Acorn Cakes

Objective

Discuss difficulty in food preparation, expense, and time required for acorn flour and pine nuts. Make a Native American-type food using unusual ingredients.

CA Standards--Second Grade

• 2.1 History--How things happened long ago, past and now
• 2.4 Food Production/Consumption from long ago; preservation of food (Food preservation).

CA Standards--Third Grade

• 3.1 History--Native Americans

Materials

This recipe can cost approximately $25. Acorn flour is about $5/pound and pine nuts cost about $15/package. Acorn flour/powder (ground more fine) can be found at markets that sell Korean food (not necessarily at Asian so call first).

• Griddle (either electric +/- camp stove); extension cord
• Pine nuts and possibly some pine cones
• Acorn four and possibly some acorns
• Syrup (maple)
• Honey
• Plates, silverware, napkins
• PAM or Cooking spray

Procedures

1. Premixed batter dry ingredients and toasted pine nuts so only had to add wet ingredients.
2. Describe how pine nuts (Pine nuts) are harvested. Discuss how acorn powder (Make Acorn Flour) is produced and how many steps are required to make it palatable.
3. Stress the amount of time required and how expensive all those steps would take.
4. Looked at pinecones/pictures pine nut.
5. Felt/tasted acorn flour.
6. Prepared cakes on griddle for kids to try with syrup or honey.

Acorn cakes (makes 8 pancakes)

from American Indian Cooking before 1500; Mary Gunderson

Ingredients:

1/2 c pine nuts

3/4 c acorn meal or flour

1/4 c all purpose flour (were thicker when made with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 c water

1 egg

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp honey

Cooking Spray

small jar honey or maple type syrup for serving

Equipment: cookie sheet, pot holders, bowls, measuring cups/spoons, spoon, spatula, tortilla warmer or serving platter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour 1/2 c pine nuts into baking pan and spread out across bottom of pan. Toast 15-20 min until golden brown, stirring every 5 min.

2. In small mixing bowl, combine acorn flour, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add water, egg, 2 Tbsp veg oil, and honey. Mix until flour is completely moistened. Stir in pine nuts.

3. Spray skillet/griddle with cooking spray and heat to medium.

4. Pour 1/4 c batter into hot skillet. After 30 sec, flip cakes with metal spatula. Cook about 1 min. Watch carefully, they cook quickly. Remove to serving platter.

5. Repeat. Spray with cooking spray after every 4 cakes.

6. Serve immediately and top each serving with honey/maple syrup.