
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 20, 1994                   TAG: 9411180066
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: PATRICIA HELD
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ACORNS: `THE ANCIENT FOOD OF MAN'

They drop on our cars and fall on our heads, as if to try to attract our attention. In autumn, acorns fall from the trees and seem to go unnoticed by everyone - except the animals.

The word ``acorn'' is taken from the German word eichkern, which means oak seed. There are about 80 species of oaks native to the United States, and all have one common attribute: They all produce acorns, and when they do they are surrounded by some very happy squirrels. Acorns are on top of the wild-food list for many animals, and are especially important when food is scarce. Many animals are dependent upon these wild nuts as a food source, including ducks, quail, turkeys, chipmunks, deer and bears.

Thirty percent of all acorns are devoured while still on the trees. But once the remaining nuts fall, many hungry mouths are ready and waiting. In fact, most acorns do not have a chance to grow into trees. Long before they have a chance to germinate, the nuts are devoured by hungry animals. Together with fruits, berries and other nuts, acorns are called "mast" and provide winter food for many animals. The future of many species of wildlife depends on the year's mast supply.

At one time humans, too, gathered acorns. Nutting for acorns used to be an annual tradition. Acorns were the "ancient food of man" and "the staff of life," according to wild-food enthusiast Euell Gibbons. In fact, Europeans eat acorns, though we Americans usually leave acorns for the squirrels.

American Indians used acorns in bread and puddings, and natural-food book writers discussed their uses for grits, bread and griddle cakes. A good source of protein, acorns were prepared in a variety of ways to please every palate.

Depending upon the species, acorns may range from sweet tasting to very bitter. Some species have a far better flavor than others.

Generally, acorns can be divided into two distinct groups: red oaks (sometimes called black oaks) and white oaks. The oaks in the red oak group all have leaves with pointed lobes with hairlike bristle tips. Some red oaks include the willow oak, black oak, pin oak, scrub oak, scarlet oak and northern red oak. White oaks have leaves with rounded lobes. The chestnut oak, swamp oak and white oak are members of this group.

The acorns from the red oak group take two full years to mature. They are rich in tannin, yellow in color and taste very bitter. White oaks take one year to mature and have less tannin. Hence they are sweeter and far more desirable to eat.

Gibbons recommended leaching the acorns - preferably the white oak acorns - in several changes of boiling water for about two hours and then roasting them in a slow oven. This may sound like too much work, for few of us are willing to compete with the chipmunks, squirrels and turkeys. But this process produces a sweet and tasty nut that can be eaten as is, or ground into a meal for bread or hot cakes.

Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to: Patricia Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.

Patricia Held is a Bedford County free-lance writer and author specializing in natural history.

by CNB