hypoglycemic. I'm 52 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: just like, wow, like if I run out of blood sugar, 53 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: everyone is going to have to deal with me, and 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:27,799 Speaker 2: I don't want them to have to do that, so 55 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: I should probably pack a snack. It's like having a 56 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: five year old. But it's just me. 57 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it. And nuts have betrayed 58 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: us before I have to say where, right we start 59 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: researching it's not a nut, but we have done several 60 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: related episodes. 61 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, within the category of culinary nuts. Yes, you can 62 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: see our episodes on hazel nuts, pistachios, cashew's chestnuts, macadamia's, pecans, pecans, 63 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: whatever way you want to say it. I have been 64 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: avoiding almends. I've been avoiding almends. 65 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: It's big. It's big. That's a tough one. Yeah, uh. 66 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: You can also see our Ashville episode about Amari in 67 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: which we do talk about Nocino and speaking of Ashville, 68 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 2: if any of our listeners are out there, I really 69 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: hope you're doing okay, you and your family and all 70 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: of your We we do. We do, not just me, 71 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 2: not like Annie is like Nscar. You guys, we hope 72 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 2: that you're doing as well as possible and that you 73 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: are receiving support. I have been like slowly checking in 74 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 2: with folks from Asheville who we spoke with on the 75 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 2: show when we went there. Everyone that I've seen posts 76 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 2: so far, Everyone who I've been able to get a 77 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 2: hold of has been, you know, working through it and 78 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: doing okay. The people with Eda Ryan specifically, who we're 79 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: talking with us about Nocino the Distillery came through just okay. 80 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: They do have a go fund me up for their staff. 81 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: So if if you have been touched by their interviews 82 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: or by their their horror story, their ghost story that 83 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 2: they sent us, or anything like that, feel free to 84 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 2: feel free to go look up at A rhine E 85 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 2: d A r h y n E and I'm sure 86 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 2: that'll pop up. 87 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, and we do hope all of you are doing. Okay, 88 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: I'm right in and let us know. But yes, I 89 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: guess this brings us to our question. Sure, English walnuts, 90 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: what are they? Well? 91 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: So called English walnuts, go buy many other names, but 92 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 2: they are a type of culinary nut that grows in 93 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 2: this thin, stiff, lightweight, sort of gnarled, pale brown shell. 94 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: They do take some force to crack open, but the 95 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: kernel inside will be like a little wrinkly nut brain, 96 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 2: with this thin golden skin that gives you a pop 97 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: of bitter flavor and white flesh crunchy and sweet and 98 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 2: a little creamy or melting as you chew it from 99 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: all the fats that it contains. They can be eaten 100 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: by themselves or used in any number of sweet or 101 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 2: savory dishes. Raw or dried or roasted. Roasting them will 102 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: bring out there like warm sweet nuttiness. Yeah yeah, but yeah. 103 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 2: Chopped into a salad, or into baked goods or ice creams, 104 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 2: or with cereal grains of whatever kind, you can serve 105 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 2: them as a snack, salted or sugared or spiced, maybe 106 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 2: alongside cheeses or fruits. They can be coated with or 107 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: chopped into chocolate. They can be ground into a flour 108 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 2: and used in baked goods, or a paste and used 109 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 2: in sauces and spreads, crushed and used as a like 110 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 2: crunchy coating on proteins or baked goods. They can be 111 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: ground for their oil, which will often be used in 112 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: like low heat or cold dishes to preserve the sort 113 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 2: of delicate, slightly sweet flavor of them. Ripe ones are 114 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 2: used to make better sweet liqueurs. They are nutritionally dense 115 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: and kind of kind of endlessly useful. They're like little 116 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: pre wrapped protein bars. They're like being outside on a 117 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 2: sunny day in the fall when you're when you're bundled 118 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 2: up warm, but then you get hit with like a 119 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: with like a sharp woodsy wind. Uh you know that 120 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: like smell of of of of of. 121 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: Of leaves falling. 122 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 2: It's a it's a feeling that's warm and round and 123 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: also sort of bitter. 124 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: M It's a lovely feeling. 