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Got Acorns?

If all the acorns around you have got your feeling a little squirrely, here’s the short, short version of what you can do:

If you have Valley Oak or similar acorns (they are cream colored “white” as opposed to yellow), crack them easily with a nutcracker or a rock against a hard surface. Grind them up as fine as you can, and then leach them in a cheesecloth or similar straining device. Leach by tying to a hose spigot or a faucet and let drip overnight or until no longer too bitter/astringent tasting. Use that as wet flour/meal or dehydrate to make dry flour.

To store: best way is to process them all now to make flour. You’ll thank yourself for this later, but I never seem to get around to it, either. Typically, the freezer is your friend here. Otherwise, in a dry area in shallow layers, as too many acorns packed together will rot fast.

Sprouted ones (little roots just peaking out of the shell) are good to eat.

If you are in the Bay Area, REGISTER for my class, How to Eat Acorns and Bay Nuts