Where do they come from?

After another yummy encounter with pine nuts the other night, it got me to thinkin' ~Where do they come from? I asked around and nobody knew for sure. I thought that they must come from pine trees, but I thought I better double check. So...I located this article and found it pretty informative.

IN THE MARKET~Pine nuts
What they are:
The edible sweet and buttery seeds of pine trees. About 20 species of pines produce seeds large enough for harvesting, with slight differences in flavor and appearance among the species. In the Mediterranean, long, slim pine nuts come from the Italian stone or umbrella pine. Crunchier, squatter, and more teardrop-shaped nuts are harvested from the Korean pine and the Chilgoza pine of the Western Himalayas. Closer to home, the Colorado pine and single leaf pine provide most of the harvest. Seeds from the Korean pine -- mostly those harvested in northeast China -- cost less than European or North American nuts. The Chinese variety makes up the bulk of international trade.
How to cook them:
Pine nuts are perhaps best known for their role in the basil pesto of Italy's Genoa. In this versatile sauce, the pine nuts (pignoli in Italian) are toasted and then pounded with garlic, basil, grated pecorino cheese, and olive oil to form a bright green, fragrant paste. The pesto is used as a pasta sauce but is also stirred into minestrone soup. The Catalan picada sauce, for which pine nuts (pinons in Spanish) are pounded to a paste with garlic, parsley, and olive oil, is added to long-simmered Spanish dishes for a fresh taste. In many cuisines, pine nuts are scattered on cakes or tarts and pressed into cookies. They can also be eaten out of hand -- raw or toasted.
Where to buy them:
Because of their high fat content, pine nuts turn rancid quickly. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two months; freeze for up to six months. Buy Mediterranean nuts ($25 per pound) or Chinese ($15 per pound) at Dairy Fresh Candies, 57 Salem St., Boston, 617-742-2639. Penny Frazier of Goods From the Woods in Licking, Mo., sells pine nuts harvested from Nevada and New Mexico (800-267-6680 or www.pinenut.com) -- JONATHAN LEVITT

This article was taken from the Boston Globe Newpaper published on Dec. 14, 2005.

Check this out!

Brooke and I go to storytime with some friends each Monday. It is at 11:30 for 2 and 3 year old at the North Shelby Library off of Cahaba Valley down by Herdmont Park. You know Brooke really isn't 2 yet, but she behaves like a 2 year old and so we just fib a little each week. (Please don't tell!) Anyway, we love going and look forward to it, but it is cancelled for next week. :-( Although we are very disappointed, the story-time lady wanted us to cheerfully pass on this special announcement to our home schooling friends! Please tell your home schooling friends too!
If you didn't already know, next week is National Book Week! In honor of this special time the North Shelby Library will celebrate with a special appearance from Father Goose. His real name is Charles Ghigna and he is a great children's author, poet, and guest speaker. To find out more details about this special event please go to the North Shelby Library Website.The librarian said this would event would be best for ages four and up~all the way through grammar school!
So...mark your calendar now for Monday, November 13 at 11:OOAM. I know it will be one of those "worth it" type field trips. Best of all it's FREE!