I read in an old magazine once about using acorns to make flour. I have access to tons of acorns and would love to try this. Need to know the best way to dry acorns,how to grind for flour etc. Any suggestions welcome. :-D

-- Kim in Indiana (kwcountrygirl@aol.com), August 31, 2001

Answers

Make sure you leach the pulp (several times) before grinding into flour.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), August 31, 2001.

I just happened to dig out my old MEN collection while unpacking. i was reading the real oldie, issue #3, heres the recipie and how to:

To make acrons edible first peel or shell.

After seperating the meat from the shell, washing out the tannin is next. You can do this by smashing or grinding the the meats into a fine meal and then build a leach plant. An Indian leach plant resembles an eagle's nest and is made by draping a cloth over a loose hollow of substantial twigs. the cloth is pushed into a lining for the nest and acorn meal is spread in half inch layer over the bottom. slowly pour water over this layer until the meal is sweet or neutral to the tongue.

Or... you can do it this way: grind acrons and drop into boiling water. When the water gets very dark, dump it out, add fresh water and boil again. 2 or 3 changes is suually enough. Place the meal in a mesh strainer or porous cloth bag and hang it in an unpolluted stream for 12 hrs and the processing is finished for you without any effort.

When the acorns are processed; dry and grind them again, this time really fine and you will ahve a good brown flour that can be used for baking.

Here are some recipies: Bread: 4 C acorn flour 3T butter 2/3 C sugar 3tsp baking powder 1-1/3 tsp salt 2 eggs 2C milk Mix all ingredients, beat well, pour into bread pans, bake 350 degrees

Cake: 1c wheat flour 1C acorn flour 1/2 c butter beat together then add: 1c sugar 3 eggs 1 c milk mix well bake 350 degrees for 45 mins

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 31, 2001.

Take that first strong boiling water and freeze it into ice cubes, then seal in a bag for emergencies. This stuff is seriously strong tannic acid and the thawed and warmed water can be used to clean out cuts with the bonus that it will help stop the bleeding.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 01, 2001.