It’s Raining Walnuts
Making the most of midsummer with a recipe for Green Walnut Liqueur
Something unusual is occurring in our backyard. For the first time in the fifteen years we’ve lived here, baby walnuts are tumbling out of the tree.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed one or two on the ground. Then, I heard the loud thump of them as they fell intermittently throughout the day. And when I was sitting out on the deck, one dropped right on my head. Over the last two weeks, we’ve amassed quite a collection of baby walnuts on our deck, patio and yard.
I wondered if the absence of squirrels was to blame. But then, when we were on our daily walk at OxBow Park, I noticed baby hickory nuts laying on the ground. And the other day, at Fidler’s Pond, the walnut trees had baby walnuts at their feet. It seems that the drought is to blame. If walnut trees don’t receive enough water at a crucial time, they will naturally abort their baby walnuts. So instead of the usual ripe walnuts of autumn, we are drowning in early summer baby walnuts.
As I work in my kitchen, a loud knock reminds me of what is happening in the backyard. I remember then that there is a French liqueur made out of walnuts called Vin de Noix. The tradition calls for an uneven number of baby walnuts to be picked on St. John the Baptist Day which is June 24. I look up a recipe and decide to make some.
Today is June 27 and since we’ve had quite a bit of wind, fresh stalks of walnut leaves are laying on the ground with baby walnuts. I pick as many fresh walnuts as I need to fill a jar. Then, working on an opened newspaper and with rubber gloves since walnuts can really stain my hands, I cut the walnuts in halves and plop them into the jar. As I split them open, a fresh green and slightly piney fragrance emerges that, to me, smells like early summer. I quickly fill the jar with vodka and red wine then add the spices that will ultimately make this liqueur my own. In France, each family has their own recipe. Mine includes lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
As I work, it somehow feels as though I’m preserving this specific slice of early summer. It’s the perfect time and the perfect day for this task. I seal the lid and set the jar in a dark part of my basement. And from now until fall, I will every now and then gently turn it upside down and back again. The liqueur won’t be finished until I strain it. But tradition again specifies that it shouldn’t be tasted until November when the walnuts normally fall. So this project will sit on the shelf until then. I’ll use nature as my guide to bring it out again. And I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Vin de Noix (Green Walnut Wine)
9 green walnuts, cut into fourths
1 ¼ c. vodka
1 bottle of red wine
A shake of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 clove
Grated zest from half of a lemon
8 sugar cubes
Using gloves and newspaper, carefully cut the walnuts. Place in a large jar and pound them a little. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until sugar dissolves. Close with a lid and place in a cool place for at least 24 days. Strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
Serve in a small shot glass.
Interesting phenomenon of early nut self-pruning. When we lived in the Dunlap area we had a huge , beautiful black walnut. I miss that tree and the traditions or events surrounding it.
I love baby walnuts! When I was a kid (my grandparents had several walnut trees), I used to pick them, peel them, and eat the soft, white flesh... .I thought they were much tastier than the ripe walnuts. Of course, my hands always turned black; as kids we always knew who liked baby walnuts, when we were in school, by looking at each other's hands. It's unfortunate that they are falling all now though, but glad you can use them. There is a Mexican dish I love made with fresh baby walnuts, called Chiles en Nogada... one of my favorites! You can only find it during baby walnut season.