A holiday treat

Pecan trees grow wild throughout much of the southern United States where it is a native tree. The pecan tree has been traced to an origin about 8,000 years ago. Native Americans collected, cracked and ate the meat of the pecan tree nuts.

Since becoming domesticated hundreds of years ago in North America, the pecan has taken on many different sizes and hardnesses of the nut's shell. There are many different strains of the pecan, just like there are many different kinds of apples, peaches and other fruit trees.

Pecans ripen and fall to the ground during autumn usually after the first hard freeze and a bout of strong wind. Pecans are great in pies, cookies, candies and other deserts. They are often crushed and added to cakes for added flavor. I love cracking them with a specially made pecan cracker and eating them raw. Raw pecans will last for several months when kept frozen.