125 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: It is it is. 126 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: They're they're just they're nice. They're nice. 127 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: Okay, so bo tannable name jew Glands Regia. These walnuts 128 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: are the seed of the fruit of the walnut tree. No, 129 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 2: they are not a true nut. They are a pseudo 130 00:07:54,800 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 2: droop similar to a peach or like a cherry. You know, 131 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: instead of eating the flesh of the fruit and discarding 132 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: the pit, we discard the flesh and crack open the 133 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 2: pit to get the seed inside. While nut trees are 134 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 2: large deciduous trees that grow to around forty to sixty 135 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 2: feet that's like twelve to eighteen meters, with a thick 136 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: gray bark and broad, flat, oval shaped green leaves. They 137 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: grow in temperate, like relatively dryish climates. It'll take some 138 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: five years before a new tree will start to fruit, 139 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 2: and about twenty before it grows like a really worthwhile crop. 140 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: In the spring, the trees bloom with both male and 141 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 2: female flowers, the male ones and these tiny drooping clusters 142 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 2: that look like little miniature grapes kind of, and the 143 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: female ones and these small clusters of buds. If pollinated, 144 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 2: the buds will develop into a green fruit that looks 145 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 2: a little bit like a small smooth lime, or maybe 146 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 2: like an unripe plum, but is constructed very differently, certainly 147 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: from a lime. 148 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: Okay. 149 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: The outer layer is this tough husk that's whitish green, 150 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 2: and in cases what will develop into that hard, pale 151 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: brown shell. Inside of that you get to the actual seed, 152 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: this double lobed little proto plant, you know, wrapped up 153 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 2: with nutritious stuff for that plant to eat should it 154 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: germinate and start growing. But suckers, we learned that we 155 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 2: like eating that stuff too, so they don't usually get 156 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 2: to it. The thin seed coat on walnuts looks veined 157 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: because those were veins that fed nutrients to the developing seed, 158 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,839 Speaker 2: and that seed coat is better with these phenolic compounds 159 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: that can stain white dough sort of purpleish. So if 160 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 2: you've ever been working with them in a baked good 161 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 2: and gone like, why is my dough turning purple? It's 162 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: a seed coat. Here you go. As the nut inside matures, 163 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: that green outer husk will split open, revealing the developed shell. 164 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 2: And the husk itself is super interesting because it, along 165 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 2: with like the body and the roots of the tree, 166 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: contains a bunch more of these potent phenolic compounds. One 167 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 2: of them is named after the walnut genus jew glow, 168 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 2: and it will stain everything it touches rusty brown, and 169 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 2: it gets into the ground around walnut trees and will 170 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: basically scald a lot of other plants that it interacts with, 171 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: like especially delicate things like tomatoes. The other phenolic compound 172 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: or other main one in there is gallic acid, which 173 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: is this astringent found in other things like black tea 174 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 2: and grape skins and is also staining. So Annie, if 175 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 2: you've ever had a problem eating walnuts, this is why 176 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: here you go. 177 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 3: My brain is turning over some things. Yes, oh sorry, 178 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 3: all good. The shell is also really cool. It's technically, 179 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 3: like botanically part of the fruit, not the seed, because 180 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 3: it develops from the flowers ovary, but that's sort of 181 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 3: that's sort of neither here nor there. Anyway, While the 182 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 3: fruit is growing, the shell starts out as like active, 183 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 3: living soft tissue, and then as the fruit matures, it 184 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: goes into this sort of like like castle defense mode, 185 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 3: and each cell of what will be the shell starts 186 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 3: thickening its walls from the inside of the cell, like 187 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 3: pushing its old layers outward, and those old layers will 188 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: start locking together with the other outer layers of neighboring 189 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 3: cells in like a really tight jigsaw. And so in 190 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,199 Speaker 3: doing this, each cell will eventually fortify itself so intensely 191 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: that it cannot receive supplies and will die, becoming stiff 192 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 3: like a like a like a rigid styrofoam grain or 193 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 3: something like that. 194 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: Wow. 195 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 2: Yeah right, it's like kind of metal. I'm like, all right, heck, yeah. 196 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: I see why you. I got a message from larn 197 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: right before we were about to record that was like 198 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: I have to I'm still reading about the shell. It's 199 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 1: like okay, okay, yeah, I understand. Yeah, yeah, it's really cool. 200 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 2: There's actually more on this later in the history section, 201 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 2: but anyway, okay. Walnuts are often harvested and kind of 202 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 2: two stages. First, you'll use a tractor with this attachment 203 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 2: that basically just like vigorously shakes each tree and it 204 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 2: knocks the nuts in their shells loose from those opened husks, 205 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: so they fall to the ground. And then you come 206 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 2: back through with a vehicle that has a kind of 207 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 2: like conveyor belt vacuum thing on the front end that 208 