How to Crack A Wild Walnut
In response to a question about how to crack a walnut, I attempted to make some cool cartoons showing the process, but in the end the scans looked like crap, so I will just write it out.
The LOOSER Way: Buy a hard-core nut cracker (like we did).
The COOL Way:
- Wash your nuts thoroughly. I'm a bit lazy about this, but Tomoe gets real mad if I don't. And the 80 year-old neighbor also comments on how dirty my nuts are, so I am trying to make it a habit.
- Dry your nuts thoroughly. Not sure why, but I guess it is because if you don't use them right away, they could get moldy.
- When its time to actually use your nuts, roast them in a normal fry-pan until they split ever so slightly. Don't need a big crack, but just enough to fit your nata into.
- Place your nuts on an old cutting board (Tomoe gets real mad if I use the normal kitchen cutting board). Grab your nata* carefully place it in the crack in the shell.
- Whack the hell out of it. It should break clearly in half with just one or two whacks.
- Pick up all the little pieces of your nuts that have been strewn all over the room.
- Use a little nut picker to pick out the meat.
* A nata is a Japanese machete
Even if you use the fancy cracker in the photo above (about 2,000 yen at your local farm-tool shop), you probably still want to wash and roast your nuts.
Comments
are these regular or black walnuts? We have a lot of black walnut this year ...they are proving to be difficult to harvest.
Posted by: Hafiz | October 14, 2009 05:37 AM
just a idea if you happen to have vice grip about, Ive used them to crack nuts before. Easier on the hands, just enough pressure to crack not explode.
waiting to see what you two cook up with all the nuts !
Posted by: shar | October 14, 2009 09:18 AM
Thanks for the info - I'll let you know if we get any actual nuts out of ours and if we find any more inventive ways to do so. I remembered the tongue photo you took as my son was continually talking to me tonight.... not that I don't love him, he just talks a lot!
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Posted by: Gin | March 12, 2010 01:10 AM