Noix

It's that time of year again. The walnuts are starting to drop from the trees. Soon farming families will be out in the walnut orchards stooped over to pick them from the ground. Back-breaking work. And the black pith in the interior of the soft casing that holds the nut stains the fingers. You see folk at supermarket check-outs with black thumbs and fingertips and know immediately what they've been doing. Some farmers, however, are more automated. Like our neighbour, the one-armed Monsieur Lafeuille. He has a machine that gets strapped around each tree, shaking it until it releases every last nut (it also shakes my house). Another machine comes along and, literally, hoovers them up. We usually manage to get a few bagfuls. They are best eaten just a few weeks old, when they are moist and sweet. And walnut oil is wonderful for cooking and salad dressings.