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: just pulls the nuts up into a bet on the back. Yeah. 209 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 2: They could be sold fresh, but are more commonly dried, 210 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 2: either in shell or after dshelling. And there are just 211 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 2: a lot of cultivars. They are not originally from England, 212 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: and they have a lot of names. As we've said, 213 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,200 Speaker 2: I went with English walnut as kind of a catch 214 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 2: all because that's what they're often called here in the US, 215 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: suspecked because we were in an English colony, and also to 216 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 2: to mark them from the black walnuts that grow here. Natively, 217 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 2: they're like there are at least two protected designations of 218 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 2: origin of English walnuts in France, the grandeble and the paragor. 219 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 2: I don't know if I just butchered that I looked 220 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 2: them up here we are. You can also grind and 221 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 2: press walnuts in order to produce walnut oil for cooking with. 222 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 2: They're about half oils by weight. Yeah, yeah, okay. People 223 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 2: make other products with walnuts, like like walnut and fused vinegars, 224 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 2: and then there's the category of green walnut liquors and wines. 225 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 2: So in this case, the walnuts are picked unripe, like 226 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 2: in late spring early summer, while their outer husk is 227 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 2: still bright green and unbroken and the inner shell is 228 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: still soft, like you can cut through the whole thing 229 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 2: with a knife. They are then soaked in alcohol and 230 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 2: sugar for usually a while, in order to produce this 231 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 2: category of like bitter, sweet and spicy and really rich tasting. 232 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 2: At parrot tiefs Vindnois is a French version with red 233 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: wine usually fortified with a spirit like brandy. No Chino 234 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 2: is an Italian version made with spirits of various kinds. 235 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 2: Different recipes we'll call for maybe like a fruit, brandy 236 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 2: or additional spices. Though there is like quite a lot 237 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 2: of flavor just in green walnuts alone due to the 238 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: aforementioned stuff in the husk just to begin with, you know, 239 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 2: the wood of the trees is also used for like 240 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 2: mostly like like sturdy but decorative objects, cabinets, furniture, stuff 241 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 2: like that. 242 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: Yes, wow, what about the nutrition. 243 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 2: Sustensibly food show, Yes, culinary nuts are nutritionally dense foods, 244 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 2: walnuts included. They've got a good punch of protein and 245 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 2: some good fats and fiber, lots of micronutrients that help 246 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 2: your body get stuff done. There has been lots of 247 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 2: research into the potential of walnuts and there in their 248 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 2: components to provide protection against various diseases and especially in 249 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: maintaining good gut health, which affects like a lot of 250 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 2: other systems we're finding out, and also in lowering like 251 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 2: bad LDL cholesterol levels. They're also just super easy to 252 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 2: incorporate into your diet. So most modern nutritional device is 253 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 2: often like, why not eat a small handful of walnuts 254 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 2: every day? Why not? But as with anything, you know, 255 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 2: eat them because you like them, and if you don't, 256 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 2: then don't do that. Also savor motto. You know, nutrition 257 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 2: is complicated, Our bodies are complicated. If you're ingesting a 258 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 2: medicinal amount of walnuts, I'm slightly confused because I don't 259 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 2: know how much that is, and that sounds like it's 260 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 2: probably a lot. Yes, but consult with the doctor before 261 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: you do. M hm, that's and that's not us. 262 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: Oh no, oh, absolutely not. Absolutely, we do have some 263 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: numbers for you. 264 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: We do. Okay. So, China produces the most walnuts of 265 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 2: this type by far, about half the world's supply, which 266 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: as of twenty twenty three was about two point six 267 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: million metric tons a year. The US trails at about 268 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 2: a third of the world supply, in Chile at around 269 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 2: a tenth. China is also the largest consumer of walnuts, 270 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 2: but the US, Turkey, and the EU eat a lot 271 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 2: as well. And yes, I am also frustrated that I 272 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 2: couldn't that no one broke it down beyond the EU. 273 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: I'm like, you. 274 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 2: Realize that there are a number of cultures there, not 275 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 2: that there's not a number of cultures in the US 276 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: at any rate. About a third of what the United 277 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: States produces is sold in shell, which is like a 278 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 2: surprisingly large amount to me. Yeah, there are so many 279 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: festivals for this type of walnut. There are festivals in France, Greece, 280 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 2: the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Turkey, the Carriers Republic, China, the 281 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 2: United States. Okay, one festival outside of Luxembourg has been 282 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: going on sporadically since nineteen thirty four and yearly since 283 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy. They offer walnut liqueurs, nut breads and sausages 284 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:25,719 Speaker 2: made with walnuts. That sounds fascinating, right. There's one in 285 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 2: Spain that involves building a giant bonfire in the town plaza, 286 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: gathering probably thousands of walnuts, and then pelting the crowd 287 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 2: with the walnuts from balconies around the plaza, and then 288 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 2: everyone drinks free wineing girls out all night. The kids 289 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 2: who attend usually come wearing bike helmets so that they 290 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 2: don't get tilted too hard. 291 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: That's fantastic. Can you imagine if you didn't know what 292 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: was going on, then you're just getting it with walnuts? 