Pecans are a versatile nut that most people associate with the holiday season, particularly for the role they play as an essential part of Thanksgiving’s ubiquitous dessert, pecan pie. However, these tasty nuts are a treat in other desserts, as a flavored snack or even straight out of the shell.
Using Pecans in Cooking
Pecans are particularly popular as an addition to loaves of bread and cakes as well as pies. Their rich, buttery flavor, which is due to their higher fat content, is an excellent addition to sweet desserts and candies.
They also pair well with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and even cayenne pepper. Pecans can be used for such out-of-the-ordinary dishes as crisps that combine the nut with cheddar cheese, jalapeno-pecan mustard butter or as part of a bacon-wrapped fig.
Pecans are Great to Snack on
Seasoned pecans, found in Pecan Stores Around Phoenix, can be sweet, salty or spicy depending on the spices used and the preferences of the person enjoying them. Cinnamon and honey pecans are popular, as are the nuts coated in a butter toffee layer. Pralines, a particularly appreciated snack, combine sugar, caramel, and pecans to make a candy that is hard to resist.
Pecans dusted with cayenne pepper or chili powder are an excellent hot snack. Natural pecans are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids. Snacking on just a handful a day is a good way to help lower cholesterol levels.
Include Pecans in Gift Baskets
Anyone looking for the perfect gift for a nut lover can’t go wrong with a pecan-based selection from any of the Pecan Stores Around Phoenix. Gifts range from tins of individual types of sweet or spicy nuts to selections featuring candy as well as specialty offerings like pecan brittle or even a “pie in a jar” product that makes preparing a pecan pie a snap. As a thank-you gift, a Christmas present or a “thinking of you” selection, pecan gift baskets are gifts that can’t go wrong.
Anyone who loves pecans or knows someone who does understands how special these nuts are. Click here to take a look at the numerous varieties available when shopping for pecans in the Phoenix area. You can also follow them on Twitter.
