When I was growing up in the South, almost every household had a set of pecan shelling tools. Ours lived out on the kitchen counter. This was a bowl with a nutcracker and a long pick, like a dental tool, to edge the nuts out of the divided shell. I spent many an hour at the kitchen table, coaxing pecan halves out of the shell for my mom. They were baked in pies, cookies, and cakes; sprinkled over salads; added to the Thanksgiving dressing. And they pair well with another Southern obsession, bourbon (see: bourbon pecan balls)
If you’re coming to France to visit friends here, this is what might be a good gift to bring them: a big bag of pecans.
Walnuts, with a more bitter flavor, are the most common nut used in France. Pecans don’t grow here well. The French like them though, and increasingly they are available. But they are imported, and sold in tiny bags for many euros. So here, they are a luxury.
Since we’ve been cooking this week, we’ve been thinking about nuts, which go in so many Thanksgiving dishes. And a very happy Thanksgiving to all, by the way, only a day late. But maybe like us, you are still celebrating. We have brought the celebration here to France with us. And since it’s that uniquely American holiday we must have our pecans, however pricey they are.
In France, turkeys are very much Christmas birds, and Thanksgiving is not a Thing.
Here is one of my many recipes with pecans, which I always make at Thanksgiving. It’s an oldie but goodie cranberry sauce from the New Basics Cookbook, and I’ve made a few tweaks (the original recipe is actually more “French”, as it calls for walnuts).
I know Thanksgiving was yesterday, but if you didn’t make cranberry sauce for your feast, consider making it today, to jazz up your leftovers. You can make it in 10 minutes and it’s great with turkey sandwiches, on a grilled cheese sandwich with gruyere, or just served with leftover turkey and gravy. Or just with with stuffing. I’m not even a cranberry sauce fan, but this stuff is seriously delicious.
…la belle vie en France, and our loyal readers! Hope you have a long gratitude list like we do.
RECIPE: Maple Pecan Cranberry Sauce
12 oz (340 grams) fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup maple syrup
zest of 1 orange
1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 cup pecan halves (toasted is better), or walnuts.
Combine all the ingredients except the nuts in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil, then cook for 10 minutes over medium heat until the berries begin to pop. Remove from heat and stir in the nuts. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
And since I’m an animal-loving vegetarian, I should note that at the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner we shared with friends, everyone agreed that next year, why cook a turkey at all? The side dishes and desserts were the best. Je suis d’accord!
Favorite READS: Natalia is back with a book for us: the award winning French novel, La Maison Vide. And my friend Nancy recommended a book by Nora Ephron called I Remember Nothing. Somehow I missed this one, she’s a favorite author, especially when you need a big laugh, and especially if you are of a certain age.
11 thoughts on “Nuts About France”
An american friend once asked me how they celebrate thanksgiving in france. I told him he needed to think about what thanksgiving commemorated ……
Happy Thanksgiving, Lynn! Grateful for you!
I’m grateful for you AND Lynn! I’ve been following the two of you since the “early days.” We were stationed in Europe for 17 years, and now that we’ve retired to coastal NC, I still enjoy reading about life in France. Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année! ~Cynthia M
Lynn, pecans are becoming more expensive here in Alabama also. In fact, we substituted with walnuts for some recent baking. There’s nothing like pecans for our favorite pies, cakes and cookies though. We were in France, renting two AirBnB’s along the Loire valley. Can’t believe we did it at 77 years old, but we did make probably our last trip. Saw some of my favorites again. I wished that I still had my blog with 800 photos of France and many stories. Keep up your great blog!
A belated Happy Thanksgiving Lynn
Always a good topic, Thanksgiving. And it’s good to take a pause at any time of year to recognize the gratitude I feel for my good fortune for being able to enjoy my family, my friends, and my love of France. You especially, Lynn, have nurtured that love of France all this time and I have appreciated every post and email. Keep on truckin’, as they say somewhere in the US.
Interesting that even though Thanksgiving does not exist in France for obvious reasons there is Le Black Friday in all the shops in France. Another marketing ploy to make us buy more stuff!!
Happy Thanksgiving dear Lynn! So appreciative for the gift of your amitie and gentillesse!
Your cranberry sauce sounds like heaven! I admit I’ve never used either maple syrup or pecans,and wow! I am drooling!MIAM!
My book suggestion this time is French Windows by Antoine Laurain.Mystery and intrigue in Paris ,well written and kept my attention. It is available in French but this time I opted for the English version.Sometimes I really am not in the mood to keep looking things up.
Blessings always to you,Ron,Vino and of course your beautiful family!
Your cranberry sauce sounds delicious – I can’t wait to give it a try! Let me share a recipe I got quite a few years ago from a restaurant in Glacier National Park … I asked for the recipe and the chef was kind enough to share. I’ve made it many times over the years. It makes great gifts!
1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 orange, scrubbed, halved and seeds removed
1/2 C crystallized ginger
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Put first 3 ingredients in a food processor and grind finely.
Add next 3 ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Makes 3 C. Keeps for weeks in the fridge.
Lynn, your cranberry sauce is heavenly, the pecans give that little soft crunch and nutty flavor !
You didn’t mention your delicious new production “The Thanksgiving Buche”, that was very special as well and
Thank you
We use pecans in a pecan and sweet potato salad. Maple syrup glazed pecan, roasted diced sweet potato, baby cos lettuce, diced crisp maple bacon with ranch dressing. Making it for my mother in laws 90th birthday and probably Christmas all next month.
Fresh cranberries are had to get in Australia and are usually imported.