ACORNS--EATING

Acorns have very high contents of tannins which makes them
very bitter and astringent when eaten raw. They need to be
boiled or roasted, or both to make them palatable. The sweetest nuts come from the white, burr and chestnut oaks. The black, pin and red oak acorns are more bitter.
To use: Collect the acorns in the fall, when ripe. Remove
shells and caps. The shells will come off easier if you first
slit with a sharp knife. Boil the acorns whole for at least two
hours, changing the water each time it becomes light brown in
color. This boiling removes the bitterness and they become
pleasantly sweet. You will find, after this boiling, that they
are quite dark brown in color. Toast in a 350 degree F oven for
another hour. They can then be eaten as they are or ground into a flour.