82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 17, 1998 /Walnuts Rejoice this baking season a fall chill enters the air, what could be more appealing than a warm, fragrant kitchen filled with freshly baked desserts? Baking is part of the autumn landscape, and walnuts are a continuing theme in family recipes that withstand the test of time. Walnuts have always played an important role in the fall baking tradition. Walnuts' unique, mellow flavor, delightful crunch and toasted aroma are an incomparable component of many baked desserts. And this is the season to stock / . •••■ TIPS • Toasting enhances the flavor and crispness ol walnuts To toast in the oven spread shelled walnuts on baking sheet or shallow pan and hake at TS() F tor 10-12 minutes stir several times • You can toast walnuts in the microwave Place V 4 to I cup of walnuts in a single layer in a glass pie plate Microwave on high (6SO to 700 watt HKK# ) tor 4 to S minutes or until toasted stimng ever> 2 minutes cool • Walnuts aren t just toi baked goods— these wondcifullv veisatile nuts also # Walnuts were a favorite delicacy of the ancient enhance pastas salads appetizers Romans and were used not only tor eating but and sauces and contribute valuable also to dye wool and color han protein to vegetarian dishes OTo keep your walnuts Iresh store shelled nuts in an airtight eonlainei in the relr igeiator or tree/er # Do not shell vealnuls until icady to use # Always measure walnuts afiei chopping and lor best results, use a chefs knife to chop walnu' 0 # * f * * 1 % -Vr^ov RASPBERRY WALNUT SHORTBREAD BARS ) 1/4 cops plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose floor, divided 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup raspberry jam . 2 egg* • ,02 cap (irmly packed brown sugar ■. i teaspoon vanilla .1/$ teaspoon baking soda • '■ I'etrp chopped walnuts- Hdat-bVeb t6'550"F.-l-ighlty grease at9-inch square pafl. Combine ’ .’•J. iMppps flauf knd l/2;cupsogaV; Using pistry blender or.forlucut - fit butter until mixture flnejneal.Press- into greased pan. , Sake at 350-f tor 2ft minutes or jusf mull edges art-tightly goltjejl Spread bot’-cruSt with raspberry Jaw 'Combine eggs', brownxitgar : and vanilla, beat weU/Caibbme remaining 2'ta6fespootjsfl S , < I v V -f' , • - ♦ Did You Know... • Thcwoid walnut originates from uahlnul an # Walnuts are high in food energy are a good Old English word lor Welsh nut souicc of vegetable protein contain no choies lerol and aie low in saturated fats and sodium # Sales ot walnuts are greater than almonds and pecans combined # An a\eragc ol 400 million pounds ol walnuts are hai vested each year from die central and # Alter a walnut tree is planted, it takes six years northern sections ol California to bear fruit and isn I considered mature until it’s 12 to 14 years old The tree can continue * to produce for as long as 100 years up on these very popular baking nuts —walnut growers have been blessed with an abundance of high-quality walnuts, have reduced prices accordingly. - , jm* To celebrate, a liberal sprinkle of walnuts is in order. r , The flavorful rewards of baking with walnuts are **KSr ; ' . illustrated in the following recipes—three of the most popular recipes from generations of baking research at the Diamond Walnut lesl kitchens. jfe 4P in an abundant and low-priced supply. # California produces virtually all ol the walnuts grown commercially in the United Stales and cxpoits them to mote than 100 othei countries 9 Walnuts are harvested liom mid Seplemhei thiough November v HARVEST WALNUT PIE 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter, melted I teaspoon vanilla 1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry pie shell 1 1/2 cups large pieces walnuts Heat oven to 400°F Combine eggs, sugar, flour, corn syrup, butter and vanilla, blend well Pour into unbaked pie shell, arrange walnuts on top Bake in lower third of oven at 400°F tor 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to SSIF’F, bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes or until center appears set Cool completely 8 servings. BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 1 cup butter softened 1 1/3 cups sugar 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda . 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 12-oz. pkg. (2 cops) semi-sweet chocolate pieces 2 cups chopped walnuts : "MeSt oven to 350°F Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs ■' and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy Stir in flour, baking soda ‘And salt, mix Well Stir in chocolate and walnuts Drop by table ts onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in upper third ot at 350°F for 10 minutes or until set. (Cookies do not brown ~ . < much. Texture is soft when removed from oven but slightly crisp and chewy when cool ) Remove from cookie sheets, cool .. on wire racks About 5 dozen cookies. Turn to page B 3 HISTORY Walnuts are one of the oldest tree foods known to man, dating back to 7,000 B C The nuts, which grew wild over much of Europe and Asia, were introduced into China from central Asia in 140 B C , and by 618 they were popular among the Chinese upper class These so-called English (more properly, Persian) walnuts were introduced into Califor nia in the late 1700 s by the Spanish Franciscan priests In 1853 walnuts were exhibited at the first horticultural fair of the California State Agricultural Society, and by 1868 approximately 31,000 walnut trees were being grown in California The launch of the walnut industry in the 1860 s is credited to Joseph Sexton, an innovative nurseryman As the production of walnuts increased, growers began forming marketing associations or cooperatives whose goals emphasized quality production In 1912 the California Walnut Growers Association was formed to receive, pack, ship and market the walnuts grown by its members and to act as their representative in the crop distribution The association took the name Diamond Walnut Growers in 1956, and by the 1990 s was handling more than 47 percent ot California’s annual walnut crop thanks to its reputation tor consistency and quality through state-of the-art processing equipment and personal, hands-on attention to all Us products