In The 18th And 19th Centuries, Pecans Were Believed To Have Medicinal Properties.

Each year on September 21, people across the United States celebrate National Pecan Cookie Day.

Enjoying freshly baked, pecan cookies straight from the oven with a glass of milk is one of the best ways to end the day. Joining a friend while savoring the buttery goodness is even better.  The variety of recipes for soft or firm cookies astounds most bakers. The toasted nuts and sugary sweetness melts in your mouth, keeping you coming back for more.  They delight, and when stored properly, they stay fresh, too.  But pecan cookies won’t last long when they’re baked right.

• 16th Century – When Spanish explorers discovered pecans in the 16th Century, they named them “nuez de larruga” which means “wrinkle nut”
• 1773 – Pecans were first mentioned in print in 1773
• 18th/19th Centuries – In the 18th and 19th centuries, pecans were believed to have medicinal properties. Some folk remedies included using pecan oil to soothe sore throats or applying crushed pecans to wounds. Native American healers also brewed pecan-infused teas for digestive issues. Though not scientifically proven, these early uses show pecans were more than just a snack.
• 1840 – In 1840, a pecan tree was planted on the White House lawn, a gift from Thomas Jefferson’s estate. Jefferson was fascinated by pecans and even grew them at Monticello. That tree remained for over 150 years, making it one of the longest-standing trees on the property.
• 1876 – At the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, an African-American slave gardener hailing from Louisiana, Antoine, wins the Best Pecan Exhibited title — marking the first usage of improved pecans.
• 1919 – Texas adopted the pecan tree as its state tree in 1919.  In fact, Texas Governor James Hogg liked pecan trees so much that he asked if a pecan tree could be planted at his gravesite when he died.
• 1920s – In the 1920s and 1930s, pecan pralines and cookies were popular in New Orleans jazz clubs.
• 1939 – During World War II, pecan cookies were included in soldier rations due to their long shelf life.
• Pecans aren’t technically nuts. They are actually “drupes,” considered the fruit of a tree similar to peaches and plums.
• If the body does not get enough zinc, it may have difficulty producing testosterone, a key hormone in initiating sexual desire in both men and women.  Pecans provide nearly 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for zinc.
• It would take 11,624 pecans, stacked end to end, to reach the top of the Empire State Building in New York City.
• There are two ways people pronounce “pecan” no one agrees which is the correct pronunciation.
• A member of the hickory family, the pecan is native to central and southern United States
• Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees, is the pecan capital of the U.S.  Albany hosts the annual National Pecan Festival, which includes a race, parade, pecan-cooking contest, the crowning of the National Pecan Queen and many other activities.
• Pecan trees usually range in height from 70 to 100 feet, but some trees grow as tall as 150 feet or higher.  Native pecan trees – those over 150 years old – have trunks more than three feet in diameter.
• Pecan is an Algonquian word, meaning “a nut requiring a stone to crack.”
• There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans.  Many are named for Native American Indian tribes, including Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Choctaw and Shawnee.
• The U.S. produces about 80 percent of the world’s pecan crop.
• Before a shelled pecan is ready to be sold, it must first be cleaned, sized, sterilized, cracked, and finally, shelled.
• Astronauts took pecans to the moon two times in the Apollo space mission.
• Roasted pecan shells were often used as a substitute for coffee during World War II
• Okmulgee, OK holds the world’s records for the largest pecan pie, pecan cookie, and pecan brownie
• George Washington, the first president of the United States, planted pecan trees that were gifted to him by Thomas Jefferson, the third US president.
• Pecans were included in early space missions because they are lightweight, nutrient-dense, and don’t crumble easily in zero gravity. NASA added them to astronaut meal packs as a source of healthy fats and energy. Even today, pecans are among the nuts sent to the International Space Station.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Foodimentary

Mobile-Cuisine

Natchitoches Pecans

National Today

Days of the Year