Let’s Celebrate Texas Pecan Month and Go Nuts!
October is Texas Pecan Month, and this year is extra special. Why? It’s the 100th anniversary of the pecan tree being named Texas’s State Tree! To celebrate the milestone, the Texas Pecan Board hosted an awesome event at Olamaie with pecan growers from across the state. I was lucky enough to score an invite. And MY GOODNESS, that food was incredible. I probably shouldn’t admit it in this post, but I’ve only recently discovered the joy of pecans. I’m glad I have, though, because they are wondrous little things.
Just look at how chef Michael Fojtasek worked pecans into these dishes.
I’ma scatter these photos throughout this post, though. I can’t have my Texas Pecan Month celebration derailed by drooling all over my screen.
Of course, we’re doing more than just eating to celebrate Texas Pecan Month. The Texas Pecan Board released the results of a survey of more than 800 people across the state. It’s full of fun facts to questions I never knew I had, but I feel much richer for knowing. Things like…
What foods do you most identify with Texas?
- Tex Mex: 83 percent
- Barbeque: 82 percent
- Chicken Fried Steak: 67 percent
- Chili: 63 percent
- Fajitas: 62 percent
- Pecan Pie: 61 percent
How do you pronounce “pecan”?
- “Pih-kahn”: 41 percent
- “Puh-kahn”: 34 percent
- 18-22-year-olds say “pee-cans” (this is WRONG, but I’ll let them have it)
What’s your favorite pecan dish?
- Pecan Pie: 65 percent
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream: 45 percent
- Pecans as a Snack: 42 percent
- Pecan Pralines: 39 percent
- Candied pecans: 32 percent
Additionally, nearly a quarter of respondents (24 percent) said they would give up social media instead of pecans. A life without social media? Sounds amazing.
Pecans are typically harvested in the fall, which is why October is Texas Pecan Month. Texas pecans are available at many Texas grocers but can also be purchased directly from growers (and yes, you can taste the difference). Check out a full list of growers.
So get out there and get your pecan on. After all, we only get to celebrate Texas Pecan Month once a year. And we only get to celebrate a centennial…well, once every 100 years. And while I’d love to see you in 2119, let’s make the most of the month this time around, too.
