The small, buttery seeds of pine trees are not actually nuts but technically seeds found inside pinecones. They’re also one of the oldest wild foods humans have gathered. Archaeological evidence shows they were eaten nearly 10,000 years ago, prized for their high energy content and easy portability.
The Paiute and Shoshone nations indigenous to the US Southwest harvested piñon pine nuts as a vital winter food. The Romans valued them as an aphrodisiac and used them in sauces, meats and desserts. In Italy, they’ve remained a staple for centuries and are famous for starring in pesto alla Genovese. Throughout the Middle East, pine nuts have long added richness to rice dishes, stuffed vegetables, sweets like baklava, and hummus as a garnish.
In Korea and China, pine nuts feature in confections, teas and juk (rice porridge). Lightly toasting pine nuts enhances their nutty f