Pecan Day

What is Pecan?

Pecans, the only nut tree native to North America, are most common in southern U.S. While, this is a very good reason to celebrate this day, the today purpose is to celebrate March 25, 1775, the day George Washington planted a pecan tree at his Mount Vernon mansion.

The roots of pecans are very deep. Native Americans harvested pecan trees as a food source for a thousand years before the arrival of European settlers. During colonial times, pecan tress became more and more popular with early European settlers, who foraged in the forest looking for pecans. In the early 1770s, pecans were planted in Long Island, New York. Around that time, Thomas Jefferson was also planting pecans on his plantation in Monticello. In 1775, Thomas Jefferson donated a pecan tree to George Washington, who planted it on his estate at Mount Vernon. Pecan trees, from North America,  became popular all over the world. Today, pecan trees can be found everywhere, except Antarctica.

The Origin of Pecan Day

Pecan day was established to commemorate this deciduous tree that the founding fathers of the United States enjoys and continues to be shared with the world. First cultivated by Native Americans, it has been transplanted to other countries on the planet, but has not achieved widespread or widespread use outside of the United States.

In any case, the pecan is a nut definitely worth celebrating anywhere in the world, and Pecan Day is the best day to do just that!

How to Celebrate Pecan Day

Just a little bit of thought can encourage people to come up with all kinds of creative ways to show their love for pecans – like grab a handful of them to crush, add them to salad, or make a pecan pie, eating pecan crusted fish for dinner, or having pecan ice cream!

Take part in Pecan Day celebration by using some of the following ideas, or come up with some creative somes of your own in honor of the day: 

Throw a Pecan Day Party

Invite some friends and family come and share the fun by hosting a happy Pecan Day party! Pecans are a great party of snack that can be served in a variety of styles such as popular praline-flavoured pecans. Pecans are incredibly versatile because they give you a wide variety of flavors, whether sweet or savory, spicy or mild.

Delectable items that could happily be served at a Pecan Day party include:

Pecan Pie (a pastry pie crust with corn syrup and pecan filling)

Pralines (nuts coated in sugar, corn syrup, milk and butter)

Pecan-crusted Fish (tilapia, salmon, trout, halibut, or others)

Pecan Turtles (candy treat with chocolate and caramel)

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Chicken Salad Sandwiches (made with pecans, grapes and mayonnaise)

To get more recipes, check out the American Pecan Council website, not only offer recipe ideas but much more information about the entire pecan industry.

Grow a Pecan Tree

Planting a lovely and productive pecan tree brings itback to a memorable day to always come back to. If planting a sapling, it may take an average of 6-7 years to see a fruit yield, so a long-term investment is required to wait for the harvest. But certainly, it’s a worthwhile investment to feed and bring oxygen back to the air and do something good for the earth.

Practice the Pecan Pronouncing

North America is a large place with many different cultures and dialects. The Pecan is just one of many words that is pronounced differently based on the location. Pecan pronounciation is a controversial topic that has a lot to do with the divide between north and south in the United States.

A legitimate pronunciation of the word is: “puh-KAHN”. Its stress is on the second syllable and it is pronounced with the jaw dropping.

Besides, another equally legitimate way to pronounce the word is: “PEE-can”. Here, the stress is on the first syllable and a wide smile come out when speaking.

The first pronunciation is particularly northern and the second is southern but also could be related to whether people live in the city or in rural areas.

Considering that the trees first grew in the south, it’s possible that the second is the correct pronunciation. However, going further back, the nut was actually named from an Algonquin (Native American) word that described “nuts which required a stone to crack them”. 

So, it’s likely that neither of the above pronunciations is exactly correct and an Algonquin Native American would need to be consulted to find out the true pronunciation!

Share the Health Benefits of Pecans

When making treats out of pecans and sharing them at a party, don’t forget to tell friends and family about the nutritional value that pecan nuts can bring. Check out these health benefits that pecans can provide, including:

Protein, Healthy Fats, and Fiber that help with energy

Important Vitamins and Minerals including Iron, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Vitamin E, and Phosphorus

Ability to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels in the blood

Contains Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium to help reduce blood pressure

Acts as a healthy snack to replace sugary snacks, which helps those with diabetes and heart health issues

A good sources of healthy, Omega 3 Fats that can help to reduce inflammation pain that leads to problems such as arthritis

Filled with antioxidants that can help to protect the cells from damage

Buy a Nutcracker

The pecans that are purchased in-store have been packaged and processed but, for people who are serious about pecans, it might be fun to buy the whole nuts and crack them at home.

Nutcrackers can come in all shapes and sizes, from the very functional to kitschy and decorative. Sometimes they come in a set, with different levers, tongs, and ratchets, that can be used in different capacities.

For purists and die-hard pecan lovers, it might be worthwhile to invest in an electric nutcracker. But those who prefer a more rudimentary method can use a hammer or mallet to crack open the outer shell. Pliers could also work as a way to crack the nutshell. Then, once it is open, use a fork or other sharp object to pick out the nutmeat. And enjoy!