Are black walnuts supposed to taste like this?

[ca2devri]

My parents have lived with a huge productive black walnut tree in their yard for almost 20 years now. I finally decided this year to harvest them and give them a try. Picking up the nuts and cleaning them wasn't too difficult. Now I have about 100 lbs of nuts and that's probably less than 1/5th of what was there.

Thing is, I've tried them a couple times and the taste is a bit strong. I can eat a few of them, but they leave a strong aftertaste. I can taste them for hours afterwards. My wife and kids are not impressed.

My question is: is this normal? I thought these things were supposed to be fabulous? Do I have to wait longer (I picked and husked them in early October)? Or is there perhaps variation from tree to tree and this one just isn't so good?

Chris

[JHinCA]

I think they are supposed to be like that. I know people who are crazy about them, but I don't care for them. They have a taste like they have gone bad to me.
JMHO

Jean

[||Downhome||]

to my knoledge you gather them up and leave them in a temperate area nothing to cold or warm and leave them till the husks are cming off by themselfs clean them up a bit and leave them a while longer then they are ready to crack open. thinking you rushed it , might just leave them a month or two longer before ya start cracking the rest of them???

basicly you didnt dry them..... should mellow them lots

[romysbaskets]

Hi! My Grandparents had the Old English Black Walnut trees. It is just as Downhome says....they have to be dried properly to mellow the taste. I loved them! My Grammy used to send me a bag for Christmas sometimes....what a treat for baking!! I was not too fond of eating handfuls of them but a few at a time were good. They do have a stronger flavor than some other varieties.....but they are wonderful for you!

After they cracked the nuts, they dried the "meats" out on trays....I remember this as a little girl. My Grandfather was cracking them in the winter before the fire....snow outside and he sat there in his recliner cracking away with those strong hands.......

You say black walnuts....it sure brings me back to warm memories!

[deaconjim]

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that makes a black walnut tree better than kudzu is that black walnut trees make good lumber.

[Beeman]

I have plenty of black walnut trees, I don't see the attraction to eating them. Some people pay dearly for the meats by the pound. I think they taste terrible but what can I say.

[EDDIE BUCK]

Blackwalnuts are like uglyness,little bit goes a long way.Why do you think it takes so long and hard to crack and pick out some? The best cake in my opinion is black walnut cake,but don,t put much in it or it will be bitter.

Pecan pie?Don't even think it with black walnuts,just sprinkle ONE walnuts meat over those pecans on top of the pie before it goes in the oven.
It will make the best black walnut pie you ever dreamed of and the folks will think you worked all day picking out ALL those black walnuts,that for some reason LOOKS like pecans,that cover the top of that pie. eb

[Alice In TX/MO]

I'm with you. Nasty.

[scooter]

About the only thing I've used black walnuts in is divinity and I love it that way.

[ronbre]

black walnuts are best is small doses..like on top of a cupcake..they are yummy that way..

they are basically a garnish..not something you sit and eat out of hand..

they are good for you..

try them in fudge..on cupcakes...in chocolate chip cookies..

in our westerinzed civilization we have lost our taste for sour or bitter things where in other cousntries..they are prized..

in most civilizaitons they try to put a little bitter and a little sour and a little sweet and a little astringent and a little creamy and a little umami and a little crunchy and a little chewey and a little salty in every dish..to not only balance out the nutrients but the flavor and feel for the dish..

here in the usa..we eat burger and fries and pastries and ice cream..but we don't balance our meals or our flavors..

consider those little bittery slightly sweet morsels as the perfect garnish for something sweet like a dessert, or something savory like a salad..etc.