I thought the following, which first appeared on the IMBAS Celtic
Reconstruction listserv, would be of interest to Paleoeaters. I have
no idea why anyone would consider acorns grain, though.

>1. The acorn was still regarded as grain. As Celts, it was their
>staple.
Are there recipes or dishes that use acorns that any IMBAS members
would like to share? <<<<

 _The Free Food Cook Book_ contains this information and several
 recipes:

Of the 85 species of oak found in the United States, all are good to
eat; some are not so sweet as others.  The tannin that causes
bitterness in some acorns is easily removed by leaching them in
boiling water.  The acorns of the white oak group are the sweetest
ones, and they mature in a single growing season.  The usually bitter
acorns of the red oak group do not mature until the end of the second
growing season.

To leach the acorns, if they are bitter, just shell them and boil them
whole in a kettle of water, changing the water each time it becomes
yellow in color.  This may require as much as 2 hours boiling time and
several changes of water, depending on the acorns.  Dry them in a slow
oven, with the door slightly ajar.  They may be eaten as they are or
ground into coarse bits for use like other nuts or ground even finer
and used as meal or coarse flour.

The Indians made a thick gruel by heating acorn meal in water, and,
with salt and pepper added, it is not at all bad; but you will
probably like it better if chicken broth is substituted for the water.

You can make an acorn spread the consistency of peanut butter.  Put a
few of the dried acorns in your blender, chop them fine, then add
vegetable oil to bring the spread to the desired consistency.  Add
salt to taste and run the blender again.

Acorn pancakes:  Mix 2 cups of acorn meal with 2 cups of regular flour
and sift in 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons baking power, and 1
teaspoon salt. Beat 4 eggs and combine with 3 cups milk and 4
tablespoons of melted butter.
 Combine the wet and dry ingredients to form a lumpy batter, then fry
 the
pancakes on a sizzling hot griddle.

Acorn bread is dark and tasty.  Start by sifting together 1 cup of
acorn meal, 1 cup of white flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 3
tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.  In another bowl, combine
1 beaten egg, 1 cup milk, and 3 tablespoons salad oil.  Add this to
the dry mixture and stir just enough to moisten all the flour.  Pour
the mixture into a greased bread pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30
minutes.

Candied acorns are one of the best ways you can use this nut.  Put 2
cups of sugar, 3/4 cup of flour, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1
teaspoon salt in a saucepan, then stir in 1 cup of water.  Bring to a
boil, stirring, and let it boil until it shows the first signs of
browning.  Set the saucepan in a larger pan of boiling water, so the
contents will remain liquid, and use tweezers to dip whole acorns in
the syrup.  Set the acorns on wax paper to dry.

Reference:

Vickers, Peggy.  _The Free Food Cook Book_.  Chatsworth:  Major Books,
1975.
 92-94.

Molly Ni/Da/na
San Francisco, California
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http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4715/