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It’s understandable that Georgians wouldn’t want to have “The Nut State” emblazoned on their license plates, but if the largest crop grown were the determining factor, that’s what it would be. Long known as the peach state, today Georgia is famous for its pecans. And some of the best come from Pearson Farm. The Pearson family has farmed for five generations in Fort Valley, Ga.—since 1885.
Big Six, the actual farm operation owned by Al Pearson and his sisters, primarily produces pecans and peaches. Al and his wife Mary created Pearson Farm, a separate company, as a retail outlet for Big Six produce.
This time of year, Mary is busy in the retail shop with the business’s biggest mail-order season. Come January, you’ll find her in the test kitchen perfecting products like peach pound cake (which has a troublesome tendency to stick to its pans) or developing new ones such as spicy salad bits made with culled pecan pieces.
Her product development has had a big effect on the pecan groves. Pointing to a few rows of color-marked trees, Al says, “Those are Mary’s pecans.”
He’s referring to the round, fat little Elliot pecan that she favors. Short-bodied and hard-shelled, it shells out cleaner and with less breakage than the popular larger varieties. It also has more natural oils than most pecans, making it exceptionally sweet and flavorful and winning it attention from top chefs.
With careful planning, good marketing and a reputation for quality products, Al and Mary hope to leave their son and his heirs a business that will thrive for generations to come.
Biting into one of their salty-sweet, perfectly toasted Elliot pecans, food lovers can only hope the same.
To read more about Pearson Farms, go to www.pearsonfarm.com
Oven Roasted Salted Pecans
Ingredients
2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds (about 5 cups) pecans
2. Melt butter and add salt, mixing together. Pour over pecans, tossing to coat well. Pour pecans evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and barely colored.
Recipe courtesy of Pearson Farm, Fort Valley, Ga.
Relish America's Harvest, December 2006.
Buttermilk Pecan Pie
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1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water
Filling: 3 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk
1 cup pecan pieces (or chopped pecans)
1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust
2.Preheat to 275F.
3. To prepare the filling, beat eggs with a whisk. Add sugar and flour; beat well. Add melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla.
Stir well.
2. Sprinkle pecan pieces evenly into the pie crust; pour in egg mixture.
3. Bake about 1 hour or until golden brown and set.
Recipe courtesy of Pearson Farm, Fort Valley, Ga.
"Relish America's Harvest," December 2006.
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