293 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 2: It sounds beautiful. I from what I understand, they more 294 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 2: or less. I mean, I think that there's a warning. 295 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 2: I don't think they just started doing it randomly, but 296 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 2: I could be wrong. I haven't been. 297 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: Oh, let us know listeners. Oh heck. 298 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 2: There's one Incommon, Turkey that was in its thirty third 299 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: year this year. The town boasts a walnut tree that 300 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: is over three hundred and seventy five years old in 301 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: the town center. There's a festival, or there was a 302 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 2: festival south of London that ran for hundreds of years, 303 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 2: like back to the thirteen hundreds, before fizzling out in 304 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 2: eighteen sixty eight, I guess is the last year that 305 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: it occurred. There's one in Walnut Creek, California, that began 306 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 2: officially in nineteen thirty six, meaning twenty twenty four was 307 00:18:55,280 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 2: its eighty eighth year. Their mascot is this anthropomorphic walnut 308 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 2: like like it's like it's like a dude with a 309 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 2: walnut head and he's wearing like really like kingly green 310 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 2: robes and a green crown, like green and gold crown. 311 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 2: Past costume versions were creepy, creepy in ways that only 312 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 2: like historical paper mache mask costumes can be. 313 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: Oh wow, love it me too. 314 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 2: It's these days it's basically like a carnival and music 315 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 2: and arts festival. 316 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: Uh. 317 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,479 Speaker 2: Generally speaking, though, I think that we have just missed 318 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 2: most of the walnut festivals around the world. They tend 319 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 2: to occur in like late September early October. H So 320 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 2: you know, make plans for next year or check your 321 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 2: local listings there. Again, are like a lot of. 322 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: These things mm hmmm hmm. And not to be. 323 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 2: Outdone, there also are a few like Walnut symposia for 324 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: industry workers and researchers and you know, other interested parties. 325 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 2: The ninth International Symposium of the Walnut and Pecan happened 326 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: in Greno Bla. Am I saying that right, Grinobleu, I 327 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 2: think that's closer, No, thank you. In June of twenty 328 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 2: twenty three, there was one this January for ongoing research 329 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 2: in California, including people involved with I have to I 330 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 2: had to add this detail. It included people who are 331 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 2: involved with the Production Research Advisory Council's working groups, referred 332 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 2: to in this case as the Walnut crackout. 333 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: Mm hmm, very good, very good. Gotta love it. 334 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 2: Not a number still delightful very delightful. 335 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. Well, people have foul walnuts pretty delightful 336 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 1: for quite a long time. 337 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 2: Oh, they have, they have, and we are going to 338 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 2: get into that history as soon as we get back 339 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 2: from a quick break forward from our sponsors. 340 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. Okay. 341 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: So the ancestor of the English walnut goes back millions 342 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: and millions of years and probably originated in the Middle 343 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: East or Asian minor. 344 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, the English walnut specifically, hence one of the other 345 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: names for this, not the Persian walnut. From genomic research, 346 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 2: it seems that this species in particular developed from a 347 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 2: hybrid of two more ancient walnut type trees now extinct 348 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 2: some three point four or five million years ago. 349 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: Yes, there's a very in depth research paper about it. 350 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 2: Oh, there has been a lot of research about it 351 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 2: because it has been so food important and economically important 352 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 2: to so many people. So it's really cool, too much 353 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 2: for right now, it's really cool and a little overwhelming 354 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 2: for us. 355 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah. Anyway, anyway, people there were using them as 356 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: food as far back as seven thousand BCE, and eventually 357 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: these walnuts made their way to Europe, where both the 358 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: Greeks and Romans went on to cultivate it. Many historians 359 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: credit the Romans was spreading the walnut throughout much of Europe. 