The power of pecans
California-grown nut shows versatility beyond the candy counter
Story by Ching Lee • Photos by Fred Greaves
Outside the context of a certain dessert pie, the bumpy, crinkly kernels of pecans can fall victim to mistaken identity, especially in California, a state well-known for growing almonds, walnuts and pistachios. That’s a problem for Colusa County farmer Theresa Jeffreys Bright, who has been vocal about wanting “more press time” for California-grown pecans. “Some people don’t even recognize that pecans are different than walnuts,” she said. That the two nuts can be confused for one another is one reason she thinks “we have a long way to go” in educating people about pecans—not only to let them know that California pecans are available, but to encourage them to see the nut as more than an ingredient in pastries and candy. For example, pecans make great pesto and could be added to stuffing, she said. With new studies showing the many health benefits of pecans, Jeffreys Bright said people should also be snacking on the superfood on a regular basis. “There’s lots of parts to the song that we could be singing,” she added. ‘A harmony of flavor’ There’s no question, though, that California pecans still find their way into local sweet shops and confections, including those made by The Candy Box in Marysville and Ticket Chocolate in Loomis, two of Jeffreys Bright’s customers. Doug Zwolski, owner of The Candy Box, said he sees “no reason” to use anything but Jeffreys Bright’s pecans as a key ingredient in his store’s f lagship product—chocolate turtles. Though other nuts appear in his different confections, only pecans are used to make turtles, so called because the layers of nut clusters, caramel and chocolate resemble the reptile. Zwolski said the buttery f lavor of pecans goes particularly well with caramel, a buttery candy. “You put the two together and that creates a harmony of f lavor where they just complement each other,” he said.
Doug Zwolski, opposite page, owner of The Candy Box in Marysville, uses California-grown pecans in several of his confections, including chocolate turtles, the store’s flagship product.
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March/April 2021
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