This industrial strength nutcracker is available from Amazon. The review at Amazon says that this one doesn’t work so well.

My high school US history teacher invented a pecan cracker. As I remember it was a block of wood with a metal plate and different sized indentations in the surface to hold different sizes of nuts. Then, you had a hammer-like instrument with which you hit the pecan. It was supposed to shatter the shell and leave the nut whole, but it didn’t work for me. I think I hit my finger with the hammer-thing. I can’t find a picture of Mr. Barth’s nutcracker anywhere on the internet, so I’m guessing it didn’t go over too well with the general pecan-shelling public.

About the time my history teacher was using class time to show us his invention, the newest thing in nutcrackers was the “inertia nutcracker.” You sort of shoot the nut in an enclosed area (very unsportsmanlike), and the shell explodes off leaving the nutmeat –in theory.

The last picture shows the kind of nutcracker we used when I was a kid —minus the red rubber grips. I didn’t like it very much either. A brick or a rock and the sidewalk were more convenient and just as effective.

Nowadays I shell my own pecans, but I buy them cracked. The pecan grower or wholesaler has this big machine into which they dump the pecans, and the machine cracks the shells. All I have to do at home is to pull the shell off and enjoy the fruit inside. I could label my pecans: No household nutcrackers were used in the preparation of these tasty pecan treats —only fingers. I use nutcrackers for decoration.

P.S. I like Tschaikovsky’s Nutcracker music, but it’s way overdone this time of year. And I think the story of the ballet is scary, nightmare-inducing.

For more Works-for-me Wednesday links, visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer. (I wonder if she’s ever found any pecans in her dryer? I certainly have in mine.)

Having in my life been bitten by the jaws of both victory and defeat, I must rush to add that success is to failure as butter pecan ice cream is to death.
Rupert Holmes, English composer, b. February 24, 1947

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Mine is plain old vanilla–with pecans and chocolate chips sprinkled on top.

What is your favorite brand of ice cream? Blue Bell Creameries will celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2007. Buttered Pecan and Pecan Pralines ‘n Cream flavors are sold year round. Caramel Turtle Fudge and Fudge Brownie Nut are available only at certain times of year. Right now, they’re also selling Mississippi Mud Cake and Southern Pecan Pie ice creams at my Kroger store. Eat your heart out, those of you who can’t get Blue Bell. (You can get four half-gallons of your favorite flavors shipped anywhere in the continental US via FedEx for only $89.00.)

I do like buttered pecan ice cream, and I plan to try the Mississippi Mud Cake flavor which happens to be Blue Bell’s November flavor of the month.

If you have anything to write concerning pecans —a story, a joke, a poem, a recipe, a memory, or a quotation— please post it on your blog and leave a link here at Semicolon. We’re celebrating November as the Month of the Pecan —because April just doesn’t make sense, and it’s too long to wait.

On the outskirts of town, there was a big old pecan tree by the cemetery fence. One evening two boys filled up a bucket with pecans and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.
“One for you, and one for me. One for you, one for me,” said one boy.

Several were dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.

Sure enough, he heard, “One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.”

He just knew what it was. “Oh my,” he shuddered, “It’s Satan and the Lord dividing the souls at the cemetery.”

He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.

“Come here quick,” said the boy, “You won’t believe what I just heard. Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up souls.”

The man said. “Beat it, kid, can’t you see it’s hard for me to walk?”

When the boy insisted, the man hobbled to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, “”One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.

The old man whispered, “Boy, you, you’ve been tellin’ the truth! Let’s see the devil himself.”

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of Satan.

At last they heard, “One for you, one for me. And one last one for you. That’s all. Now let’s go get those nuts by the fence, and we’ll be done.”

They say the old guy made it back to town 5 minutes before the boy.