360 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 1: According to some sources, the Greeks selectively bred walnuts to 361 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: produce larger ones. When Mount Vesuvius blue and seventy nine 362 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: and Pompeii walnuts were left on the table of the 363 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: Temple of Isis, so people think that shows they were important. Howeber, 364 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: there were some mixed reviews I have to say health 365 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: wise about the walnut. Pliny the Elder If Pliny, oh, 366 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: we haven't talked about him so long, I can't remember 367 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: how to pronounce plenty Plenty the Elder, I'm so sorry, 368 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: wrote that sitting beneath walnut trees led to quote heaviness 369 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 1: of the head. In the first century CE. 370 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 2: Huh. Walnuts also made their way east to China, where 371 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 2: they were being cultivated there by at least one thousand CE. Yeah. 372 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: Rights. Charlemagne had walnuts planted in his orchards in the 373 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 1: eighth century, and at one point in time, walnuts were 374 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: so popular in France that some French churches accepted them 375 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: as ties, and they were French officials appointed to prevent 376 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: walnut fraud. Ah. Yes, the historical records are of it sparse, 377 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: but some historians speculate that walnuts were more widely incorporated 378 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: in European cooking during the Crusades in medieval times, when 379 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: there was more exposure to Arab deserts that contained nuts 380 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: and a lot of our nut desserts. Oh yeah, episodes 381 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: you can see. Oh yeah, we talked about that. 382 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 3: Yeah. 383 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: In the thirteen ninety three work La Manajre de paris, 384 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,239 Speaker 1: a sort of etiquette guide from the point of view 385 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: of an older man towards his younger bride. I'm very 386 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: interested in Yeah, I know, I was like, stops off, stop, 387 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: we can't go into this. But in it they claim 388 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: that walnuts led to headaches. So going back to it. 389 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, probably those tannins, man, Probably those tannins. 390 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,120 Speaker 1: You know, I'm really going to have to think about this. 391 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: I'm really gonna have to think about this. Something else 392 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: I enjoyed, especially since as we're recording this it's October. 393 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: There is a really fun legend that dates back to 394 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: around this time about the benevent though witches or I 395 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 1: say fun, but as fun as medieval europe legends about 396 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: witches can be sure, yeah, but it centers around a 397 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: walnut tree in Benevento and what is modern day Italy. 398 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: During Roman rule, people worshiped the Egyptian goddess Isis under 399 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: this tree. Later, there were rumors of pagan worship under 400 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: the tree, eventually allegedly leading to a bishop having it 401 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: uprooted in the seventh century. But because of all this, 402 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: legends grew around using trees as places to worship in 403 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: the area, many of them associated with Satan. Legend goes 404 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: that people started writing about a walnut tree in Benevento 405 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: where witches came to gather for their sabbaths, and they 406 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: would cast evil spells under the tree, which would appear 407 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: for the occasion like confused by it. 408 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 2: Like this uprooted tree would reappear for them to hold 409 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 2: their sabbaths under Okay cool, yeah. 410 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: Yes, and then the witches would fly off after their 411 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: evil doing is done and the tree disappear again. The 412 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:07,360 Speaker 1: inquisition allegedly would make accused witches confess that they had 413 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: flown to the walnut tree and Benevento and cast spells. 414 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 1: The legend is pretty popular. Some suggest that it led 415 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: to a link between the Italian word for walnut and 416 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: the Latin word for harm. There's also a series of 417 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: children's books based on this legend, and I would love 418 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:28,679 Speaker 1: for people to write and if they've read them. I 419 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: visited the site and I think I would have really 420 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: liked them as a kid. But it had sort of 421 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: a faq about where the author was coming from the history. 422 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I ran out of time to look into this today, 423 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 2: but I am so curious to just like unearth all 424 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 2: of the weird little details about it. And yeah, so 425 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 2: if there are more weird little details about it, then 426 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 2: you can bet that there will be a short episode 427 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:57,640 Speaker 2: sometime in the future. 428 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 1: Yes, and let us know, oh, if you know them. 429 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: It was. It was showing up on tourist websites, so 430 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: it's a thing pretty popular. 