Pecan trees are scattered throughout the Texas neighborhood where I live. They are reported to be the only tree nut native to America. During recent walks, I've picked up quite a collection that have fallen into the streets. What has always fascinated me about the pecan trees where I grew up in Louisiana, and now the ones here, is that each tree produces its own signature pecan. You can see in the photos how much variation there is just among the trees within a few blocks of each other. The nuts on any one tree tend to be very similar to each other, but each tree has its own distinctive brand, its own genetic code.

Tonight, I taste-tested a couple. The flavor varies with size and shape. The big, paper-shelled was less sweet, but was complex, with some bitterness in after taste. One of the smaller, rounder pecans had a sweet, resonant flavor.

There is something highly satisfying about picking pecans, something that goes way back to our hunting and gathering days, I suspect, when food was more valuable than coins. Abundant, nutritious, tasty, filling food in their own storage compartments that keep them fresh over time. Food that just falls into your path! What treasure.

And if that weren't enough, there's evidence to suggest pecans help lower cholesterol, maintain a healthy weight, and protect brain health.