The ‘Other’ Holiday Season: Warm Celebrations with Georgia Pecans

ATLANTA - With leaves budding and the temperature climbing, signs are all around that once again the holiday season will soon be upon us. Well, the other holiday season, that is. The one that begins with the first green shamrock of St. Patrick’s Day (March) and continues through Passover and Easter (April), Mother’s Day and Memorial Day (May), Father’s Day (June), the bright firecrackers of Fourth of July, and ends with a finale on Labor Day (September).

Hosts can relax, however, because this long parade of warm weather holidays is in many ways a kinder, gentler one than that of the winter season. Its spirit bestows less emphasis on big preparations in favor of simple pleasures. Take, for example, buffet food for a casual gathering on a sunny spot outdoors. According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, Georgia pecans can be used in a wide variety of buffet-style dishes that can make any warm weather celebration complete.

Food for a crowd is best when it’s abundant, fresh-tasting and colorful. That may sound ambitious, but it can be altogether simple. Seasonal fresh vegetables—raw, steamed, roasted, or sautéed—provide color and freshness while ingredients like Georgia pecans instantly make recipes more substantial and filling.

A large platter of golden Lemon Rice with Parsley and Pecans, for example, transforms ho-hum rice into a lively side dish that fits any holiday menu, enhancing vegetables, poultry or meat. A horseradish-spiked Herb and Georgia-Pecan Crusted Beef Tenderloin makes an irresistible main dish for Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, and one that can be assembled hours ahead, leaving just last minute roasting. Rich tasting Georgia pecans in this beef recipe help stretch the number of servings from the high-end cut of meat, while adding a chewy, spicy crust.

Georgia pecans also fortify another simple recipe in Pecan Currant Soda Bread Biscuits with Corned Beef. Paying homage to St. Patrick’s Day, the biscuits are also an ideal choice for easy entertaining: serve them for brunch, pack them for parade-watching, include them with other “pub” fare, or pass them around at a party. Any other time, omit the corned beef and the rustic biscuits can be used to fill the breadbasket for another occasion.

Nuts have always been a favorite ingredient for Passover dishes, pecans being especially popular because their unique subtly-sweet flavor, earthy crunch, and rich color are a wonderful way to add substance to a menu that must avoid bread products, most grains and oftentimes dairy foods as well, since meat is traditionally served. Pecans fill the culinary void easily, as in an Orange Pecan Torte with Chocolate Glaze. A not-too-dense flourless torte made with finely ground pecans and fresh orange juice, this delicious Passover cake hardly needs the glaze, but who can resist gilding the lily? After all, chocolate is just one more food that gains grace in the company of Georgia pecans.

Hosts can let their guests discover more of these serendipitous flavor combinations by simply adding a bowlful of toasted pecan halves to the buffet table. Those who can resist eating the pecans out of hand, will find that the menu-friendly nut can be sprinkled over vegetables, used as a mini-dipper for soft cheeses, added to savory salads or spooned over desserts. Few foods can claim such easy versatility as shelled pecans—and such ready availability.

“Some people don’t realize that pecans are available year-round,” says Charles M. “Buddy” Leger, Georgia Pecan Commission chairman. “Pecans are perishable, but can be enjoyed during any season and holiday if properly stored.” To make certain pecans stay fresh, refrigerate shelled pecans in airtight containers for up to nine months, or freeze in zipper-lock freezer bags for up to two years. Unshelled pecans can be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place for three to six months.

According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, a handful of pecans boost the flavor, texture and appearance in a wide variety of recipes while adding a healthy supply of “good” fat. Pecans are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat believed to be helpful in preventing heart disease. Studies suggest that just ¾ cup of pecans added to daily meals may lower levels of the so-called “bad” LDL cholesterol while not affecting the good-for-you HDL cholesterol levels.

Georgia leads the nation as the largest pecan-producing state, with an average of 88 million pounds a year. The pecan is the only tree nut believed to be truly native to the United States.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission. For information and recipes in a nutshell, go to the commission’s Web site www.georgiapecans.org