431 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and this is part of also where where legends 432 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 2: surrounding Nochino come from. That the fine folks at a 433 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 2: hine were talking about, because right, you're using these green 434 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 2: walnuts and other potentially witchy herbs to. 435 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: Make the cores. Yes, and it was very secretive, very secretive. Anyway, anyway, 436 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: that side aside, A rough winter in seventeen o nine 437 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: destroyed almost two thirds of the mature walnut trees in 438 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: northern Europe. Moving on, during the seventeenth century, parts of 439 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: Europe went through something of a trend when it came 440 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 1: to using the wood of walnut trees for furniture. People 441 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: really liked the colors of the wood, they liked the 442 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: patterns of the grain. However, this trend was relatively short 443 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: lived at five decades when at that point would from 444 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: Central America became the preference for many European furniture makers. 445 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: In seventeen twenty, during the peak of British colonization, English 446 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 1: traders traded a lot of walnuts, which is when they 447 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: might have gotten the nickname English walnuts. Sure, and then 448 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 1: Franciscan monks started planting these walnuts in California in the 449 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: late seventeen hundreds and called the mission walnuts. So to 450 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:36,479 Speaker 1: recap the name names they are confusing. 451 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: Uh huh, but from what I. 452 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: Read, basically, walnuts were introduced to Europe via Asia Persian walnuts, 453 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: which were then introduced much later to a lot of 454 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: the world through English merchants. English walnuts. Then Franciscan monks 455 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:56,719 Speaker 1: in California started growing them, dubbing them Mission walnuts. But 456 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: then there was further confusion because yes, there is a 457 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: variety native to North America, so. 458 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and to California specifically, there's a couple species in 459 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 2: North America of native black walnuts. Again separate episode. Meanwhile, 460 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 2: speaking of names, the botanical name for the walnuts that 461 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: we are talking about today, jew glands Regia, literally means 462 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 2: something to the extent of the regal nuts of Jupiter. 463 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: It's amazing, right, congrats English walnut. Great name. Amazing. 464 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 2: Anyway, in California, this type of walnut spread as farmers 465 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 2: adopted it as a cash crop starting in around the 466 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 2: eighteen sixties. 467 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 1: And then I read in the eighteen eighties gilded walnuts 468 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: were a popular Christmas ornament in Europe, and according to 469 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: some things I read, there were like small prizes. 470 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you'd like you'd empty out the shell, put 471 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,479 Speaker 2: in a little prize, glue the shell back together, and 472 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 2: then apply gold leaf or like a golden foil to 473 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 2: the shells. This is still a craft thing that people 474 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 2: occasionally do, like modernly, you might use gold paint because 475 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 2: that's easier, but and like you might not bother to 476 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 2: remove the nut. 477 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: But yeah, all very cool. Love it. That's very cool. 478 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 1: I love it. Records indicate walnuts did become popular as 479 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: of food stuff in England until after World War One, 480 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: although I think it's in our modern context and understanding, 481 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 1: but yeah, I was kind of surprised by that too. 482 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, California plantings really boomed during Prohibition because vineyards went 483 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 2: into decline during that time and people were like, oh, 484 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 2: we need to pivot somewhere. 485 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: Yep, yep. And in the twenty tens, walnuts got wrapped 486 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: up in a lot of health marketing in the United States. 487 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd say starting back in the nineteen nineties really, 488 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 2: as that was the first wave of the Mediterranean diet trend, 489 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: which kind of comes back around once every few years 490 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 2: in some circles, has never really left. So there's been 491 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 2: a bunch of buzz about it this year too. 492 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, wow. As mentioned, research is ongoing into 493 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: these walnuts. 494 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 2: Oh, it certainly is. Okay, all right, Two science updates 495 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 2: for you. 496 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:32,959 Speaker 1: Okay. 497 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 2: One, walnuts are particularly hard nuts to crack pun intended 498 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 2: and credit to Science Magazine for that one. In twenty nineteen, 499 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:45,959 Speaker 2: a team of researchers put out the study about the 500 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:50,479 Speaker 2: microstructure of walnut shells, in which they had to create 501 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 2: a new name for the shapes of the cells that 502 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 2: make up the material of the shell because it's different 503 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 2: from anything they had ever really seen before. It's sort 504 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 2: of like this three D jigsaw of irregularly contoured lobes, 505 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 2: each in contact with an average of fourteen other cells. 506 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: So they called them polylobate sclariat cells. Rolls off the 507 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 2: Townue and yeah, they're just very intricately fitted and very tough, 508 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 2: like a like an unnecessarily complex honeycomb. They basically cannot 509 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 2: be pulled apart at the cell joints due to the 510 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 2: sheer tensile strength of the surrounding cells all pushing together 511 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 2: at like an average of fourteen points. You have to 512 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 2: break open the walls of the cells themselves in order 513 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: to crack up in a walnut. 