Ingredient: Pine nuts (or Pine kernels)
Category: Herbs, Spices & Seasoning
Season: All
Throughout Europe and Middle East the pine nuts used are from Stone Pine (Pinus pinea).
They are easily distinguished from the Asian pine nuts by their more slender shape and more homogeneous flesh.
Due to the lower price, Asian pine nuts are also often used, especially in cheaper preparations.
Pine nuts have been eaten in Europe and Asia since the Paleolithic period.
They are frequently added to meat, fish, and vegetable dishes .
In Italian they are called pinoli or (rarely) pignoli and are an essential component of Italian pesto sauce.
The pignoli cookie , an Italian specialty confection, is made of almond flour formed into a dough similar to that of a macaroon and then topped with pine nuts.
Pine nuts are also featured in the salade landaise of southwestern France.
Pine nut coffee, known as piñón (Spanish for pine nut), is a speciality found in the southwest United States, especially New Mexico, and is typically a dark roast coffee having a deep, nutty flavour; roasted and lightly salted pine nuts can often be found sold on the side of the road in cities across New Mexico to be used for this purpose.
Pine nuts are also used in chocolates and desserts such as baklava.
It is also a widely used ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine , reflected in a diverse range of dishes such as kibbeh, sambusek, ladies' fingers and many others.
Risks of eating pine nuts
The eating of pine nuts can cause serious taste disturbances , lasting for days or weeks.
The taste disturbance developes one or two days after consumption .
A bitter, metallic taste is described.
The pine nuts involved are always imported from China , but only a minority of Chinese pine nuts present this problem.
Until now it is not clear which pine species is implicated.
Concerning the cause, it has been observed that the pine nuts involved typically contain triglycerides, formed by 16-18° unsaturated fatty acids.
Analysis on pesticide residus and heavy metal did not reveal any contamination.
Though very unpleasant, there doesn't seem to be a real health concern.
The problem can be avoided by not consuming Chinese pine nuts. They can be recognised because they are shorter. |