I’m still calling for pecan-related posts from other bloggers because here at Semicolon where November is Pecan Month. Stay with me through the month and you’ll learn how to pronounce the name of this delicious nut, where it originated, which figures from history have been fans of the pecan, how nutritious the pecan is, and much, much more than you ever wanted or needed to know about the pecan. I’m imitating Melville who had a chapter each in his epic, Moby Dick, about the head of the whale, the tail of the whale, ambergris, the skeleton of the whale, blubber, the whale’s dimensions, the whale’s spout, various substances found inside the whale, eating whale meat, and the whiteness of the whale. That’s not to mention all the chapters concerning whaling and whale ships and weapons used to kill a whale and laws related to the capture of whales.

If I have chosen a smaller, more delectable subject in the pecan, I believe I have not chosen a creation of God less worthy of study. Pecans are certainly more accessible here in Texas than whales. And they taste better in pies. And after five hundred plus pages of whaling, I’m ready for something different. So, bring on the pecans.

Did you know that there’s singing group called Golden Smog? And furthermore one of their recorded hits(?) was called Pecan Pie? The lyrics start out thus:

as I walk along and stumble
trains rumble in my head
as I breeze along and grumble
think about you instead

and a piece of pecan pie
and you that’s all I want
just a piece of pecan pie
and all I want is you

sometimes I get so hungry
think about pie all day
just a little whipped cream
honey, I’m on my way

with a piece of pecan pie
and you that’s all I want
just a piece of pecan pie
and all I want is you

It gets worse. Or as my mama would say, “Same song, second verse. Could be better but it’s gonna be worse.” If you’re a Golden Smog fan, you have my condolences, er, apology.

So, I’ll end this poor excuse for a pecan post with a picture and a plea for more pecan-related links. If you have posted anything —a story, a joke, a recipe, a poem, a quotation, a picture, even bad song lyrics— leave a link in Mr. Linky. If you’re a pecan fan, visit some of the links to find kindred spirits and more pecan songs.

Here’s a recipe for using up leftover cornbread. I like sweet cornbread,usually using a cornmuffin mix like Jiffy, but you may like yours without sugar.

1 (1 1/2 qt.) pan cooked corn bread
2 C. mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 jar chopped pimientos
3/4 C. chopped green onions
3/4 C. chopped pecans
2 large tomatoes, diced

Crumble cornbread into bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Place in refrigerator to chill. (About 2 1/2 hours is best.) Yields 8 to 10 servings.

By the way, Melissa says pecans are a critical ingredient in chocolate cake.

Melissa’s Mom’s Rocky Road Sheet cake recipe

Remember: if you have posted something pecan-related on your blog, be sure and leave a link. I’ll enter you in my drawing at the end of the month, and the winner will get a pound of fresh shelled pecans and maybe an extra bonus gift.

Pecans

Art Print

Smith, Cedric


Buy at AllPosters.com

Leave a link to your pecan post in the Mr. Linky, and you’ll be entered in my November is the Month of the Pecan contest. One of you will win a pound of fresh shelled pecans and maybe a bonus book or something pecan-related.

In the meantime, here’s a pecan quiz for all pecan lovers. NOTE: some questions have no right answer.

1. Is it PEE-can or pa-CAHN?

2. Is a shelled pecan
a. a pecan with a shell
b. a pecan without a shell

3. The pecan is the only major nut tree that grows naturally in North America. True or false?

4. Why should you store shelled pecans in the freezer?

5. What two US presidents are known to have cultivated pecan trees in their gardens?

6. Are pecans widely grown in any country other than the United States? If so, where?

7. What is the average price for a pound of shelled pecans this year? How much does a pound of pecans cost in your local grocery store?

8. What is the meaning of the Cajun phrase “gone pecan”?

9. In 1919 the legislature of which state declared the pecan tree to be the state tree? What state produces the most pecans for sale?

10. Do you thresh the pecans from the trees or thrash them?

You can answer any or all of the quiz questions in the comments or on your own blog. I’ll be answering them in upcoming pecan posts this month. Remember: if you have posted something pecan-related on your blog, be sure and leave a link. I’ll enter you in my drawing at the end of the month, and the winner will get a pound of fresh shelled pecans and maybe an extra bonus gift.