Pecan Trivia

 November is National Pecan month so I thought I might see what we all ready knew and did not know. For example did you know:

• Pecans are actually considered "drupes" which would be the fruit of a tree similar to peaches and plums
• The Algonquin referred to pecans such as "nuts that requires a stone to crack" referring to the hard shell of the pecan
• Spanish explorers who arrived during the 16th century called the pecan the "wrinkle nut"
• Native Americans used pecans in many different ways including in pies, for pecan milk to feed the infants and elderly as well as in a fermented intoxicating beverage known as "powcohicora"
• The pecan tree is a variety of hickory tree
• pecans are related to walnuts but unlike walnuts pecan trees only produce nuts once every other year.
• The 1880 colonists considered pecans a delicacy
• Thomas Jefferson planted a pecan tree in his orchard and gifted other founding fathers with pecans. 
• Pecans are native to the United States and over 90% of all pecan trees are grown in the U.S. 
• Pecan trees do not produce nuts til they reach maturity around 12 years and can live up to 300 years
• The state tree of Texas you can imagine that many pecan pies will be found there on national Pecan pie day July 12th. 
• Pecans traveled to the moon with astronauts on Apollo space mission. 
• World War II soldiers used roasted pecan shells as a sub for coffee. 

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