514 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah, that's great, so cool. 515 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 2: People are like researchers are like hoping to look at 516 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: that for you know, like building materials in the future. 517 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 1: Anyway. 518 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 2: Also, just this year twenty twenty four, researchers announced the 519 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:06,719 Speaker 2: discovery of three new species in the walnut genus that 520 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 2: have been long extinct. They were part of this huge 521 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 2: forest some forty five million years ago on the shores 522 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 2: of the Arctic Ocean, which at that point had forests. 523 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 2: Evidence shows that animals were eating and possibly even cashing, 524 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 2: walnuts back then. So I love that the animal behavior 525 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 2: of caching nuts, of taking nuts to a little specific 526 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 2: place and kind of hiding them away for later has 527 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 2: been around for that long. It's so cool. 528 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 1: That is really cool. They were onto something, they knew 529 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 1: what was up. Oh yeah, oh yeah. 530 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 2: There's other evidence that squirrels different types of nut collecting 531 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 2: squirrels will in fact cash nuts in different locations based 532 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 2: on the size and proceed quality of that nut. So 533 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 2: they're like they're like, well, like my like B grade 534 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 2: nuts are over here, but my A grade nuts are 535 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: over here, and so like I might kind of fake 536 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 2: out another squirrel by like going to put a B 537 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 2: grade nut in my A grade space, but then I'll 538 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 2: actually like take it back to the B grade place 539 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 2: when they're not looking, so that I like hide my 540 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: A grade nuts. 541 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 1: Wow, I'm discerning. I love it calculating these squirrels. 542 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 2: When when you see them just sitting there kind of 543 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,279 Speaker 2: like rubbing their little hands, like yeah, they're not just 544 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 2: it's not a dial tone happening in there, and they're 545 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 2: actually thinking. 546 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, how do I preserve my best quality nuts 547 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 1: so no one knows about it? Well, I think that's 548 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,439 Speaker 1: what we have to say about English walnuts for now. 549 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: I think it is uh but uh. 550 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 2: If you have anything to say about English walnuts, we 551 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 2: would love to hear from you. And furthermore, we already 552 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 2: have some of less their mail for you and we 553 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 2: are going to get into that as soon as we 554 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:04,239 Speaker 2: get back from one more quick break for a word 555 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:05,759 Speaker 2: from our sponsors. 556 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you, sonsors, Yes, thank you, and 557 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 1: we're back with the snort. They're hard to crack, those words, 558 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: they are, That's true. Melina wrote, I wanted to thank 559 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: you for helping me plan my wedding. I was inspired 560 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 1: by your discussion of cookie tables on the Pitsele episode. 561 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 1: I still had a wedding cake since my mom has 562 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 1: made them for years and I needed to have her 563 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 1: involvement there. However, I was able to recruit family members 564 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: on both sides to make our favorite cookie recipes to 565 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:58,439 Speaker 1: pack in boxes as favors for the guests. I loved 566 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 1: how it tells a story of how our families are 567 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 1: combining through food and everyone enjoyed being able to take 568 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 1: home a bunch of cookies. Of course, my bridesmaid from 569 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania was very happy to see this regional tradition incorporated 570 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 1: as well. Thank you for solving my problem of coming 571 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 1: up with favors and inspiring me with how to involve 572 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: everyone in our families. Oh, thank you love. Oh and congratulations, yes, congratulations. 573 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 1: Melita sent us some pictures. It looks like it was 574 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: a lovely time, a lot of cookies to be had, 575 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:42,239 Speaker 1: which of course enhances the lovely time. Oh yeah, but 576 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:46,839 Speaker 1: I love that I do. That's such a great That's 577 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,640 Speaker 1: just really lovely to hear, because we have said before 578 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: it's fantastic when our listeners share these things that I 579 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: had never heard of this before, and then hearing that 580 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: inspired you. You then in turn brought together your family 581 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: in a way of like different different recipes. 582 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 2: And brought joy cookie joy. 583 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 1: Oh it's so good. 584 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:19,840 Speaker 2: Yes, Jackie wrote, I was delighted when I refreshed my 585 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: feed and found an episode about beer again. Not I 586 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:26,319 Speaker 2: may do I love beer, but dark beers of all 587 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 2: sorts are my favorite fall time. I own and operate 588 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,560 Speaker 2: a small craft brewery in Spokane, Washington with my partner 589 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 2: in business and life, and we specialize in mostly darker 590 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,800 Speaker 2: malt forward beers from American ambers, Scottish ales and darker. 