Subject of a poem by Pablo Neruda the Araucaria araucana trees hold their crowns way up high in the sky. So a recent trip with my fellow students to Castle Kennedy Gardens & Monreith provided us the perfect opportunity to sample nuts from these living relics that preceded dinosaurs in their native land of Patagonia.
Once you manage to peel off the tough leathery outer armoury & papery inner skin a cream coloured floury textured nut awaits, similar to a pine nut but larger.
Packed full of goodness it was a staple food for the Native Indians of Chile. The Pehuenche, People of the araucarias, revered this tree – it was central to their lives & used these beautiful large edible nuts or Piñones to make bread & a nutritious drink amongst other things.
Sampling my first ever Araucaria araucana nut in Castle Kennedy Araucaria araucana Tree Avenue.
Arucaria forest at Monreith. Photo credit Deák Gergő.
Further Reading/Related Links:
The Pehuenche, People of the araucarias
Pablo Neruda Oda a la araucaria araucana
