One of the things I miss about living in California is the preponderance of oak trees. They’re all over the hillsides with their beautifully twisting branches. Even small patches of oaks provide food, shade, and habitat for a wide variety of plants, mushrooms, and creatures. Not to mention, oaks are great trees for climbing, and, if big enough, lounging in. Oaks are trees in the genus Quercus, of which there are hundreds of species.
There is a myth surrounding acorns that states Acorns are poisonous and can’t be eaten! Acorns can be eaten, but you wouldn’t want to just pick one up and eat it. There’s a leaching process that must be done in order to make the acorns edible.
I love to make this breakfast over a nice outdoor fire in the Autumn. It is especially satisfying when I go collect and process the acorns and apples myself.
There’s a lot of controversy about the healthiness of acorns because some varieties have a high tannin content, but if you have the time, patience, and desire, the leeching process (which removes the tannins) is well worth it! The good news is acorn flour, or acorn meal, is getting easier to find in different stores. However, it is a little expensive due to the amount of work it takes to properly process the nuts.