Pickled walnuts facts for kids
Pickled walnuts are a special kind of pickle from England. They are made from young, green walnuts. People often eat them with cold meats like turkey or ham, or with strong-tasting blue cheese. Famous writers like Charles Dickens and Evelyn Waugh have even mentioned them in their books!
Making pickled walnuts takes about a week or more. First, the green walnuts are soaked in salty water, called brine. This helps to keep them fresh and makes them less bitter. After this, they are ready to be pickled.
History of Pickled Walnuts
Pickled walnuts have been a popular food in England for a very long time. People have enjoyed them since at least the early 1700s. They even appear in many old books and stories.
In 1728, a plant expert named Richard Bradley wrote about pickled walnuts in his book The Country Housewife and Lady's Director. He explained that the best time to pick walnuts for pickling is early in the month, before their shells get hard. He also said that some people might not like the taste of onion or garlic in the pickle, and ginger could be used instead.
Charles Dickens mentioned pickled walnuts in his famous book, The Pickwick Papers, which came out in 1836. In one part of the story, a character who had just woken up after a fall asked for a "mutton chop and a pickled walnut." This shows how much people enjoyed them back then! He even said that eating them without vinegar made the beer taste better.
Pickled walnuts are also mentioned in another well-known book, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.
An old cookbook from London in 1727, called The Compleat Housewife, shared a recipe for pickled walnuts. First, the walnuts were soaked in vinegar for about two months. Then, they were boiled in good quality vinegar with spices like dill seeds, nutmeg, peppercorns, mace, and ginger. After cooling, the walnuts were put into jars with garlic, mustard seeds, and more spices. Finally, they were covered with vine leaves and the pickling liquid.
Today, pickled walnuts are still a common food in England. They are especially popular around Christmas time. Many people enjoy them with an English blue cheese like Stilton. They are also used in cooking, often added to beef dishes.
How Pickled Walnuts are Made
Pickled walnuts are made from the fruit of two main types of walnut trees. These are the Juglans regia, also known as the Persian or English walnut, and the Juglans nigra, or black American walnut.
The first step is to pick the walnuts when they are still green and soft. This is usually in late June in Britain. It's a good idea to wear rubber gloves because the walnuts can stain your skin!
Next, the soft walnuts are poked with a fork. Then, they are soaked in brine (salty water) for at least ten days. After soaking, the walnuts are drained and left to dry in the air. When the walnuts are exposed to sunlight after being in brine, a chemical reaction happens, and they turn a dark brown or black color.
Finally, these black walnuts are put into jars. A special pickling liquid is poured over them. This liquid can be simple vinegar or a mix with spices and sugar. The jars are then sealed. The walnuts are left in the jars for anywhere from five days to eight weeks, depending on the recipe. This allows them to soak up all the flavors and become perfectly pickled!
See also
In Spanish: Pickle de nueces para niños
