i get my black walnuts now from sunnyland farms ( http://www.sunnylandfarms.com )

Thank you, Kristin!

Lucette–I wanted to highlight stuff that was truly local to my experience, something that was different and unique to where I live, and have lived most of my life. Hence, the “field and stream” aspect of the post! Glad you enjoyed it!

Hadar–one of the things I should have said was this–if you cannot come to Appalachia to experience these things, find out what grows wild where you are and experience -those- things! In fact, I think it is more important that you learn what is native to where you are than to go someplace else and experience that native foodshed.

Rebecca–Yes, rampion is an old name for ramps. In Europe, another name for a similar species is “bear garlic,” which I think is a great name, because the flavor of the plant is so BIG!

Black walnuts are better cooked than eaten out of hand–you also have to be sure and let them dry out–if you get them while they are still “green,” the bitter compounds are much stronger. Dry them out before opening them up and the bitterness dissipates. Toast them or bake with them, and more of the bitterness is driven off by the heat, leaving behind the musky sweetness, with just an edge of bitter to keep it interesting.

Sally–I didn’t ramps grew so far west! Cool! The rest, though–yeah, they are pretty universal to the high country in the US.

This post makes me miss my woods, that is for certain!

Dan–yep, it is obvious to me that you, too, are a child of Appalachia. And yes, saying, “eat me” would be rude!

And you are right–squirrel stew is fantastic–nothing makes a better gravy than squirrel. It is even better than venison in my opinion, and rabbit, too, though I love both of those meats–as well you know.

Nahhhh!!!!

I understand your response Sally, but I actually prefer black walnuts to English walnuts. English walnuts are a little too mellow a flavor for my taste. At least plain. I like English Walnuts in foods, but if I’m shelling and eating them, black walnuts all the way!

But then I, like Barbara, grew up on them.

Heather, (my wife,) often makes banana bread from scratch, and I love it when the walnuts are in season, as I can go out, gather up a bunch, dry and shell them, and have banana and black walnut bread!

I’m quite experienced at that. I spent many a year going out with my dad and picking up black walnuts, (which were his favorite to just shell and eat. Still are.) And when Barbara says hammers and chisels, she ain’t kidding. Dad and I used carpenter’s claw hammers to get ‘em open!

These memories of growing up with my Dad bring be back around to the “Meat comes from animals” posts from earlier on this blog. It is from the same days of walnut hunting that Dad would go squirrell hunting. I went with him once or twice when I was around 5, but never after that, (not because I was being “sheltered from violence,” or because I was traumatized. But because I’d get all excited, and talk Dad’s ear off. I was just too noisy a kid to be a successful hunting partner. Dad just stopped hunting not too long afterward. Just lost interest.)

Dad would wait to gut and dress the squirrells until he got home because I wanted to watch. I was very interested in biology and mammal anatomy, so he’d gut them, and I’d watch, identifying the different organs and bones. It was a mini biology lesson.

And afterwards, the stew was always good.

And I’ll refrain from comment about the fishing aspect of the post. Saying “Eat Me” would be rude

Dan Trout