Comments on: How to Make Acorn Flour http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm Intelligent Know-How for the Concerned Citizen Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:17:57 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jason http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-32453 Jason Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:27:24 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-32453 Just to be more annoying, since I know I've posted a lot of questions on the subject, I will post a helpful tip! I have a Home Remedies book (compiled by a lot of different doctors) that states something along the lines I have been wondering about on the subject of tannin. People who play sports that end up blistering their hands or feet or other parts of the body can apply a tannin soaked cloth to those body parts twice daily for a week or so and it will basically toughen up the skin (like it does in the tanning process) and prevent blisters showing up after the big game. I suppose that would be great for those who also do manual labor such as working with stone or hand tools and whatnot. I would advise asking the wife or girlfriend whether or not she wants your hands to be like leather ahead of time, though ;) Get your minds out of the gutter. . . Just to be more annoying, since I know I’ve posted a lot of questions on the subject, I will post a helpful tip! I have a Home Remedies book (compiled by a lot of different doctors) that states something along the lines I have been wondering about on the subject of tannin. People who play sports that end up blistering their hands or feet or other parts of the body can apply a tannin soaked cloth to those body parts twice daily for a week or so and it will basically toughen up the skin (like it does in the tanning process) and prevent blisters showing up after the big game. I suppose that would be great for those who also do manual labor such as working with stone or hand tools and whatnot. I would advise asking the wife or girlfriend whether or not she wants your hands to be like leather ahead of time, though ;) Get your minds out of the gutter. . .

]]> By: Jason http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-32451 Jason Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:12:34 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-32451 Also to Mary, a few days late, I can't remember if it was here that I heard it on or elsewhere, but supposedly tannin ice cubes applied to poison ivy apparently helps get rid of it faster. But anyway, I am totally aware I've been half obsessed with this subject for some time now (gotta check date of my first post, maybe), but I won't bore you with why I still haven't just experimented myself. I read on another site that to boil your flour and then subject it to cold water (or vice versa) as you stated in step 5, will lock in the tannin. Though, I would prefer to follow your advice considering, as you've stated, you make a great acorn bread every year, I also want to make sure that I don't screw up. I don't have many chances to do anything that I want to do, so I would like to make sure that if I can pull this off, maybe it'll be something I can do more often as it will benefit everybody. I suppose this could all be done around a campfire if you had the right tools? Also, if "cold leached" would I also get a useable supply of tannin? I Googled Uses for acorn flour and got all sorts of websites that seem to conflict, but not all of the authors seem to be speaking from experience. It's quite frustrating, and since I know you test before you blog (thinking about car heater and carbon monoxide, now) you are the only person I could trust asking these questions. NOBODY in my life knows the things that you know and the things I learn from this site, rendering them useless for practical advice. Also to Mary, a few days late, I can’t remember if it was here that I heard it on or elsewhere, but supposedly tannin ice cubes applied to poison ivy apparently helps get rid of it faster. But anyway, I am totally aware I’ve been half obsessed with this subject for some time now (gotta check date of my first post, maybe), but I won’t bore you with why I still haven’t just experimented myself. I read on another site that to boil your flour and then subject it to cold water (or vice versa) as you stated in step 5, will lock in the tannin. Though, I would prefer to follow your advice considering, as you’ve stated, you make a great acorn bread every year, I also want to make sure that I don’t screw up. I don’t have many chances to do anything that I want to do, so I would like to make sure that if I can pull this off, maybe it’ll be something I can do more often as it will benefit everybody. I suppose this could all be done around a campfire if you had the right tools? Also, if “cold leached” would I also get a useable supply of tannin? I Googled Uses for acorn flour and got all sorts of websites that seem to conflict, but not all of the authors seem to be speaking from experience. It’s quite frustrating, and since I know you test before you blog (thinking about car heater and carbon monoxide, now) you are the only person I could trust asking these questions. NOBODY in my life knows the things that you know and the things I learn from this site, rendering them useless for practical advice.

]]> By: Tactical Intelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-30807 Tactical Intelligence Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:21:37 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-30807 Hi Mary, The tannin water is an excellent astringent for all sorts of medical issues that call for that type of treatment (much like hydrogen peroxide). It can also be used as a dye but if so it should be boiled down quite a bit to get the deep color you want for dying purposes. Hi Mary,

The tannin water is an excellent astringent for all sorts of medical issues that call for that type of treatment (much like hydrogen peroxide). It can also be used as a dye but if so it should be boiled down quite a bit to get the deep color you want for dying purposes.

