Black Walnuts

Don't tell me you've never eaten black walnuts! Their aroma is simply unique, and they're wonderful with a hearty snack, charcuterie board, cheese platter, or supper. These candied black walnuts are made from unripe, green walnuts. Harvested before St. John's Day (June 21), the shells under the green husk are still soft. Pricked multiple times with a wooden stick and soaked, the walnut releases all its tannins, turning the nuts and water black, so this process must be repeated 2-3 times a day for 10 days. Finally, the walnuts are cooked in clarifying syrup and candied. If you don't want to undertake this elaborate procedure yourself, you can buy black walnuts from Fink's Delicatessen or Königskind Genussmanufaktur, or Stekovics Tapenade with black walnuts.