We've gone nuts

Podge the dog looking for a squirrel.

Our two beautiful walnut trees have provided shade for us to doze and laze in hammocks slung underneath their leafy boughs.  But most importantly of all lots and lots of walnuts.....

Here's Jack and Milo harvesting the walnuts a couple of summers ago.  When we weren't living here we had to harvest the walnuts a bit too early while they were still in their green skins. We roped in our friends and family who were staying with us to help.  The only problem was that peeling the walnuts left us with terrible dark stains on our fingers for weeks and weeks.  I think it took a bit of explaining for our friends when they went back to work with dyed hands looking like they had been in a bank raid.

But this year we were able to let the walnuts fall off the tree when they were ready resulting in a bumper crop of the sweetest, nuttiest walnuts ever. 

French walnuts are said to be the best in the world. 

Smooth and nutty walnut liquers, walnut oil for delicious salad dressings, walnuts sprinkled on a beetroot and goats cheese salad, added to walnut bread, mixed in a coffee and walnut cake, carrot and walnut cake, and, maybe, my favourite a few eaten with a creamy blue cheese such as Roquefort or St Agur.  

Do you have any other suggestions?