]]> By: Mary in LA http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-30009 Mary in LA Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:45:23 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-30009 Really enjoyed reading this -- thanks! Will try your procedure with some coast live oak or black oak acorns, those being the most common varieties of oak in southern California. Cheapskate that I am, I have to ask: Is the tannin water from leaching the acorns useful for anything? ("Geez, Mary, you're already getting free food for the gathering, what more do ya want?" :-) ) Making ink, dyeing cloth, tanning leather? I haven't tried tanning leather yet, but I'm willing to try... Or if not, is it safe to pour out on soil being used to grow vegetables? Thanks again for a great article! Really enjoyed reading this — thanks! Will try your procedure with some coast live oak or black oak acorns, those being the most common varieties of oak in southern California.

Cheapskate that I am, I have to ask: Is the tannin water from leaching the acorns useful for anything? (“Geez, Mary, you’re already getting free food for the gathering, what more do ya want?” :-) ) Making ink, dyeing cloth, tanning leather? I haven’t tried tanning leather yet, but I’m willing to try… Or if not, is it safe to pour out on soil being used to grow vegetables? Thanks again for a great article!

]]> By: Άγρια Φαγώσιμα: Τύφη « FUGAZI.gr http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-23479 Άγρια Φαγώσιμα: Τύφη « FUGAZI.gr Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:03:51 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-23479 [...] Για να κάνετε αλεύρι από βελανίδια δείτε τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο How to Make Acorn Flour  [...] [...] Για να κάνετε αλεύρι από βελανίδια δείτε τον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο How to Make Acorn Flour  [...]

]]> By: TacticalIntelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20847 TacticalIntelligence Tue, 25 Oct 2011 07:53:50 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-20847 Rachel, I think that's a good plan. After it's leached you can then make it as fine as you want through a blender or food processor. Rachel,

I think that’s a good plan. After it’s leached you can then make it as fine as you want through a blender or food processor.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20816 Rachel Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:17:02 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-20816 Well, we first tried a tshirt, because the particles were so fine, but that just made a huge mess. No water was actually straining out. We were going to try a fine mesh strainer, but nobody had one. I think our game plan for next time is to boil and dice it several times over until it's about the size of whole wheat, then dry it and put it through the grinder. Well, we first tried a tshirt, because the particles were so fine, but that just made a huge mess. No water was actually straining out. We were going to try a fine mesh strainer, but nobody had one. I think our game plan for next time is to boil and dice it several times over until it’s about the size of whole wheat, then dry it and put it through the grinder.

]]> By: Tactical Intelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20805 Tactical Intelligence Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:28:27 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-20805 Hi Rachel, What did you use to strain it? If the thick paste resulting from the blending was seeping through the strainer you might need something with a finer mesh. Otherwise I think you guys are right on. The paste can be dried in an oven or outside on a cookie sheet or something similar. And don't worry about the dark result. That is common and it will still taste good. Hi Rachel,

What did you use to strain it? If the thick paste resulting from the blending was seeping through the strainer you might need something with a finer mesh.

Otherwise I think you guys are right on. The paste can be dried in an oven or outside on a cookie sheet or something similar. And don’t worry about the dark result. That is common and it will still taste good.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20763 Rachel Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:48:16 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-20763 Ok, my roommates and I tried making flour out of Burr Oak acorns yesterday. It was a bit more work than we anticipated, but all was going well untill we tried to strain it the second time. We boiled the halves, then (because we lack a food processor) we put it in the blender. That resulted in a very thick paste, and beyond that point there was just no straining it. Do you have any suggestions? We ended up calling it good (Burr Oak doesn't have a lot of tanins anyway, right?) and just dried the paste in the oven, but it took forever. The flour turned out pretty dark in the end too, maybe the oven temp. was too high. . . Ok, my roommates and I tried making flour out of Burr Oak acorns yesterday. It was a bit more work than we anticipated, but all was going well untill we tried to strain it the second time. We boiled the halves, then (because we lack a food processor) we put it in the blender. That resulted in a very thick paste, and beyond that point there was just no straining it. Do you have any suggestions? We ended up calling it good (Burr Oak doesn’t have a lot of tanins anyway, right?) and just dried the paste in the oven, but it took forever. The flour turned out pretty dark in the end too, maybe the oven temp. was too high. . .

]]> By: Tactical Intelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-8407 Tactical Intelligence Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:36:36 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-8407 It's a bit late for the new shoots but you can pick and eat the new growth that appears at the end of the tree. Check out my article on that <a href="http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/sumac-shoot.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a> to learn how. It’s a bit late for the new shoots but you can pick and eat the new growth that appears at the end of the tree. Check out my article on that here to learn how.

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