Black Walnut Quick Bread
A compact, fragrant loaf, packed with black walnuts with a deep, slightly bitter flavor. It keeps for several days, slices cold, and accompanies a walk or a long day of observation equally well.
A compact, fragrant loaf, packed with black walnuts with a deep, slightly bitter flavor. It keeps for several days, slices cold, and accompanies a walk or a long day of observation equally well.
I walked a lot, in all weathers, and I had an eye for what the woods give: black walnuts especially, gathered in autumn, whose husks stain your fingers for days. Their flavor is forthright, almost bitter, nothing like those bland store-bought nuts. I would put them in a dense bread that I sliced in advance; a piece in my pocket, and I could stay outside as long as the light allowed. You learn as much walking as at the microscope, you see.
- •Shelled black walnuts — a good handful (signature garnish)
- •Wheat flour — two bowls (base)
- •Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- •Egg — one (binder)
- •Milk — as needed (liquid)
- •Melted butter — one spoonful (fat)
Black Walnut Quick Bread
A compact, fragrant loaf, packed with black walnuts with a deep, slightly bitter flavor. It keeps for several days, slices cold, and accompanies a walk or a long day of observation equally well.
Why this dish? McClintock was a great walker, attentive to every detail of the living world, and it is reported that she gathered nuts and wild plants around the laboratory. A dense black walnut bread, sliced and slipped into a pocket for long walks, extends this habit of a solitary forager.
I walked a lot, in all weathers, and I had an eye for what the woods give: black walnuts especially, gathered in autumn, whose husks stain your fingers for days. Their flavor is forthright, almost bitter, nothing like those bland store-bought nuts. I would put them in a dense bread that I sliced in advance; a piece in my pocket, and I could stay outside as long as the light allowed. You learn as much walking as at the microscope, you see.
Ingredients (period version)
- Shelled black walnuts — a good handful (signature garnish)
- Wheat flour — two bowls (base)
- Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- Egg — one (binder)
- Milk — as needed (liquid)
- Melted butter — one spoonful (fat)
Ingredients
- Black walnuts (or regular walnuts if unavailable) — 120 g, chopped (signature garnish)
- All-purpose flour — 250 g (base)
- Brown sugar — 100 g (sweetness)
- Egg — 1 (binder)
- Milk — 200 ml (liquid)
- Melted butter — 60 g (fat)
- Baking powder — 2 tsp (leavening)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a loaf pan.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the egg with milk and melted butter.
- Combine the two mixtures without overworking the dough, then fold in the chopped nuts.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes (a knife blade should come out dry).
- Let cool completely before slicing: the bread holds together better and keeps for 3-4 days wrapped in a cloth.
How it was made : The black walnut (Juglans nigra), with a much stronger flavor than the European walnut, was traditionally gathered in autumn in the northeastern United States and patiently shelled by hand — a notoriously thankless task. It was incorporated into keeper breads and cakes that traveled well and kept without refrigeration.
The contemporary twist : Serve sliced and lightly toasted with a drizzle of autumn honey: the sweet-bitter contrast stands out beautifully.
Barbara McClintock · Charactorium