591 00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:42,799 Speaker 2: One of the reasons we do is because I love 592 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 2: them so much I drink them year round. That being said, 593 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 2: you were asking about other styles of dark laggers, of 594 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:52,279 Speaker 2: which there are many. Beside the German schwartz beers, there 595 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:56,360 Speaker 2: are many from multiple continents with famous dark laggers, like 596 00:37:56,400 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 2: the Mexican, the Gromaldello, Belize, Belican, Black Croatia in dark laggers, 597 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 2: Baltic porters, and so many more. I have personal connections 598 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:07,320 Speaker 2: with these styles of dark laggers, seeing as my brewery 599 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,600 Speaker 2: has had most of, not all of these styles before. 600 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:11,960 Speaker 2: They are perfect for people who like to drink toasty 601 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,920 Speaker 2: beers year round with a lower ABV and lighter mouthfeel. 602 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 2: Before wide popularity, you mostly found these styles of beer 603 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 2: in places that specialize in laggering or countries that are 604 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:25,000 Speaker 2: warmer near the equator where it's harder to market and 605 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 2: sell traditional stouts and porters. Also, I'm sure you've already 606 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,239 Speaker 2: heard from a few people already that yeast was not 607 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 2: included in the original German beer law. The reason was 608 00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 2: it had not been discovered and named yet and discovered 609 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,360 Speaker 2: that it played a role in fermentation until the eighteen 610 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,640 Speaker 2: fifties by Louis Pastor. It wasn't until later that it 611 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:47,720 Speaker 2: was grandfathered in as a given with water hops and barley. 612 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:50,440 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for all you do and the 613 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 2: hours of entertainment you've given me over the years. I 614 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 2: have been a Stuff podcast listener since the start and 615 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:58,359 Speaker 2: was absolutely delighted that you two started this one and 616 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 2: decided to include beverages too, which is my special interest 617 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:02,360 Speaker 2: in the food realm. 618 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:07,080 Speaker 1: Well, of course, yeah, Oh that's fabulous. 619 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 2: That sounds like a really fun Oh I would like 620 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 2: be in danger in that kind of craft brewery because 621 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 2: I also write I love I love Dark Loggers always 622 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 2: a hit. 623 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I am very intrigued. Since we did that episode, 624 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: I have been on the lookout. Oh yeah, I haven't 625 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: found any yet, but there's a lot of ideas within 626 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: this email of things that can look for getting cooler 627 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:37,560 Speaker 1: here in Atlanta. So if I want to hit that 628 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 1: like fall dark Logger feel, even though you can drink 629 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 1: them whenever it's time, it's time. 630 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, and even here at Atlanta, certainly I'm 631 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 2: not sure about other areas, but yeah, Modelo is a 632 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:57,120 Speaker 2: really popular brand and so and usually it just has 633 00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 2: the lighter logger, but the darker one, the negro. Modelo 634 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:05,800 Speaker 2: is pretty much everywhere, many places, easy to find. Really 635 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 2: good for making chili, so good for putting in chili. 636 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,360 Speaker 1: That is hilarious. You mentioned that because I'm making chili tonight. 637 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, Fortunately I don't have here, but noted. 638 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and yeah, thank you for the note about yeast. 639 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:24,360 Speaker 2: I think that, like, especially if we're kind of writing quickly, 640 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:28,840 Speaker 2: we will write down that that was a historical component, 641 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:32,439 Speaker 2: although yes, of course there were centuries in between most 642 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 2: of these beer styles being developed and the realization that 643 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:37,520 Speaker 2: yeast is what was making them work. 644 00:40:38,719 --> 00:40:44,759 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, and also the ghost of Pilsner, which one 645 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,440 Speaker 1: day we'll get to. 646 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 2: The pale, pale ghost of Pilsner. 647 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: Which is in all of these stories. But yes, thank you, yes, 648 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:00,319 Speaker 1: thank you to both of these listeners are writing too. Is. 649 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,200 Speaker 1: If you would like to contact us, you can Our 650 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,840 Speaker 1: email is hello at savorpod dot com. 651 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:08,040 Speaker 2: We are also on social media. You can find us 652 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,279 Speaker 2: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at saverpod. And we do 653 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:14,359 Speaker 2: hope to hear from You Savor is production of iHeartRadio 654 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 2: former podcasts from Myheartradio. You can visit the iHeartRadio app, 655 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:20,640 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 656 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:23,520 Speaker 2: Thanks as always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and 657 00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:25,919 Speaker 2: Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, and we hope 658 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:35,520 Speaker 2: that lots more good things are coming your way.