The Amazing American Black Walnut: Wildly Unique!

In this week’s episode, we’re turning our attention to a nut that has flown under the radar for far too long and one of the most unique and boldly flavored nuts in the world—the American black walnut. Unlike the mild English walnut most of us buy at the store, black walnuts grow wild, harvested, not from manicured orchards, but from trees scattered across backyards, farms, and forests throughout the Midwest and Appalachian states. They’re one of the few truly wild-harvested commercial foods in the United States—a tradition that brings together thousands of local gatherers each fall. With their rich, earthy flavor and crunchy texture, black walnuts have a personality all their own, celebrated by bakers, chefs, and food lovers looking for something real, rustic, and full of character.

Joining us to tell us all about them is Jacob Basecke, Executive VP of Hammons Products Company, a fourth-generation family business that has been harvesting, processing and promoting black walnuts for decades from the Ozarks in Southern Missouri.

We’ll dig into what makes black walnuts different from the English walnut – from flavor to nutrition, sustainability to wild-harvest tradition. We’ll explore how Hammons works with thousands of harvesters in the Midwest, how their crop fits into today’s consumer and foodservice markets, you can make the most of this bold, wild nut.