piñons

Southwestern pine nuts

Piñons are pine trees native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, or the edible seeds they produce.

The seeds, also called pine nuts, have long been a food source for Indigenous peoples of the region.

The spelling preserves the Spanish tilde; the anglicized *pinyon* is equally common.

We gathered piñons in the foothills.

nut

edible

Safe to consume

harvestGathering mature crops
roastDry-heat cooking method
shellHard outer covering

kernel · oily · buttery · pesto · salad · toasted · snack · Navajo · Indigenous · gathering

tree

conifer

Cone-bearing tree

woodlandForested land area
resinViscous plant secretion
needlesSlender pointed instruments

bark · dwarf · scrubland · arid · Southwest · mesa · drought-tolerant · slow-growing · gnarled · aromatic

culinary

pesto

Uncooked green Italian sauce

biscottiCrunchy Italian almond cookies
hummusMashed chickpea spread
dolmaStuffed leaf parcels

stuffing · praline · macaroon · granola · risotto · pasta · crushed · toasted · garnish · rancid

Opposites

tree size and stature

piñonsredwoods

Massive Pacific coast conifers

sequoias · giant sequoias · coast redwoods · Douglas firs · white pines

habitat/climate zone

piñonshemlocks

Toxic plants or conifers

coastal redwoods

Family

piñon, pinon, pinons, pine, pines, piney, piny, pineal

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Profile: Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G