Book Review: In Praise of Pecans
By TERRY MATHEWS | News-Telegram Arts Editor
Sept 11, 2007 - A few days before he died in 1909, legend has it that the late Texas governor Jim Hogg said that he didn’t want a headstone to be placed at his grave.
In Praise of Pecans
Instead, he requested that a pecan tree be planted to mark his final resting place.
Although the original tree has been replaced, it’s said that Hogg’s love for the pecan spurred the Texas legislature to name it as the official state tree of Texas in 1919.
Hogg requested that a walnut tree be planted at his grave, too, but until someone sends me a book with walnut recipes, we’ll discuss pecans.
June Jackson, a native of Miss., former talk show host and the creator of “Better Cheddar” spread, has a fondness for our state nut.
“As a Southerner transplanted to the North, I remember the thrill of the fall pecan harvest back home,” she writes in the introduction to this lush book of pecan-inspired recipes. At that time, she was living in Maryland, which is too far north for pecans to flourish.
“Each September, I became nostalgic, imagining I could smell the acrid scent of the trees’ leaves. ... Cooking with pecans took some of the sting out of being away from them geographically,” Jackson remembers.
The book contains some 100 mouth-watering recipes and 75 full-color photographs. It should come with some kind of warning because you really get hungry just leafing through the pages.
Classic pecan recipes like Pecan Pie, Comforting Cinnamon Toast, Pecan Waffles, Pecan Pralines and Simple Roasted Pecans are lavishly laid out, along with some pretty interesting new ideas like Candied Ginger Pecans, Pecan-Stuffed Mushroom Caps, Honey Pecan Butter, Pecan-Encrusted Trout and Key Lime Pie with a Pecan Twist.
I gained five pounds just writing this review, but that won’t stop me from taking the book home and trying out some of Jackson’s delightful dishes. With the holidays just around the corner, we can all use a new source for special treats for our friends and families.
Jackson adds engaging anecdotes and a resource guide that lists websites for ordering all things pecan, along with some cute and “nutty” facts, making this a kitchen favorite you’ll enjoy for many years to come.
