Oh! Nocino

Delizioso! This is my best batch of Nocino EVER. I am so excited to bottle it. But, it isn't time. The smell is wonderful. The color darkens daily. I will use the wonderful little malt vinegar bottles that I purchased for making my pickled walnuts. They are perfect and cost under $3 a piece. What a wonderful treat poured over vanilla ice cream with some cracked walnuts on top. Unbelievable. You have to try it. Come to the ranch and try some at Christmas time. I will share..... Oh yes, Nocino!

Ready or Noix

This is the first year that I haven't personally stirred, checked, monitored, shaken, my entire batch of vin de noix. I do have a mini batch macerating on my counter at the cabin. (Thank goodness for air conditioning!) Also some deliciously spicy nocino turning a lovely motor oil-ish color. Soon it is time to connect with the winery where our 2000 green walnuts are steeping in a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino on it's journey to becoming Vin De Noix. Time to attend to the next part of the process. It will be time to remove the walnuts, filter and fortify. My brother, Paul Clary, is my guide on this journey. He is an accomplished winemaker who owns Clary Ranch Wines We will bottle in a 375 ml Antique green bottle. Karen Bertolini, of Paragon Labels, went to high school with me. She suggested taller rather than wide, so that the info all shows when you see the bottle on the shelf. She also suggested that I take a look at port bottles at BevMo for label inspiration. I saw a couple of appealing labels. The internet has more images than BevMo. I like the shape of this label from France. I have had to actively turn off that compulsive section of my brain that spent countless hours drawing and erasing. My brother-in-law, David Macy, is an artist and I will leave that to him.

The other "W"

I've made Biscotti al Nocine and I've finished pickling the walnuts. They are interesting, dark brown with a sweet, malt vinegar-y taste and hints of the same spices used in Nocino. I imagine that they would be best used as a garnish or flavoring, in small amounts. They have a strong, unusual flavor. I read that pickled walnuts are an ingredient in Worchestershire Sauce, a homemade version. The source said the taste of pickled walnuts resembles lumpy worchestershire. Here is an interesting link with assorted recipes for worchestershire, along with a recipe for walnut ketchup that uses pickled walnuts. You'll find this quote on that same page:

"In conclusion, pickled walnuts are perhaps the most ancient and widely consumed condiment in the world, thanks in large part to the British, who took it almost everywhere they colonized. As a result of the cultural diversity in the history of this "King of Pickles", there is a pickled walnut recipe to suit almost everyone's taste, whether vegetarian, carnivore, or just a sweet tooth. Pickled walnuts are an acquired taste and are not for everyone, but this is actually a good thing: There probably aren't enough to go around!"

I will share my 7 pints of pickled walnuts. Next year, I want to cut more of the ends off..... I wonder if using alum would make them more firm? Also, making sure that the blossom end is completely removed, like when pickling cucumbers. Perhaps however, the ideal pickled walnut really should taste like lumpy worchestershire! I think I prefer Vin de Noix!

2009 - Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....

We pause in our historical narrative of work....

I've just started my home batches of all things green walnuts. I've got Nocino, Vin de Noix (aka Perigord Port), Biscotti, and this year, making it's first appearance..... Pickled Walnuts. I was recently certified as an El Dorado County Master Food Preserver and I am putting my new found knowledge to good use.

Here is the first step in the process of pickling the green walnuts. 1) Pick. They are picked when they are one to one and 1/2 inches in diameter. Our family picked. It is much like picking apples, except we only picked from what we could reach. Dad, Paul Clary, found he could pick much higher in the tree using his ATV. We will utilize more pickers and perhaps a cherry picker next year. Another possibility is to stand in the back of a pickup bed truck. Any who...... we could have picked much more had we had these ideas before we picked.

2) The second step is to use a fork to make holes in the walnuts, place them in a quart jar and then fill them with a salt (or brine) solution. They will now sit for one week and we then drain the and subsequently repeat the process. To be continued